HALLOWEEN TOP 10: SEASONAL SERENADES

As always, I let music play a big part in my horror watching. Therefore I've decided to put together a little list of ten jingles from this year's movie releases I feel represent the 2012 Halloween season best.

10. Michael Rault - Call Me On the Phone (Grave Encounters 2)
I really had to do some digging to find this one. I remembered I'd heard something that caught my attention watching the sequel to what actually was a decent mocumentary. But Grave Encounters 2 was such a dissapointment for me. Obsessing over a movie showing a student obsessing over a movie that's obsessing over a haunted facility? Nah, not really my thing. But this featured track was a good distraught from the poor plot and even more poorly executed acting.

9. Foreigner - Feels Like The First Time (True Blood) If you would have to choose just one song from last season of True Blood it would literally be impossible. Each episode is filled to the brim with great new indie bands, southern tunes, old classic American rock and modern punk. And old classic I was reminded about when watching the first episode of season 5 was Foreigner's debut single Feels Like The First Time. Which is a good description of my giddiness every summer when the fang banging resumes.

8. Claudio Simonetti - Kiss Me Dracula (Dracula 3D)
Writer and director of cult classics Suspiria, Inferno, Phenonema and Opera, Dario Argentino, has now returned with a 3D remake of Dracula. Some people desperately wish Argentino would stop making movies and instead aim to preserve his legacy. I, on the other hand, am all for letting the old sports return to mix their cult minds with us mortals of the modern world. I haven't seen Dracula 3D yet but doing some research on trailers and teasers, I quickly came to like this song.

7. REO Speedwagon - Roll With The Changes (The Cabin In The Woods)
I'm all about old American rock and REO Speedwagon has produced two of my favorite rock songs from the 80's - Can't Fight This Feeling and Keep On Loving You. Avoiding mainstreamíng and making the obvious choice, The Cabin In the Woods chose one of the band's more low-key songs which I feel make a great atmospheric statue of the otherwise uncanny genre deconstruction.

6. Little River Band - Lonesome Loser (The Loved Ones)
Though released in its homecountry Australia back in 2009, I didn't come across The Loved Ones until this year. Apart from Wolfmother I've never really found any interesting classic rock from 'down under'. But Little River Band makes a good impression in the midst of the 21st century high school drama and sadistic prom theme.

5. Jessica Lowndes - In All My Dreams I Drown (The Devil's Carnival)
For a musical nerd like myself, what could be better than a rock opera? Saw II director Darren Bousman's experimental short horror film The Devil's Carnival has Aesop's fabels as its core, with the main characters each representing a fabel. Bousman has stated that The Devil's Carnival will be an ongoing project with chapter two and three already being written. With the intention of being more of a subversive experience rather than just a dark and enchantingly comedic movie, The Devil's Carnival set on a multi-city road-tour in April 2012 and with it released a 12 song album. From it I've chosen my favorite soundtrack; All In My Dreams I Drown sung by Jessica Lowndes.

4. Mozart - Requiem (The Lords Of Salem)
Being schooled in piano (Baroque, Classical and Romantic) it would be sinful not to have Chopin, Mozart, Bach and Beethoven as rolemodels and/or musical inspiration. Mozart's Requiem (in D Minor) is one of my favorite pieces. It was left unfinished by its composer upon his death and was completed by the Austrian composer Süssmayr within 100 days of Mozart's death. Whether the two men had discussed the Requiem during Mozart's last days is unknown, but Süssmayr took on the task of completing the score and his version is to this day the most played. The Requiem's well-contained complexity and the incorporation of many different musical elements and vocal forces in each bar and section makes this a triggered and atmospherical sequence to Rob Zombie's upcoming The Lords of Salem.

3. The Carpenters - On Top Of The World (Dark Shadows)
Featured in Tim Burton's latest horror comedy Dark Shadows (based on the 1960's gothic soap opera with the same name), is the 1972 song On Top of the World by the Carpenters. Although having listened to a rather large extent of 60's and 70's music during my childhood, this vocal and instrumental duo was never part of my favorites. Although this song belonged to the sibling's record-breaking run of hits, it's so far up the clouds with its cheesiness and 70's groove that it literally makes me cringe. That's why it's the perfect match for a 200 year old vampire indulging in interior design. 

2. The Singing Nun - Dominique (American Horror Story)
Safe to say, the common room scenes are my least favorite in the second season of American Horror Story. It's impossible not to balance on the verge of insanity when constantly fed this high-pitched bird like jingle. And as AHS is all about the clues, the interesting fact is that Jeanine Decker (known as 'the Singing Nun') left her nun position at the church to live with her female partner (clue #1), with whom she eventually engaged in an OD suicide. The Express also notes that she was the daughter of a baker (clue #2) and that the song originally was praise to the Spanish-born founder of her order, St Dominic. Instead American humourist Joe Queenan has written: "The song would have us believe that St Dom­inic was a humble, lovable monk who fought valiantly against the forces of darkness (clue #3). In fact he founded the religious order that brought mankind the monstrous Spanish Inquisition.”

