MovieChat Forums > The Haunting of Hill House (2018) Discussion > The Haunting of Oculus House

The Haunting of Oculus House

posted 6 years ago by BrunoAntony (1198)
4 replies | jump to latest

This series reminded me more of a prequel to Mike Flanagan's film "Oculus" than Shirley Jackson's book.

Like "Oculus", it's about grown-up siblings who are obsessed with the unexplained supernatural events that tore their family apart as children.

Like the antique mirror in "Oculus", the house has the ability to influence minds, warp reality, and create time loops.

I liked this series, but Flanagan really steamrolled his own style and material over the top of Shirley Jackson's work, while retaining her book's title.

It's odd that Stephen King endorsed this adaptation considering how much he liked Jackson's book and disliked how Stanley Kubrick forced his own personal stamp on "The Shining".

[–] Rinn13 (167) 4 years ago

He really likes to tell stories of wholesome, innocent families being absolutely torn apart by supernatural evil.

He did it in Oculus and Ouija: Origin of Evil (both of which I hated, though Oculus more). He did it in this, which could have been a lot better done, with a lot less needless filler. And he recently did with with Doctor Sleep, which again deviates from the book, with the girl's father being killed and Dan Torrence dying (neither happen in the book).

It really makes you wonder.

[–] TheReccher (343) 3 years ago

Hill House had no filler though. Maybe one or two speeches could have been shortened, but other than that every scene deepens the themes, plot and characters.

Seems like the word "filler" has been reduced down to "this was longer than I wanted it to be." The word has no meaning now.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

"It's odd that Stephen King endorsed this adaptation considering how much he liked Jackson's book and disliked how Stanley Kubrick forced his own personal stamp on "The Shining"."

I mentioned in a previous post that this series borrows lots of elements from The Shining, and that King should have been paid royalties.

I can see why he would endorse this adaptation.

https://moviechat.org/tt6763664/The-Haunting-of-Hill-House/5bd09cf8e1ead554fe7c3036/Stephen-King-should-get-royalties

[–] DoctorThirteen (11161) 4 months ago

While I was watching THOHH I was thinking that Flanagan's own Ouija: Origin of Evil (which features several THOHH cast members) would make a good companion piece to this and The Haunting of Bly Manor

Edit: Just rewatched Ouija: Origin of Evil. It definitely feels as though it could be in the same world as THOHH and THOBM (heck, the music is even by The Newton Brothers!). However, I've now seen an interview with Flanagan where he says that to be considered in 'The Haunting...' universe a work must meet three criteria; (a) it must be a ghost story, (b) it must be based on a classic work, and (c) it must have been adapted before.