Halloween has come and gone, and for those of you wishing that this creepy celebration could happen more than just once a year, there’s no better time to get hooked on American Horror Story, a disturbingly spine-chilling television viewing experience. FX’s American Horror Story is tailored for the everyday horror movie lover, with vicious violence, bizarre sex and a twist guaranteed in every episode. This outrageous new drama will leave the thrill seeker feeling very satisfied.
The plot follows the Harmon family, who decide to move from Boston to Los Angeles after Vivien, played by Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights), gives birth to a stillborn baby and her husband Ben, Dylan McDermott (The Practice), has an affair. Ben and Vivien try to rekindle what’s left of their relationship while their misunderstood daughter Violet, Taissa Farmiga (Higher Ground), is suffering from a deep depression. This dysfunctional family moves into a restored mansion looking for a change, but is unfortunately unaware of the wickedly haunted nature of their new home.
Producers and writers Ryan Murphy and Brad Flachuck, the same minds behind Glee and Nip/Tuck, take a complete 360 with American Horror Story, going for an entirely different aesthetic and reaching out to an entirely different type of audience. Complete with a soundtrack of shrill violins and eerie piano riffs, each episode is filled with constant and obscure terrors that only a horror movie fanatic would enjoy. Some may think the excessive amount of outlandish surprises is kind of far-fetched, but they’d be missing the entire point of this series. This show is created for those with an open mind and liking of this particular kind of wild cinematography.
“This show is like a breath of fresh air. It’s the darkest and most well written horror series I’ve ever seen,” said Rachael Bella, a senior at Lone Star College Kingwood and an avid horror fan. “It has everything and a little bit of something for everyone who is a horror fanatic. This show has body parts in jars, postmortem photography, ghosts, and a new twist every week. The music is absolutely stellar, the writing is great thus far, and the cinematography will draw you in.,” she continued.
Justin Dumke, a freshman theatre major at Pennsylvania State University, disagreed. “American Horror Story will make most everyone uneasy. I don’t enjoy watching something so graphic and constantly intense, it's unnecessary,” he said.
So if you are looking for something new and interesting, and aren’t squeamish, American Horror Story can provide you with a totally unique and one of a kind experience. Whether you’re a horror fanatic, or are just a brave soul who can handle constant surprises of a rather terrifying nature, check out American Horror Story Wednesdays at 10p.m. on FX.