1. Doris Day - Que Sera Sera (American Horror Story)
With its usual creepy take on everything it touches, American Horror Story: Asylum is using Doris Day's classic Que Sera Sera as its teaser tune for the second season of the US' most popular horror show. What creeps me out the most is that this is a tune my grandmother used to sing to me when I was little. It has been one of my favorite tunes ever since.

7 MORE DAYS 'TIL AHS: ASYLUM!

CAN'T EFFIN' WAIT! American Horror Story: Asylum, Premieres Wednesday, October 17 on FX.

PREVIEW: AMERICAN HOROR STORY: ASYLUM

My most anticipated release, after Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem, this coming fall is FX's American Horror Story: Asylum. Yet again created by Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy, the new season offers a completely new story in a completely new setting. American Horror Story: Asylum takes place in 1964 at the Briarcliff Institution in Boston and is said to involve Nazi's, aliens and a serial killer named Bloody Face, who wears 'a mask made out of his victim's skin along with a black nightie and opera length gloves'. Premiering in the new season are (the oh so hunky) Adam Levine (insert pause to drool), Chloe Sevigny, James Cromwell and Joseph Fiennes. Returning to the series with new characters are Jessica Lange, Zachary Quinto, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe and Sarah Paulson. To get a glimpse of the new season's character set up, check out the two trailers below.

 

 

Briarcliff Institution is run by the sadistic Sister Jude, a stern woman with 'a dark past that will resurface'.  Working with her are Dr. Thredson (Zacahary Quinto) a psychiatrist whose forward-thinking inflicts him to go head to head with Sister Jude, and Dr. Arden (James Cromwell) whose behind one of the season's new frights; The Raspers - mutated humans that are the result of Dr. Arden's diabolical experiments on Briarcliff's inmates, and who lurk in the forest outside the institution. Superior to Sister Jude is Monsignor Timothy O'Hare (Joseph Fiennes) who finds himself on the receiving end of her affection, and inferior to her is Sister Eunice (Lily Rabe) who, although she appears a bit dense, might not be the perfect second-in-command.

Adam Levine plays Leo, a newlywed who visits Briarcliff and gains the attention of the 'Big Bad', who will be the Rubber Suit Man of this season. With him he brings his wife Teresa (Jenna Dewan-Tatum). Sarah Paulson portraits the lesbian reporter Lana, who's committed to the asylum by her own girlfriend after she nearly exposes Briarcliff's darkest secrets. Chloe Sevigny plays the ominous but secretive nymphomaniac Shelley and Evan Peters returns as as the good-guy Kit, one of Briarcliff's newest inmates who's committed after being accused of murdering his wife (played by Britne Olford) although he claims she was abducted. And not by humans.

Not much else has been revealed on the new season's setup or synopsis but the twelwe teasers below might give some clues on what to expect. American Horror Story: Asylum premieres on FX, October 17th .

TOPLIST TUESDAY: BEST AND WORST VIEWED OF 2011

It's safe to say that 2011 was the year of television. Apart from being glued to Game of Thrones, The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Sons of Anarchy and Pan Am (yep, it's a nerd thing and an amazing trip down history lane for us within the aviation industry), my constant followers CSI, Criminal Minds and Bones, my less obsessive past-time activities like Gossip Girl, Revenge, Pretty Little Liars, Grimm, New Girl, The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle, I got to rumble in my three absolute favorite horror shows; True Blood, American Horror Story and The Walking Dead.

TOP 3 HORROR SHOWS OF 2011

3. THE WALKING DEAD
Picking up the pace, AMC's The Walking Dead returned (according to the comic book reading zombie lover I live with) to its roots during the second season, which was notable even to me who haven't read the comic books. Finally moving on from Atlanta the group experienced a member going missing and several being badly wounded during their encountering with both new zombie herds but also another group of survivors. Finally bringing in some raw meat and some character drama in between zombie hunting, The Walking Dead is shaping up for its coming season.

2. TRUE BLOOD
As always, the summer season of HBO's True Blood brings vampire sexy back! Being the vamp lover in this household I'm always rooting for some sassy and mouth watering vampire-human-werewolf-drama. And True Blood never disappoints!

1. AMERICAN HORROR STORY
Completely knocking me off my feet FX's American Horror Story deserves a first place for its remarkable and surprising first season. I had read about it, I had waited for it, I had been anxious for it to start and it completely tickled my fancy! Talk about opening Pandora's box!

What wasn't as amazing in 2011 was the horror movie industry's poor releases. A few good views and even more bad ones were added to my repertoire.

