“Mr Harrigan’s Phone” (Netflix, 2022)

Utterly mesmerised by the adaptation “Mr Harrigan’s Phone” (Netflix, 2022). The sheer simplicity of the plot, straightforward yet complex characters’ arcs, a modern take on both a ghost story and a “coming of age” tale—everything was perfect there. Of course, King is a great narrator—there’s no doubt about that—but this particular cast added even more delight to unfolding the actual—and traditional in a good way—drama about the Boy and the Old Man.

I guess, the striking resemblance of Sutherland’s character, Mr Harrigan himself, to Angus Scrimm (aka the Tall Man from the old horror classic, “Phantasm”) was quite deliberate—as an homage to the powerful and scary figure of The Elder from a small American town (especially, a town in New England, with its full share of evocative local Gothic) whose main function is to be a messenger between two worlds—of those who are alive and those who are dead.

Interestingly enough, in this particular novella (as well as in a subsequent adaptation) King seemingly combines the elements of his nostalgic masterpiece “Hearts in Atlantis” and, partly, “Pet Sematary” (no spoilers ahead) with masterful stylistic exquisiteness, which can hardly be seen in the horror genre overall, but definitely has become one of King’s signature characteristics.

Also, the locations in the film are gorgeous and make me miss those glorious New England views even more now.

Highly recommend; please, watch: you won’t be disappointed.