AHS: Hotel
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Lilith — 5 years ago(December 26, 2020 08:38 PM)
They were playing music from the band She Wants Revenge (very Bauhaus sounding). This is the song (Tear You Apart) they were playing when they were trying to duplicate that opening scene of the vampire couple going out and picking up another couple to bring back and feed off of. In fact, SWR did this whole video as an homage to the movie The Hunger. Have you watched it? It's excellent and has a different twist.
"Your emotional state is not my responsibility." – Warren Smith -
P.Error — 5 years ago(December 26, 2020 06:08 AM)
I didn't like it.
The first episode was strong. Then it got silly a few episodes later.
It seems like made they writing up as they went along, which is typical in a series. The first episode was strong with the 2 foreign girls stumbling into the hotel, and it appeared they were going to be integral to the narrative, but they were written off and showed up in cameo appearances later.
Sarah Paulson's character was pointless. The only reason she had a role here is because she's a cast member of the series itself: but judging this as its own story, her character was pointless.
Kathy Bate's role was underused. You have a great actress like Kathy Bates, in a series about vampires and ghosts, and she's playing the hotel clerk?
There were too many filler episodes, like the backstory about Valentino and that chick, that could've been left out; even with the filler episodes, the final episode was rushed, condensing John Lowe's arc to flashbacks and montages, when that could've been expanded to the final 3 episodes.
The James March story started off strong and dark, with the disturbing backstory, but he became a silly caricature later on - especially during the final episode when the ghosts are chatting with Bates about not scaring off customers so the bills can get paid, and learning how to haunt using social media.
"Murder House" was much better, because as the first, that's when the creator has the best idea for it to be developed into a series.
"1984" is also good, which has to do with the 9-episode season: less filler.
Less is more. Hotel trying doing too much and went into too many different directions.
Never lose your desire. -
Lilith — 5 years ago(December 26, 2020 03:48 PM)
I thought they explained all of the characters backstories rather well, and they explained why Bates was there "just" as a hotel clerk. Given this was the first season Gaga came aboard, I'm guessing they wanted to highlight her and exploit her presence and star power.
By saving John Lowe's story until the very end, it felt wise, using flashbacks, because it let him be his "fake" character as long as possible, and when revealed, he was used just enough for shock value, as with the passage of time, to mellow out.
Sally's integral to the entire house. She lures the entertainment in for the other ghosts so they can find their "purpose." That's why those Swedish models were so important.
In my opinion, 1984 was weak and the entire concept has been done to death, a remake of a remake of a remake.
Murder House is one of the strongest AHS by far, yes.
"Your emotional state is not my responsibility." – Warren Smith -
P.Error — 5 years ago(December 26, 2020 11:21 PM)
I like the simplicity of 1984. AHS has gotten extravagant with each season, and 1984 is backs-to-basics: just a killer in the woods without 100 subplots going on.
I liked Mr. Jingles arc, too. During the first episode, I asked myself, I wonder how John Carroll Lynch must feel being asked to play the often-masked-or-makeup'd psycho killer in all these AHS seasons. But then he was given an actual serious role. It was nice to see him get a semi-starring role that's not just the killer for once. He deserved it.
Never lose your desire.
️ Christina 1986-05-20 
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