BEST VIEWS IN 2011

10. BAG OF BONES
Based on the 1998 novel by Stephen King, Bag of Bones is a two-part TV miniseries adaption. Although I truly can't feel serious about Pierce Brosnan since his soft and humble appearance in Mamma Mia!, I was surprised at how well he did the part of the best-selling NY author who suddenly looses his wife in a traffic accident. Returning to their summer cabin he soon learns the truth about himself, and the history of the town in a spooky manor. A bit slow at times, as the first of the two parts is a strong atmosphere builder and the second part delivers a rather predictable end, it's definitely worth watching. And even though it resembles Secret Window, the movie adaption of the King's 1990 novel Secret Window, Secret Garden it still holds its own.

9. GRAVE ENCOUNTERS
Having written a previous post on this movie, I'll just state that this is a movie that could have opened into anything it wanted; still it lacks that intrigue and imagination that could have made it completely terrifying. Instead of giving the viewer a genuine experience, this movie gives you rehearsed dialogue and not natural enough performances to make you believe in a ghost hunting show turning real. I had my hopes up for this movie, so I was a bit disappointed at the turn of events, especially the ending. All in all, it's a pretty good movie, though.

8. SCRE4M
What could be a better trip down the adolescent memory lane than a fourth movie in the Scream-installment? Entertaining and twisted. As usual.

7. THE WARD
Definitely not John Carpenter's best, but I still liked the 80's Girl, Interrupted style to it.

6. YELLOW BRICK ROAD
YellowBrickRoad delivers the absolute right atmosphere and leaves room for the viewers imagination to roam free over the subtle but chilling elements; such as the behavior of the group members that develops into disturbing violence. Or the music which plays a vital role in the atmosphere, being somewhat the element that manipulates the story and the reason why the environment of the woods is so dangerous.

5. FRIGHT NIGHT
Although I don't approve of the beige module housing and Las Vegas suburbian life style of Jerry Dandrige in this 2011's remake, I totally adore Colin Farrell as a sociopath vampire-beast. Hunkyliscious!

4. THE THING

There were a few scenes that were strikingly resembling sequences from the 1982 movie (like the human/alien group testing scene and the dog in the kennel, etc.), but for me these contributed more to the a prequel, although déjà vu, kind of feeling than being rip-offs. Most of all the 2011 movie is true to the basic premise; being absurdly sticky and icky. Apart from the computerized monster and digital effects this is a really good movie where the ending scenes intertwine with the opening scene of the 1982 movie in a really smooth and effectual way.

3. TROLLJEGEREN (TROLL HUNTER)
Yet another in the row of Norwegian horror movies. I liked this simply because I could watch it in its original language without disturbing subtitles, and because it's nice to have a break from the somewhat monotone American movies.

2. THE INNKEEPERS

Sara Paxton does the amazing and quirky role of Claire, on of the front desk employees, who decides to reveal the Yankee Pedlar Inn's haunted past during their last weekend of being open. Playing out very similar to one of Ti West's previous movies, The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers sets the atmosphere right from the first scene and develops into a frightening escape from the hotel's past guests.

1. INSIDIOUS
With probably the sickest dance scene ever, Insidious brings a whole new meaning to the word creepy.
Coming from James Wan and Leigh Whannell who previously kicked off the Saw franchise, this movie brings a different scare to the screen. With effective and spine-tingling scares, Insidious sticks to the traditional 'haunted house' genre of horror and mixes it up with both astral projection, demonic possession and other elements that would have come off as goofy, were it not for for the intelligent dialogues and serious tone of the film, and serves up some really good scares.

WORST VIEWS IN 2011

10. PRIEST
Can Paul Bettany play anything other than a religious albino monk? Freaky!

9. THE RITE
Anthony Hopkins, when it comes to over-analyzed thrillers - I think it's time to leave your acting carrier behind?

 8. DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK

Haunted houses can be a bit 'been there, done that' theme. They're even worse when they have child actors AND Katie Holmes. (insert heavy sigh here)

7. DREAM HOUSE
Double on the Brits playing the American dream, only this one turns out to be a little different than expected. Soon after moving into their seemingly idyllic new home, the family learns of a brutal crime committed against former residents of the house. Basically a far-fetched Shutter Island twist gone boring.

6. 11-11-11
I couldn't even bring myself to watch more than a couple of minutes.

5. DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT

Just disappointing, as humorous horror will never be my thing. Ever.

4. THE ROOMMATE
Horrible fatal attraction movie starring Leighton Meester, who I'll never be able to see as any other than the prominent Blair Waldorf. She holds the queen throne when it comes to the CW fan club, but for the horror audience? I think not.

