Whether or not you are aware of it, the chances are good that you have witnessed at least one of Mike Flanagan’s works if you are a lover of contemporary horror. Since the early 2000s, the talented writer and director has been active in the horror film industry, helming a variety of films within the subgenre, including “Oculus,” “Ouija: Origin of Evil,” and “Gerald’s Game,” amongst other productions. Because of his success with “The Haunting of Hill House” on Netflix in 2018, he was able to break through into the mainstream entertainment industry.
This series was at least partially responsible for the production of “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” “Midnight Mass,” and “Midnight Club,” as well as other films and television shows for both large and small screens.
Mike Flanagan, like any other great auteur, has developed a distinct literary style as well as a cinematic aesthetic, both of which contribute to the individuality of the works that bear his name. One of the most well-known is his fondness for soliloquies and monologues, which are theatrical techniques that, in the case of the former, convey a character’s inner thoughts or, in the case of the latter, allow them to express their thoughts to other characters in an extended speech form.
In both cases, the character’s inner thoughts are communicated to the audience. Although they are prevalent in Flanagan’s works and contribute significantly to the development of his characters, not everybody is a fan of this signature aspect of his writing style.
According to Mike Flanagan himself, he is forced to traverse a landscape of entertainment that is full of people who do not share his enthusiasm for soliloquies and monologues on a regular basis.
Flanagan Stands by His Soliloquies and Monologues No Matter What
Mike Flanagan and producer Trevor Macy were interviewed by Discussing Film a few weeks following the launch of “Midnight Club” on Netflix. During their conversation, Flanagan provided some insight about his passion for soliloquies and monologues in film. He is concerned that these are vanishing art forms that, when properly utilised, may be quite potent and contribute to the enhancement of a particular scene or character.
“My personal preference is for the version that does not contain any cutaways. It’s quite dramatic in nature, “he stated, despite the fact that he would be pleased to undertake any work at all. It has come to light that whenever he makes an effort to incorporate monologues and soliloquies into his works, he is frequently met with vehement opposition from those in authoritative positions.
Flanagan explains, “I believe that the executive world and the marketplace have short attention spans, which is why I consistently face resistance about this issue. And because of the abundance of entertainment available to us, we have become accustomed to moving quickly from one event to the next, with ever-quicker transitions and fewer and fewer rewards for our patience.”
In spite of the shifting preferences of both the industry and the audience, he has no intention of modifying the aesthetic approach he takes. He goes on to say that it fills him with an overwhelming sense of contentment whenever he observes other creative individuals incorporating soliloquies and monologues into their works, since this demonstrates that he is not the only one fighting this battle.
Soliloquies and monologues are two types of speeches that should always have a place in film and television, especially when they are delivered by someone like Mike Flanagan who is an expert in these types of speeches. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that he and others who are just as anxious to include them into their work won’t give up the struggle to preserve them any time soon.
Comments are closed.