Cinema Shark: Horror Series
"American Horror Story" Premiere Episode
3.5/4 stars
On Oct. 8th, Emmy award winning series "American Horror Story" premiered its fourth season, "American Horror Story: Freak Show."
Set in Jupiter, Florida in 1952, the fourth season follows a troupe of strange "freaks" who perform in one of the U.S.’s last remaining freak shows, led by seemingly normal Elsa Mars. The characters range from two-headed sisters Bette and Dot Tattler to bearded lady Ethel Darling and her lobster-clawed son, Jimmy Darling, who uses his syndactyly to please women around town. Needless to say, they are quite the performers.
The season premiere continues the "American Horror Story" tradition of terrifying viewers with unexpected and uncommon plot techniques. The first episode introduces an important character, a German woman named Elsa Mars, who runs a somewhat run-down freak show. She is in search of the newest addition for her carnival of creatures, two-headed sisters named Bette and Dot.
Even though these introductory scenes are a bit slow, out of nowhere the episode heats up as the viewer is subjected to a young innocent couple sharing a private moment on a picnic blanket. The scene progresses, with the viewer perhaps growing a tad uncomfortable. Before anything continues, the young man decides to run to the car and grab something essential, perhaps bug spray or sun screen or some other form of protection. Meanwhile, a figure appears in the distance. A permanent, toothy smile painted upon his face, Twisty the Clown limps forward and gestures at the girl. The conclusion of the scene won’t be revealed, but let’s just say that Twisty likes to play with both blunt and sharp objects and is probably the scariest clown to exist in the world of horror movies and television.
The show’s excellent cinematography, acting and costumes were carried over from the third season. Camera pans add to the show’s impact and certain shots can evoke an eerie and mysterious feeling while others startle viewers with quick movement.
In the past, the show’s cast has received numerous awards. This season, the actors and actresses are just as decorated. Jessica Lange is as convincing as always, playing the role of Elsa Mars, the Hollywood fame-obsessed director of the freak show. John Carroll Lynch creates nightmares in his disturbingly convincing role of Twisty the Clown. He manages to inspire fear in the most courageous of viewers with his kidnapping, stabbing and smiling. Finally, the costumes and styling in "American Horror Story: Freak Show" increase its production values tenfold. Twisty the Clown’s costume gives viewers shivers simply from how dirty it looks; Elsa Mars’s blue pantsuit and ridiculous matching eyeshadow elevate the personality of her character. It’s these details that allow "American Horror Story" to excel and have such a large fan base.
There were, however, some low points to the episode. In the beginning, the sequence that attempted to build anticipation to Bette’s and Dot’s first appearance was long and dragged out. By the time the curtain is pulled back and Bette and Dot are finally revealed, the viewer is no longer intrigued, but rather, bored. Other than this slow start to the episode though, the rest of the season premiere was fast-paced and fascinating. A particular high point was when Elsa performed David Bowie’s "Life on Mars" with costumes, freaks and all.
For those who enjoy losing sleep, "American Horror Story: Freak Show" provides several layers of horror. The simple, terrifying pop-outs that accompany Twisty or the psychologically tormenting plot that is Elsa and her freaks allow for all fans of fear to be satisfied. This show is not for the weak of heart or mind, and it is guaranteed to leave you looking over your shoulder and checking under your bed. That being said, the cinematography and the unique plot offer something more than horror. Fans of modern twists on old-timey eras will certainly enjoy the show, as will fans of quality television.