3. RED RIDING HOOD
Who on earth took the amazing tale of Red Riding Hood, the wonderful music by Karin Dreijer Andersson and the hotness that is Shiloh Fernandez and turned into some corny wannaba-medieval chic flick? Well, none other than the eminent Catherine Hardwick who forever destroyed the visual stimuli that is a vampire.

2. SEASON OF THE WITCH

Seriously... no. First, I can't stand when they manipulate history into fitting the standards of a Hollywood movie. Secondly, I can't stand Ron Perlman's greedy face since his domestic abuse issues in the fourth season of Sons of Anarchy, and I haven't liked Nicholas Cage since... well, never.

1. RED STATE

I can't even begin to describe who COMPLETELY WORTHLESS this movie was. Sorry. It wasn't horror. It wasn't even some Southern church club gone bad. It was just useless.

MOVIES FROM 2011 I HAVEN'T SEEN YET
Paranormal Activity 3, The Awakening, The Whispering Dead, The Yellow Wallpaper, Mørke sjeler (from 2010), La casa muda


ANTICIPATED IN 2012

DUNDERLAND 

I'm so rooting for my neighboring country Norway in the battle of 'foreign movies'!

THE WOMAN IN BLACK
Yes, Harry Potter, bring us a remake worth watching!

THE RAVEN

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

THE FEMALE FASCINATION WITH FEAR: A PERSONAL JOURNEY THROUGH HORROR HISTORY'S BAD BOYS

Frankenstein postet

Relating to the latest releases in the horror/fantasy/paranormal/sci-fi genre that is blooming within the movie and television industry, it's easy to recognize the ongoing trend that is 'forbidden love'.

From one of the earliest science fiction infused with some elements of the Gothic novel as well as the Romantic movement, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, first published in 1818, we have the author's vision of the "abhorred monster" being a version of the first man in Eden, as Mary Shelley herself referred to him as 'Adam'.

One of her greatest inspirations to creating Viktor Frankenstein and his 'modern experiments in the laboratory' was not only the electrical experiments on both dead and live animals conducted by Giovanni Aldini, but also the fragments of legends from the Balkan named Fragments of a Novel written by her friend Lord Byron, that later turned into John Polidori's The Vampyre (1819). Polidori transformed the vampire from a character of in old folklore into the form that it is has been recognized mainly ever since - an aristocratic fiend who prays among high society. And it is this vampire, his hunters and vile creatures alike, that has been remodeled to fit into the young girls' hearts, all the way into the 21st century.

"How I, then a young girl, came to think of, and to dilate upon, so very hideous an idea?"
- Mary Shelley

So what is it about these literal villains that rocks the female socks? For me it's a journey back to the the haunted aristocrats of my childhood, the two-faced knights in shining armor of my adolescence and the sexy sociopaths of my adulthood life.

Illustration of Heathcliff

Every since Mr. Darcy tore down the barrier of social classes in 1813, the brooding, the haunted and the lonely wolf characteristics became attracting. Still shunned by the aristocratic society but swooned by women nonetheless. In 1847 the outcasted and rebellious Heathcliff stole every woman's heart, followed by women's swooning over the thought-to-be-domestic-abuser Mr. Rochester, also in 1847, who continued the social criticism in the Victorian era with his moody and Byronic character.

Both Mr. Darcy and Heathcliff have jumped on the bandwagon and been 'monsterfied' and 'manlified' in the lastest wave of horror/sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal literature; the classical adaptions. The half man, half vampire Mr. Darcy fights his destiny of being born as a dhampir in Regina Jeffer's Vampire Darcy's Desire from 2009. Heathcliff fights of vampires out on the wuthering heights in Sarah Gray's Wuthering Bites, only to be revealed as a vampire himself.

Influenced by Emily Gerard's Transylvania Superstitions (1885), Bram Stoker took the 15th century Rumanian vojevod Vlad Ţepeş and turned him into the literal character that came to rock the role of women in Victorian culture and challenge the sexual conventions. Although not many adolescent women were, in 1897, taken by Count Dracula, the book became more significant to modern readers than it was to contemporary Victorian readers. The literal Dracula is on one hand described as his monster self; the beast like creature taken directly from Balkan folklore, and on the other as the charming aristocrat who easily attracts women. (This is what I call a real vampire!)

The post-colonial vampire who preys on higher society can be found in several characters in Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles; amongst them the 200 year old Louis de Pointe du Lac and the even older French nobleman Lestat de Lioncourt. Interview with the Vampire (1976) presents Louis telling his 200-year-long life story which has been filled with inner struggles between right and wrong, and the remorse that comes with following his primal instincts. The common theme between the bad boys who actually are attractive is their

Stefan Salvatore and Edward Cullen

The same struggles are found in Stefan Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries, written by L.J Smith, originally published in 1991. Stefan is the 500-year old male protagonist with an old soul aura but at the same time a fresh and youthful appearance. With an inner darkness that hides a rather violent past, Stefan is deeply angst and tortured by his vampirism and everything surrounding his dark, mysterious past, however, he has a strong hold on his humanity and strongly believes in justice, morals, values and doing the right thing. Anyone recognizing these traits in yet another modern vampire? Perhaps the sparkling Edward Cullen?

