Tag: American Horror Story

American Horror Story: SDCC News Jessica Lange Tease

Kathy Bates at SDCC AHS Panel
San Diego Comic Con, aka SDCC annually mades headlines when the creators, cast and other various members of the entertainment industry give out early information about iconic games, TV shows and movies. American Horror Story gave fans a bit of news about the next season and Ryan Murphy decided to tease fans of the series about past star Jessica Lange. While Lady Gaga fans are overly excited about the face that their Mommy Monster will be in the show, acting only – sorry kids – the news that award winning actress Lange will not be in this newest ensemble was more than disappointing to say the least.

Granted fans of the show have known for sometime now that Lange would not be in Hotel, but the tease that she could return in a later season was a bittersweet treat for fans. It does feel a little like a bad joke, replacing Lange with Gaga? Really?

In a joint panel, stars from both AHS and the new horror comedy series Scream Queens, starring American Horror Story alumnus Emma Roberts and horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis, revealed certain noteworthy items from both shows. Curtis teased fans of her Laurie Strode character from Halloween that there would be a “wordless” nod to the role that helped to make her one of the original scream queens. Roberts is reportedly going to show up at the end of the latest version of Murphy’s brilliantly macabre creation, at least that is what the show’s creator told the panel audience at the SDCC.

The 24 year-old actress will apparently reunite with her one-time real life boyfriend and costar Evan Peters. It is interesting to note that the Scream 4 star had been arrested in 2012 for allegedly beating Peters up, he refused to press charges and the relationship limped along till June 2015 when they called the whole thing off.

Roberts will not be the only other AHS alumni member to reappear in the hotel setting of season five of the series. Ryan Murphy, the same man who brought the world Glee and “gleeks,” stated that other characters would be appearing in this newest season. Murphy has always insisted that the each season’s characters are interconnected, he proved that in season four by showing how Pepper, who was first spotted in Season three; Asylum, was placed into Briarcliff.

While this is welcome news to fans of the long running series, it is still a major disappointment that the one constant in all of the previous four seasons, Jessica Lange, will be missing. The two time Oscar winner stated after Freakshow had finished that she would not be in the next one. Her reason was that she needed a rest from the verse. Considering the different types of characters she played along with the intensity of her performances, it is no wonder that the 66 year-old performer took a break.

This absence may just be the missing ingredient from Murphy’s crowd pleasing cult favorite that spells disaster for its long running success. Lange was not necessarily the glue that bound each episode of every season together, but she was the steely spine of each and every story. The thread that held together through each twist and turn and bloody gruesome event.

Lange’s Elsa Mars, Sister Jude Martin, Fiona Good and Constance Langdon were all disparate creatures, and as much as Elsa was heart rending yet despicable, her Sister Jude will be the epitome of character arcs for the entire season; a journey that started with the viewer hating her overbearing nun and then crying real tears for her and that fall from grace.

SDCC saw fans of American Horror Story getting the latest news about the latest verse in Ryan Murphy’s creation and his teasing that perhaps other performers who will not show up might do so in another season, “aka Jessica Lange,” is a little exciting, if not bittersweet. Sadly Lange will not be back this time around and maybe that is the way it should be.

After all, how can she top Elsa Mars’ rendition of Bowie’s “Life on Mars.” Not to mention her sad success at the end of the season. Have a look at the video below of Elsa belting out this show stopper and think of the Comic Con and just what the latest season of AHS will be like without Lange.

Do not be afraid to shed a little tear…

The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014): Return of the Phantom

Poster for The Town That Dreaded Sundown
This 2014 film, directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, who worked on American Horror Story and Glee before making this debut feature film, with its “return of the phantom from Texarkana” is really more than just a remake of the 1976 film The Town That Dreaded Sundown, it is actually an addendum, if you will. With the film referencing the original and interweaving clips of the 1976 film as well as casting a young actress, Addison Timlin (Derailed, That Awkward Moment) who, in the movie at any rate, is almost a dead ringer for the previous star Dawn Wells, the story is an extension of the first film.

