Summary
Despair permeates the dialogue inThe Haunting of Hill House–and it turns out a lot of inspiration came from a sad backstory, namelythe showrunner’s personal insecurities as a writer and family member. There’s one particular scene when all of these feelings about his role in telling the story come to a head inFlanagan’sHill Housesuccess that redeemed adaptation failuresbefore it.
Mike Flanagan’s chilling adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel of the same name boasts an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.Central to its enduring popularity is the emotionally resonant story, which mirrors Jackson’s exploration of Eleanor’s desperate search for belonging. As well as drawing on the source material, Flanagan drew on his own experiences.
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The Origin Behind Leigh’s Monologue In The Haunting Of Hill House Explained
Director Mike Flanagan Draws On His Writer Anxieties
Just asHaunting of Hill House’s Red Roompretends to be its residents’ desires as a lure to its stomach and feeds on their fear and insecurities, the family members exploit each other long after they’ve left. Perhaps the most obvious example is Steve. As an older brother, he somewhat looks out for his siblings – buthe also capitalizes on their experiences by writing about them, which jumpstarts his career as a novelist. His shame about this comes to a head in the final episode when all the surviving children have dreams in the Red Room that reveal their deepest fears. Steve’s wife Leigh Crain says:
“I mean, is anything real before you write it, Steve? The things you write about are real. Those people are real, their feelings are real, their pain is real, but not to you, is it? Not until you chew it up and you digest it and you shit it out on a piece of paper. […] You eat it, Steve. You are an eater. […] Normal people’s lives are flesh and blood and muscle and bone, but not yours, darling. Oh, no. Your life is plastic. You are a plastic parasite. A plastic hack, aren’t you, honey?”
Flanagan explained the background of the monologue (viaTumblr):
“I recall that despair coloring a lot of what was on the page. My filter was breaking down. [Leigh’s monologue] is just me vomiting onto myself. […] I was talking about my family. I was talking about how much of their lives I’d used as building material for this show. I was talking about the fact that I’d lost two loved ones to suicide, and seen what it had done to my mother in particular. And I knew I was using - possibly even exploiting - those people for this series.”
Nell and Olivia’s deaths, therefore, are more than just plot devices; they’re the emotional epicenter around which the entire narrative revolves. This is particularly true of Nell’s deathcaused by the Bent-Neck Lady, Flanagan’s bestHill Housetwist. Her embalmed body dominates the frame in key scenes, emphasizing the heavy presence of loss. It’s a stark reflection of Flanagan’s own experiences, a haunting despair. Through this and the Red Room dreams,he creates a powerful and disturbing family portrait of isolation and the destructive nature of grief, transforming personal tragedy into a truly upsetting show that continues to resonate.
Leigh’s Monologue Is An Underrated Scene From Mike Flanagan’s Movie & TV Career
Steve’s Red Room Dream Has His Wife Verbally Eviscerate Him
Part of what makes Leigh’s horrifying monologue so brilliant is Samantha Sloyan’s delivery. Her eerily calm demeanor stands in stark contrast to the horrific content of her words. This juxtaposition is what makes it so eviscerating. Another triumph is the vivid imagery. The Red Room, as envisioned by Flanagan, serves as a metaphorical embodiment of both fear and desire, a void that consumes grief, sadness, and loss. By using images of eating and digesting, just like the“stomach”of the house,he draws parallels between Steve and the house, making it the most terrifying nightmare in the episode.
The Haunting of Hill Houseis a brilliant example of the magic that can happen when a writer incorporates their own experiences – but more than that, itshowcases Flanagan’s self-awareness as the role of writer and what this means to him morally.Mike Flanagan’sThe Hauntingseason 3 was unmade, but he has a busy slate ahead. His latest project,The Life of Chuck, is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival later this year. Horror fans will have to wait a bit longer for his next scare, as Flanagan’s upcomingExorcistmovie is set for a theatrical release on July 16, 2025.