Basically ripping off the food consumption idea from The Vampire Diaries, Stephanie Meyer created a vegetarian vampire clan with the Cullen family in the Twilight series, first book published in 2005, re-planning their entire existence to fit into the world of humans and seeing them as their brother kin and not their prey. Totally boring? Yes.That's why I'm rooting for the viscous brother Damon Salvatore. Being scorned and betrayed by history's events in his literal self, Damon is much more arrogant and hateful towards his brother Stefan, having no attempts to be conciliatory with the latter. And how could you not love this anti-hero when he statues his love for Elena by draining Stefan half to death, telling him that Elena is his and that if Stefan ever comes between them again, Damon will kill him? Quite the romancer!

Alexander Skarsgård as Eric Northman

My favorite struggler in the modern world of socially adapted vampires, however, is the to totally charming character of Eric Northman in The Southern Vampire Mysteries/The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, portraited by the adorable Alexander Skarsgård in HBO's television series True Blood.

This ruthless vampire is the poster boy for bad attitude with no remorse. His 'joie de vivre' is culminated by his confidence and calculating mind, though he has a great capacity of not only loyalty, but affection, demonstrated with his progeny Pam. Eric's ruthless personalty is over-shown by his own conscience as he is faced with 'his true self' during the period in which he looses his memory and displays a soft side that would make any catholic school girl shiver under her plaid skirt.

The merciless killing definitely works for Jerry Dandridge - being aristocratic and wordly-looking like Chris Sarandon or simply sexy as hell as Colin Farrell totally floats my boat. Anytime. Showering with a complete sociopath is totally worth risking your life (and sanity) for if that psycho is named Patrick Bateman. And who could ever refuse the 'deer eye charm' from Tate Langdon, especially when he spices it up with with a rubber suit. Yummy!

RANDOM RAMBLINGS: THE PROMO CLUES TO AMERICAN HORROR STORY

So, in my previous post I solemnly declared my undying love for FX's and co-creators of Glee, Ryan Murphy's and Brad Falchuck's latest TV-phenomenon American Horror Story. As I'd been waiting for this show for quite some time before its release a couple of months ago, I watched the promo clues with much anticipation. Both creeping me out and catching my attention, I was intent on solving the puzzle. I must say though, even after six episodes I'm not sure I'm any wiser.

OBS! THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Clue #1 - Cello

Masked rubber hands playing the cello bow on a woman's belly? Sexy and gross. I'm dying to find out who Rubber Man in fact is, during which time he lived in the house and what kind of guy he was. A pervert who liked to dress in rubber and play his cello? Tate stuck in his teenage S&M fantasies? I'm all ears to different theories!

Clue #2 - Baby

 

This porcelain baby is also seen in the promo photos (previously posted in FEASTY FRIDAY: 4 X SEXY POSTERS) and could both be representing the lost child of Mrs. and Dr. Charles Montgomery and all the babies who were killed in their underground abortion clinic.

It could also represent the babies that both Hayden and Vivien are carrying. Also, Nora Montgomery's appearance was first seen in 'Home Invasion' S01E02 after Vivien got pregnant, where she presented herself to Ben as a patient in a very dire situation; she's pregnant and needs his support to have an abortion. (Wow, Ben really could start a women's support group by now.)

Clue #3 - Couple

  

I'm not sure whether this clip is to represent a specific couple or if it's just referring to the couples of the house in general. The house has seen its share of life stories and brutal deaths; Constance shooting her husband after he has (or tries to have) an affair with the housekeeper Moira.

Chad and Patrick had their gay love story ended when Rubber Man drowns/snaps Chad's check in the apple bobbing barrel. Whatever happened to Patrick we haven't been told yet. This could be the 'murder/suicide' that the real estate agent was talking about in the pilot episode.

Then we have the builder or the house - the drug addicted Dr. Charles Montgomery and his wife Nora, who's baby son gets kidnapped by a boyfriend to one of the abortion girls, and chopped up in pieces. After going crazy and getting the Frankenstein complex, Dr. Montgomery starts sewing body parts from animals together, putting vascular looking wings on a two-headed pig. Nasty. The loss of their baby and the underground operations finally drive Nora mad after she walks in on her husband sewing pig's hooves onto their dead baby's body. Even nastier! (And what's interesting is that this must have some connection with the last episode 'Piggy, Piggy' S01E06) As if that wasn't enough, Nora evidently gets shot in the back of her head. Although that event, as well as the death of her husband, is still to be explained.

