"The Fall of the House of Usher" is an older movie- and I saw perfectly fit to do these reviews in chronological release order. The pacing of older movies tends to be strange and enjoyable, all at once, and this was no exception.
The characters presented in this film are interesting, though not expanded upon, which isn't shocking. There is no need for it, aside from outsider curiousity. I may have to read the original story, after watching this! The ailments of the Ushers seem to not come much into play until seen fit, but to have to step and speak so softly around someone who draws so much ire would be a challenge. The protagonist, Phillip Winthrop, is an odd sort- as most protagonists of these movies are. Deeply in love with (and engaged to) Madeline Usher, despite them seeming to have met once prior. Though, again. Very common for the stories of the times.
The soundtrack was interesting- sometimes quite fitting, and other times very silly sounding for what was intended to be a serious scene. However I must commend the crew (who I can only imagine have all passed, by now) on their use of color. The movie is filmed, for the most part, in very warm, muted tones. However, in a nightmare sequence, the entire scene is bathed in highly saturated blues and purples. These are not colors seen much in the film prior, and certainly not as sharply as in this moment. From then on out, during the film's climax, the standard colors of the House are occasionally covered by flashes of bright blue lightning, making it feel somewhat like that nightmare never fully ended.
An interesting watch, and a good way to start these reviews. A true question of whether the bloodline of the Ushers truly was cursed, or if that was simply what Roderick Usher drove himself to believe, trapped in there for decades. In the end, I suppose it made little difference to him.