Following up on his hit series The Haunting of Hill House for Netflix, Mike Flanagan knew he wanted to move in a different direction and thus The Haunting of Bly Manor was born. Tonally, it's quite different from Hill House, leaning more gothic romance than it does the scares. Based on Henry James' novella The Turn of the Screw, Bly Manor follows Victoria Pedretti's character, Dani, who accepts a job to look after two children living in the remote manor.
While living there, Dani begins to see ghosts. Flanagan has used his Letterboxd to curate several recommendation lists to work as companions to his works and Bly Manor is no different. The following list highlights five of his picks, but you can check out the complete list of 20 right here.
The Innocents (1961)
- Director: Jack Clayton
- Writers: Truman Capote, William Archibald, and Jack Clayton
- Cast: Deborah Kerr, Peter Wyngarde, Megs Jenkins, Michael Redgrave, Pamela Franklin, and Martin Stephens
Like Bly Manor, The Innocents was also adapted from the Henry James novella and Flanagan pays homage to the 1961 movie multiple times throughout the series in the way he frames specific shots and even in the blocking of a few scenes.
The Innocents has become one of the most studied and significant influences on the psychological horror genre. It reminds me a lot of Shirley Jackson's novel The Haunting of Hill House, in that both stories relish in ambiguity. Is there really something supernatural at play? It makes sense that there are thematic similarities between these tales given that Flanagan adapted both for his Netflix anthology series.
The Bad Seed (1956)
- Director: Mervyn LeRoy
- Writers: John Lee Mahin
- Cast: Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, Henry Jones, and Evelyn Varden
The Bad Seed is one of the defining examples of the "evil kid" trope commonly found within the horror genre. In this 1956 film, a typical nuclear family move into a new picturesque slice of suburbia, but Christine begins suspecting that something is wrong with her daughter, Rhoda.
While Rhoda exudes charm and kindness in public, at home she tends to be more withdrawn and even cold. She might look sweet, but Rhoda is quick to lash out and even kill people if it means getting what she wants. This is the original Bad Seed (itself based on a stage play - which was based on a novel), though there have been multiple remakes (and ripoffs) since its release. Most recently, Rob Lowe and McKenna Grace starred in a Lifetime remake, but the original is definitely the superior of the two.
The Nightcomers (1971)
- Director: Michael Winner
- Writers: Michael Hastings
- Cast: Marlon Brando, Stephanie Beacham, Thora Hird, and Harry Andrews
Considering Flanagan included the popular Turn of the Screw adaptation The Innocents on his Letterboxd list, it makes sense that he would also feature the Marlon Brando-led prequel, serving as the lead-up to the events of The Turn of the Screw.
The Nightcomers shows us exactly what happened to Peter Quint and Ms. Jessel, the deaths that would eventually leave their children alone with a governess to take care of them. It's kind of a weird little film and it was polarizing when it first released in 1971. Though more people have come to appreciate the unconventional nature of The Nightcomers in recent decades, it remains divisive, with many debates about whether the film ever justifies its existence.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
- Writer/Director: Céline Sciamma
- Cast: Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a stunning work of art and a genuinely heartbreaking piece of storytelling. Although it isn't a horror movie, I think it's an important addition to Flanagan's list of recommendations as this is a tender film about the love between two women whilst simultaneously tapping into female sexuality and desire. Dani and Jamie's love story is the beating heart of Bly Manor, making it more of a somber romance and ghostly tale than just horror, so this movie is the perfect tragic companion to the series.
The Woman in Black (1989)
- Director: Herbert Wise
- Writers: Nigel Kneale
- Cast: Adrian Rawlins, Bernard Hepton, David Daker, and Pauline Moran
Modern viewers probably think of the 2012 movie starring Daniel Radcliffe when they hear The Woman in Black, but that movie was based on the 1989 British horror movie, a made-for-television film based on Susan Hill's novel. Set in 1925 London, solicitor Arthur Kidd travels to a coastal town to meet with a reclusive widow and settle her husband's estate. But Arthur soon realizes that something is disturbingly off about the surrounding village.
The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor are streaming on Netflix.