I would say contemporary consensus has, on the whole, advanced past the ancient notion that ‘animated shows are for kids’ and the like. With the arrival of shows like Invincible (2021), there has been a shift in the cultural zeitgeist to accept, and even embrace these grittier animated pieces.

It is from within this cultural context that Netflix’s The House (2022) was released into the stratosphere. The House (2022) is an anthology series, comprising three separate stories, “I: And Heard Within a Lie Is Spun” (written by Emma De Swaef), “II: Then Lost Is Truth That Can’t Be Won” (written by Niki Lindroth von Bahr), and “segment III: Listen Again and Seek the Sun” (written by Paloma Baeza), which all centre around the titular house.

As with every other big production company, there are winners and losers. Still, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this series of short films. While I am completely indifferent to the existence of Netflix, it’s definitely great that smaller independent creators can harness such a platform to show their work to such a wide audience.

Okay, enough fluffing around. Let’s talk about the show.

Although the three stories are tangentially related, all relating in one way or the other around said house, alongside having a Shyamalan twist in the tail end of each series, the overall packaging of the films greatly benefited from being an anthology series rather than trying to appear as one interconnected show.

Of the films, I’ll only be really trying to take a pseudo-analytical jibe at the first of the three, “And Heard Within a Lie Is Spun”. I tried to do something a bit different this viewing, where instead of viewing the short film as a whole piece and jotting down my thoughts post-mortem, I attempted to occasionally pause the film and pen down views intermittently. Results were… disjointed to say the least. While I did leave the first short film with somewhat more of a ‘review’ to show for my efforts, I found this method seriously inhibited my ability to appreciate the film for what it was. Still, take it for what it is.

I: And Heard Within a Lie Is Spun

(SPOILERS AHEAD [but only for this film!])

The first thing that strikes viewers about this film is the haunting, off-kilter soundtrack composed by the brilliant Gustavo Santaolalla. It grates at your nerves, serrates them, really.

From the opening shots, the depictions of rapidly morphing architecture soaked in sepia tones provides a perfect contrast to Gustavo’s soundscape, which alludes to the mind-bending, incomprehensible nature of the story viewers are about to lay witness to.

All the same, we are put somewhat at ease upon seeing the lovely felt textures of the hand-crafted characters, complimented by the smooth stop motion. The textural elements of the sound design are likewise extremely well done, selling a believable pastoral atmosphere that’s steeped in uncertainty, presenting a comforting while slightly unfamiliar reality to viewers. Interestingly, I find the expressive faces and stellar voice acting seem to escape the uncanny valley, although there is a certain darkness that permeates the story nonetheless.

Festering beneath the surface of the cute character designs however, lies a madness and insanity that comes to a full boil in the film’s last few minutes. Amidst themes of matriarchal heritage, we are presented with the tale of Raymond, who is married to Penny, considered to be from a lower class, resulting in the collective disdain of his family.

This conflict immediately introduces a source of tension in the opening minutes of the film, as Raymond’s apparent ‘fall from grace’ provides sufficient justification for his ensuing drunkard stress and squalor. It is at Raymond’s lowest point that he encounters the enigmatic Mr Van Schoonbeek, who gives Raymond an offer he simply cannot refuse, allowing Raymond to move him and his family into a brand new house for no cost at all. Throughout their exchanges, the mystery of Schoonbeek’s horseless carriage which appears seemingly out of nowhere further accentuates the otherworldly incongruities, as the aforementioned madness sees a drastic shift in tone, the film becoming much darker than before.

As Penny and Raymond are more and more enamoured by their new house, it becomes evident there is something terribly wrong with their new abode. The children are the first to be altered to the ominous atmosphere that pervades the house. Even as everything appears perfect, the visceral sounds of Raymond and Penny gorging themselves on food tips us off that something isn’t really right with this bargain.

However, this film goes from just being uncomfortable to being downright frightening when we see what happens next. As Raymond and Penny become entranced by the gas lights in the dining room, this signals their collective descent into insanity as the tendrils of fear begin to grip viewers.

The lighting becomes darker and more frightful, most of the scenes are depicted as occurring at night. The family is nearly always depicted as being dwarfed by the sheer enormity of the house. The soundscape, too, becomes louder and more abrasive, almost uncomfortable.

Here, the decision to tell this story from Mabel’s (Raymond and Penny’s older daughter) perspective, emphasises the fear felt by a child watching her parents go mad. Quickly, Mabel discovers her mother and father have been taken lucid by their lavish estate, and are acting very oddly. The inherent vulnerability of the child focaliser enhances the suspense and tension audiences feel for her safety, as the house has taken hold of her parents, leaving Mabel as the only rational voice, left to fend for herself and her younger sister.

Inexplicable occurrences become increasingly frequent. There is spooky laughter, ghostly whistling, sudden appearances of other inhabitants. Outside Mabel’s bedroom window, what should have been a magnificent view of great rolling plains is replaced by the irrational appearance of another room, in which there is a man gripping tightly to an axe. He locks eyes with Mabel, and smiles through chipped and grimy teeth.

Yet, by the time Penny and Raymond come to the horrifying realisation of what is happening, it is clear that it is far too late. The freakishly ornamental movements of Mabel’s parents were not simply for show, as the greed that consumed Penny and Raymond eventually caused them to become furniture, doomed to burn in a hell of their own creation.

Ultimately, the scare is done incredibly well, and I like it a lot for that.

II: Then Lost Is Truth That Can’t Be Won

The second film feeds off an intriguing premise, wherein the characters all as mice, yet the spunk and personality of the main character really shines through.

I found it especially impressive that the textures of the models shine through even when the story is set in the colour-saturated modern day, juxtaposing the dreary colour palette of the previous film.

I won’t spoil the twist here, you really need to watch this for yourself, but suffice it to say, this film was hilarious.

III: Listen Again and Seek the Sun

This was definitely my favourite of the short films, not in part due it being set in a world inhabited by cats.

Aside from that initial gimmick, the mysterious yet intriguing opening scene showing a post-‘Weathering with you’ world where water levels have risen to abnormal heights casts the subsequent plot with an air of mystery.

In the end, I found what endeared me most to this film was the misfit cast of characters (cat-actors), who proved to be the most likeable group thus far.

Again, I’ll refrain from saying anymore for fear of giving the main conceit of the story away. All I have to say is I was the most invested in this film’s plot out of the three. Make sure to watch it for yourself, and don’t read spoilers beforehand!

(PSA: I’m sure there’s some deeper metaphor at the heart of this story, I’m just too stupid and lazy to pick it apart at the moment.)

Conclusion

At the end of the day, I could’ve written a lot more about this anthology if I was eloquent or knowledgeable enough. Still, I highly recommend this series to anyone who has yet to watch it. It barely scratches the 1 hour 30 minute mark, and is definitely worth the time!

With that said, thank you for taking the time to read this hastily put together review. I hope to write more soon! Till my next post, see y’all around!

Soli Deo gloria.