Before going into the premise of the plot, it needs to be mentioned that two of the stellar cast of character actors have shuffled off this mortal coil after appearing in this slasher/mystery. Edward Herrmann (perhaps best known for his “father-figure” vampire in The Lost Boys) and Ed Lauter whose long list of work included the Burt Reynolds cult favorite The Longest Yard as Captain Knauer.

Both the late actors are an example of the high level of experience associated with all the actors involved with this film. The odd choice of Anthony Anderson (Scre4m, Transformers) to portray the Ben Johnson character from the original film was interesting and allowed the actor a chance to play outside his usual range.

In this “remake” the town of Texarkana shows the 1976 film every year around Halloween. *In reality the town really does feature this film as part of their run up to the trick or treat holiday.* While watching the show at what appears to be a make-shift drive-in, two youngsters decide to leave as the girl, Timlin as Jami, is not really enjoying the movie.

The couple drive to a secluded “lover’s lane” and the boy is murdered. Jami is told to make sure “they remember Mary,” and may or may not have been sexually molested. The murders follow the same pattern as the original film’s deaths and also deviates from the real murders just as the first one did.

Texarkana in the mid 1940s did indeed have a serial killer, “who was never caught,” but the “Moonlight Murders” are changed a lot in both films from what really happened. Perhaps the most original part of the film was the decision to make one couple gay, or at least in the beginnings of a gay relationship or one night stand. This move alone seems to be a wink and a nod to Wes Craven and his “rules.”

Denis O’Hare plays the son of the first film’s director, Charles Bryant Pierce (who also directed another cult favorite The Legend of Boggy Creek) died in 2010 and the Arkansas director specialized in making “local” films using the residents of where ever he was shooting. O’Hare, who has the ability to be suitably creepy and damned disturbing regardless of what he is in (American Horror Story for example) knocks it out of the park with his “revelation” later in the film.

This addendum to The Town That Dreaded Sundown, as mentioned above, has a splendid cast, Gary Cole (Pineapple Express, Office Space) and Veronica Cartwright (Alien, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh) round out the familiar faces who bring this tale to life. Perhaps the only drawback to the film was the decision to have Timlin’s character provide a narrative to the film.

Granted the purpose was, it is presumed, to give the new version a sort of documentary as well but it does not work. The “reveal” at the end of the film has been done before, think Wes Craven here, and this lack of originality results in my giving the film a 3 out of 5 stars.

Enjoyable horror hokum based extremely loosely on the real murders years ago and on the original 1976 film. The Town That Dreaded Sundown is on US Netflix at the moment and really is worth the time spent to watch it.

26 May 2015

Michael Knox-Smith

Lady Gaga and American Horror Story: A Perfect Marriage

On top of the very sad news that Ben Woolf, Meep from Season four of American Horror Story, has died, it has been revealed that Lady Gaga will be joining the cast of season five, which one media outlet says is “partially” titled “Hotel.” This will be a perfect marriage of the weird and wonderful meeting the wonderfully weird. Gaga, Mother Monster to all her rabidly devout little monsters, will no doubt bring something to the AHS table.

To read the rest of the article go to Viral Global News…

Ben Woolf Dies From Injuries

Ben Woolf died on Monday from his injuries after being hit in the head by a car while he crossed the street on Hollywood Boulevard. The actor, whose glandular condition kept his height at 4 feet 4 inches, played Meep on the FX series “American Horror Story Freakshow”.

Read more on Viral Global News…

Ben Woolf American Horror Story Meep in Critical Condition

Ben Woolf American Horror Story’s Meep, the freakshow geek, is in critical condition after being struck by a car’s side mirror while crossing the street. Various entertainment news agencies have reported that the 4 foot 4 inch tall performer was hit while jaywalking at 9 p.m. on 19 February 2015… Read the rest of the story on Viral Global News.