Larry taught us the gruesome destiny of his family and after playing the viral online game I know that there might be additional destinies and ghosts added to the equation.

Clue #4 - Black suit

The figure in the black suit is a reoccurring appearance in the show. First seen in the pilot episode as an inventory left behind on the attic by the previous owners the viewers were first to believe that the suit had belonged to the gay couple; Chad and Patrick. Which it also might had. But the person wearing the suit during Chad and Patrick's ill-fated Halloween night was neither one of the two. So who is the guy/ghost in the rubber suit?

On Halloween night one year after the death of Chad and Patrick, Rubber Man returns to the house standing in the hallway just behind Violet as she's watching the door (with crazy Larry on the outside). This could be the ghostly Rubber Man or just Tate wearing the suit in an attempt to either scare or seduce Violet (as he's seen earlier in the episode wearing the suit just to scare her).

The most memorable appearance of Rubber Man is however in the pilot episode, when he comes into the master bedroom and seduces Vivien, as she believes it's Ben being kinky wearing the gimp suit.

Clue #5 - Fire

Although the clip shows (again) the face of a porcelain doll, the distinct crack of a fire can be heard in the background. And fire seems to be an evident clue to the history of the house. We know that Larry was allegedly turned mad by the house in an Amityville Horror sort of way and it forced him to burn his whole family in.

In the pilot episode Ben seems to be under some supernatural influence as he walks downstairs (while Vivien's having kinky sex with Rubber Man) turning on the gas stove. Just before he burns himself, Constance enters the kitchen telling him that it's not his time yet and that he needs to "enjoy the house".

Clue #6 - Coffin

This clue is really interesting because I can't for my life figure out the meaning of it! My only guess would be the long shot that the owner of the black suit liked to play it dirty and kept some kind of human slave in the house and made her sleep in a box/coffin.

Clue #7 - Stairs

Again with Rubber Man. He definitely plays a vital role and it'll be fascinating to find out which role it is. The stairs however have a significant meaning when it comes to the subconscious and "stairs in dreams generally mean that you are coming to a conclusion about some issue. The ground floor in dreams symbolizes the reality in any given situation - the facts. The upstairs symbolizes the higher consciousness or conclusions surrounding some issue. It means that you have come to a decision. Going up and down stairs may suggest that you are coming to some new conclusions or keep changing your mind" (taken from Dream Dictionary).

It could be that the stairs are symbolic for each new discovery of the house's history or each new ghostly acquaintance.

The stairs could also be a direct clue to the 'evil' that lives in the basement of the house (as Rubber Man's standing at the top of the basement stairs in the clip). Obviously something wicked is going on in the basement; rubber balls are rolling back and forth. Dr. Montgomery had his weirdo operations going on down there. The ginger twins in the 1974 flashback were scared by something hiding in the basement. Adelaide literally warned them not to go down there. Violet's bully friend was violently shocked by what phenomenon Tate brought out down there, The intruders during 'Home Invasion' S01E02 get their throats slashed in basement, and so on.

Clue #8 - Melt

 This clip is so Russell Edgington-chained-to-Eric in a True Bloody way that I seriously can't figure out what it means. If it does mean that the show will include vampires I will be sad. This show was not meant for fang banging, it's strictly S&M, gore and ghosts that are on display. Some poor guy with xeroderma pigmentosum would be totally fine though. If it's Larry or some previous occupant melting in a fire, the clue would make sense. Or a warning what will happen to Ben if he keeps getting influenced by the house and sleep walks turning on the stove.

Clue #9 - Red cello

 

Again with the cello bow playing on a belly. This time altering between a regular and a pregnant one. It's obvious that Rubber Man has some influence over the females in the house and the cello clips are somehow a statement of that.

This one's also referring to the fact that Rubber Man's gotten Vivien pregnant and it might be so that if Rubber Man has been around the house for some time (since after they invented rubber, I guess), she might not be the only woman he's impregnated. We don't know for sure that Constance's late husband was the father to either Adelaide nor Tate. 

Clue #10 - Rubber bump

Uugh, Rubber Man with a prego bump is a bit disturbing. But as I wrote in Clue #9 - Red cello, it could be so that Rubber Man has impregnated more women that just Vivien. Do we know the reason why Adelaide was born neurologically atypical or why Tate turned out to be a Bowling for Columbine kind of guy? Impregnation by ghostly Rubber Man's got to be destined to have some side effects.

Clue #11 - Belly

 

I'm just hoping that the sonogram of Vivien's belly DID NOT show an evil spawn with hooves. That's just too much Christian mythology for my taste. I'm more for the unexplained, non-churchy stuff. It will be interesting to see whether she'll give birth to her fast growing baby or not, and if it'll be obvious that there's something wrong with it and that it's not Ben's baby. Maybe it'll turn out like Terry and Arlene's baby in True Blood, alarmingly cunning due to it's evil genetics.

