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[Review] “American Horror Story: Hotel” Delivers Extreme Sex, Drugs and Violence!

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American Horror Story: Hotel; Lady Gaga; courtesy of FX

After a disappointing fourth season, “American Horror Story” returns to FX with “Hotel,” which spends most of the debut episode building and introducing characters.

The always spectacular Kathy Bates plays Iris, the front desk clerk and gatekeeper to the Cortez Hotel. She’s been working there for 20 years, and reminds me of R. M. Renfield in “Dracula” (being that she’s a human working for a hotel filled with vampires).

Speaking of vampires, it takes quite a bit of time before Lady Gaga is introduced. She’s “The Countess,” a seductive, eccentric and methodical vampire who owns the Cortez Hotel. Yet, even with the power of Gaga’s performance, Sarah Paulson, who plays Sally, a junkie and friend of The Countess, has the most provocative character of them all.

And while the first episode doesn’t introduce James March (Evan Peters) – who built labyrinth of a hotel in 1930 – we get a taste of the secret rooms when kids appear and vanish, with one containing a kiddie party haven used to seduce even children.

The most exciting thing about each season’s debut episode is the visual introduction to the characters and locations. While “Freak Show” may have been the most vibrant and colorful of them all, “Hotel” features stunning costume designs and set pieces that are nothing short of spectacular.

But, what I found most intriguing about “Hotel” is that it appears FX and Ryan Murphy have taken their gloves off. Being that “Hotel” is the fifth season, I don’t think the filmmakers have any fear of losing committed viewers. Thus, they have taken everything to the edge of gluttony, which is ironically part of the underlying story-arc.

It appears many of the “Hotel” victims are sinners, as teased in the below opening title sequence. And with that comes junkies, criminals and the insane. “Hotel” gets graphic with the drug use, takes sex/rape to an entirely new level with a conical drillbit dildo, and even has a blood orgy that’s uncomfortably erotic. Everything about “Hotel” is about excess, and there’s no denying that everyone involved is ready to take it all the way (shit, the season opens with Detective John Lowe (Wes Bentley) discovering a man, with his eyes gouged out and his tongue removed, glued inside a woman who has been impaled).

The one thing that I love about the “American Horror Story” franchise is that, much like a video game, it’s all about the ride. And while the end game may be inconsequential (I have’t liked any of the season finales), Ryan Murphy and company have set the stage for a monstrous fifth season that’s boasting its ability to be unapologetic from sex to the drugs and violence.

I’m staying another night…

Horror movie fanatic who co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, V/H/S/2/3/94, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily. Franchise favs: Hellraiser, Child's Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream and Friday the 13th. Horror 365 days a year.

Books

‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans

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In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.

The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.

Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.

Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.

For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.

Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.

One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.

At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.

You can order your copy now.

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