The Fall of the House of Usher, created by Mike Flanagan, is a modernized version of Edgar Allan Poe’s story, published in 1839. The series depicts the tragic fate of members of this very powerful family who died under strange circumstances. Viewers will discover how the characters met death in the course of the episodes.
The influential, ruthless, manipulative family portrayed by Mike Flanagan is reminiscent of “The most hated family in America“- as he noted guardian : Sacklers.
Billionaires, they are at the helm of two of the country’s largest pharmaceutical industries, Purdue Pharma and Mundipharma – Mike Flanagan covered this detail in his own series. The Sackler family is particularly known for producing OxyContin – a new form of oxycodone – for pain relief.
This product is the cause of the opioid crisis in the United States. For more than twenty years, America has experienced multiple waves of overdoses. Since 1999, five hundred thousand victims have died as a result of this overdose. Le Monde confirms that 120,000 deaths are expected by 2023.
From reality to fiction
Accused of taking advantage of this tragedy, the Sackler family was sued by many relatives of the victims. But to avoid prosecution, the giants of the pharmaceutical world offered 4.5 billion dollars.
While the stories travel around the world, movies and series take the theme. Over the years, several fictions about the opioid crisis have appeared, such as Dopesick – available on Disney+ – and more recently Painkiller – on Netflix.
One of the most important and exciting films around this topic is none other than the documentary All Beauty and Spilled Blood by Laura Poitras, the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival 2022. This feature film depicts the life of photographer Nan Goldin and her fierce battle against the Sackler family, who, in order to establish their power over the art industry, increase donations to the world’s largest museums.
AlloCiné recently investigated the topic of OxyContin and its impact in France.
The Fall of the House of Usher is available on Netflix.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