Clue #12 - Family portrait

 

This clip doesn't say much more than what we've already learned from the six episodes that have been released. It's evident that past history plays a vital role in the current events; the twins from the 1974 flashback are seen running down the hallway, Adelaide is holding hands with her childhood self and young Moira's flashing her thighs to Ben as her older version's scrubbing the floor. Vivien is touched by the hand of Rubber Man, Violet's letting go of the hand of a very sad faced Tate and Larry bursts into flames as a calm Constance walks amongst them like the eye of the storm. This indeed is a portrait of the show.

TOPLIST TUESDAY: 3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH AMERICAN HORROR STORY

Let me start by saying that I've become somewhat obsessed with American Horror Story. Now that this year's True Blood sexiness is over, the first season of Game of Thrones with the overwhelmingly hot Khal Drogo is over, The Vampire Diaries has become too repetitive and hormonal, The Secret Circle lacks hormonal outrages, Glee is too PC, Grimm is just in the line-up, The Walking Dead is somewhat picking up its pace but still haven't gotten quite there yet and my yearly Twin Peaks-marathon is finalized, I really needed something this fall to trigger my senses and satiate my need for the sexiness of horror.

And American Horror Story definitely has!

I loved it from the first minutes in the pilot and I'll probably love all 13 episodes. It's all a bit over-the-top, but that's obviously what you get when you let Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck (co-creators of Glee) go bananas! You need to have a thing for stylized cliches, a fondness of B-horror, a humorous approach to cinematic homages, a special love reserved for Twin Peaks aesthetics and no PC ethics to dig this. Well, since I'm raised in probably the world's most liberal country (Sweden) outside any politic, religious or other traditional condemnation and have a life long love affair with all things horror related, it's in my nature to love this! So here are three reasons why you should watch American Horror Story.

OBS! THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS! 

#1. The underlying mystery of the 'murder house'
Fueled by the use of adorable 30's to 50's songs during perverted and gory scenes, the underlying mystery of American Horror Story is accompanied by a series of juicy jingles and mood setting tunes. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm a huge advocate for using the effect of music as a mood setter. With hints dropping everywhere, the storyline changes with each episode's flashback to previous house owners' life stories and brutal deaths. New and interesting characters are introduced as the timeline and history of the house is laid out piece by piece. It also becomes more and more evident that the next door neighbor Constance is pulling the strings, having the Harmon family at her mercy. The question is how and why. Each episode development also leaves me wondering which character will turn out to be dead despite their full on staging.

#2. The cinematic homages
Homage paying or rip-offs? Without being shy about its influences, American Horror Story acknowledges and blazes through every horror movie reference that they could possibly come up with in a bloody blur. A horror nerd fan base for a show like this a given, although I bet half of them think American Horror Story might be knocking out one too many references, as they get piled up in each episode. I, however, think it's a ballsy move and I love all the hat tipping. Some references are full on homages where as others are more subconscious absorptions by personal reference. Here are a number of my personal favorites:

The shapeshifting, ghostly seductress: The Shining 

The home invasion: The Strangers

Creepy twins: The Shining

Mentally unstable mother trying to up-bring an even more unstable daughter: Carrie

Whichever party being ghosts: The Others

Abortion clinic doctor sewing together his dead baby with animal body parts: The Human Centipide  

The housekeeper with too much inside information: The Others

Father turned mad by potential haunted house: The Amityville Horror

A potential supernatural rape resulting in pregnancy: Rosemary's Baby

 And last but not least - taking an adorable song (or a nursery rhyme) and pervert it in a horror sequence: A Nightmare on Elm Street, Insidious... amongst others.

  
#3. The characters
Going on its sixth episode American Horror Story has finally let horror mythology take a back seat to the characters.

The creepy next door neighbor

Straddling the genre line between drama and horror extremely well, Jessica Lange plays the role of next door neighbor Constance; who makes Ipecac cupcakes, has a cleptomaniac behavior going on when it comes to silverware and refers to her daughter as the not so PC term 'mongoloid'. This aggressively sassy woman, who had to put her acting dreams on the hold to give birth to previously mentioned mongoloid daughter, has a define cruel streak that is evident in her history of killing the housekeeper (Moira) after finding out she had an affair with her husband. Constance also seems to be pulling the strings of the haunting drama with her growing number of ghost accquaintances.  



The mongoloid girl next door

First seen in the pilot episode as the little girl back in the 70's who warns the twin brothers Troy and Brian ("You're going to die in there") when they're vandalizing the 'murder house', the next door neighbor girl Adelaide plays a short but impressive role in the first four episodes. Born with Downs syndrome she (in a Carrie-Margaret kind of relationship) has been resented by Constance since birth; a condition that makes me love her character. The resentment from her mother's side is so strong that Addie undergoes less ethical methods of up-bringing. Her (lack of) intelligence is also constantly undermined as her mother even sees her as a threat towards her (alarmingly) younger lovers. 

