Three Good Reasons to Watch 'The Haunting of Hill House'
It’s actually pretty terrifying
The Haunting of Hill House is based on Shirley Jackson’s National Book Award-nominated 1959 novel and was released via Netflix on October 12. The series tells the story of the Crain siblings, who have grown up in the most haunted house in the country and returning to the house as adults to confront their troubled pasts.
The Hill house is alive. The walls are its skin, the doors are its eyes, and the inaccessible Red Room is its heart. (And stomach.) Those living in the house know there is something off. Going beyond trite jump scares, The Haunting of Hill House terrifies its audience through the dark spaces of the mind and the imagination of fear. The cinematography and direction set you up for quite a few scares, helped along by mysterious and frightening characters like the Bent-Neck Lady and the Floating Man.
2. There are tons of hidden Easter eggs
Those who have watched The Haunting of Hill House have probably seen some of the ghosts hiding in the background. Screenrant compiled a list of the ghosts featured in the show, and director, producer and writer Mike Flanagan has hinted at the presence of more than 30 ghosts hiding throughout the 10 episode series.
Lead actor Michael Huisman claims that sometimes he didn’t even notice anyone hiding in the shot behind him. Flanagan has explained that these ghosts are like Easter eggs meant to reward the viewers that go back for a second watch—so the show is quite durable, offering new revelations with repeated viewings, meaning you can revisit it every Halloween.
3. There are actually some pretty good lessons about family
Each episode, piece-by-piece, depicts tragedy within the Crain house. The perspective bounces from family member to family member and dances between the past and present. The series takes its time and is able to showcase character development in its depictions of guilt, loss, grief, fear and loyalty in the family. It raises excellent questions: are the ghosts real? Isn’t everyone a little haunted? If the horror in this series doesn’t keep you up at night, its enduring questions will.