The future high school massacre kid
Being Ben Harmon's first patient in LA, Tate Langdon reveals his dreams of going on a killing spree at his high school, constantly speaking in a provocative way in order to upset Ben. Your average revolting teenager gone pervert, sort of. Masturbating to keep his high school massacre thoughts at bay, Tate starts secretly visiting Ben's daughter Violet in her bedroom at night. Having some dark evil friend hidden in the Harmon's basement and being the (bastard?) son of Constance, Tate would have his share of PTSD-syndromes. And it turns out that his dreams are based on his subconscious memories of him already having gone on a murder spree at his old high school in the 90's (Bowling for Columbine, much?). Current ghost-Tate doesn't seem to be aware of this fact, though. And despite his verbal perverseness he's unable to perform sexually with Violet. If this is due to him being a ghost or his unstable mental health in general; we don't know yet. 

The teenaged, self-harming daughter  

The typical teenager; resenting her parents because her father is a liar and her mother is weak. Add being a cutter to the equation, and we've heard the story before. But the petulant side of Violet Harmon was over shadowed by her strong will and courage during 'Home Invasion' (S01E02) and she's the only one who's actually willing to stay in the house as she sees it as a place of triumph, where she and her mother survived the attackers. Even though she's a bit annoying and immature for her age, I would have to agree that Violet grows with each new episode, much due to her emotionally struggling the fact that her boyfriend is a ghost.  



The all-time horny father

Ben Harmon; the all American dad, the handsome therapist, the uninterested father, the douche bag husband. The list can be made long. After Vivien had a miscarriage, Ben couldn't accept the fact that she was no longer interested in sex, and being horny as he was, he decided to have an affair with Hayden. The event of Vivien walking in on the two of them is what led the family to move to LA, making their relationship strained in the start of the series. The new house immediately starts to play tricks with Ben. It makes him sleepwalk and perform violent actions which he forgets about due to constant black outs. It makes him see the housekeeper Moira as her young 80's seductive self instead of the 60 year old woman she portrays herself as in front of the rest of the living. Topping that off with Ben walking in on her as she's masturbating with her legs sprawling in the air. Poor guy. As if that wasn't enough, he gets stalked by a pregnant Hayden who claims he's the love of her life and he really can't seem to get his hormones under control, as he lashes out and kills Hayden in a rage. 

The dependent and rock solid mother

It's still taking some personal adjustment to see Connie Britton in any other role than Tammy Taylor in Friday Night Lights. However, she does a fantastic job as the betrayed but strong mother of Vivien Harmon. Vivien has developed a strange biological tie with the house (like all pregnant women on the Island in LOST) after having sex with the rubber man (which she thought was her all-time horny husband being S&M playful) and becoming pregnant. With a fast growing baby in her belly, Vivien puts all her awakened time and energy into trying to sell the house after falling out of love with it due to not only the home invasion, but some very persistent ghost visits.


The scorned ex-mistress

Following Ben to LA and stalking him in his home, Hayden can't seem to get over the thought of Ben having another family apart from her and the pre-born baby that he left her with and which she never had aborted. Killed by Larry in a rage after terrorizing Ben in his home and pissing off Larry, Hayden's body is buried underneath the gazebo in the garden. It doesn't take long for Hayden to return, making Vivien believe she's still alive and Ben to believe that she faked her death in a conspiracy with Larry.


The stalking psycho

Larry seems to be the only actual living person who knows the secrets and evil of the house. Being the previous torment victim of the house's mental games, Larry burned his wife and daughters to death and became left behind covered in second degree burns. Having been recently released from a mental institution, Larry claims he has inoperable brain cancer and not much long to live. In an attempt to be either a pain in the ass or actually trying to help Ben to become free of the house's power, Larry starts terrorizing Ben, taking advantage of Ben's dire situation. After having killed Hayden with a shovel, Larry starts to blackmail Ben to pay him off or he'll tell the cops about Hayden's body being buried in the back yard.

The seducing housekeeper

Being one of the ghosts of the house, housekeeper Moira, was shot in the eye and killed by Constance during the 80's after Constance caught Moira and her husband Hugo having what she believed was an affair. When the Harmons move in to the house, Moira shows up on their doorstep revealing herself as an old woman to Vivien, asking to be taken on as their maid. While Vivien sees the older version of Moira, Ben sees the young seductive version that is stuck in a seducing-her-employer-loop. One thumb up for young Moira constantly trying to seduce Ben and two thumbs up for Violet walking in on the old version of Moira straddling her dad.