LINK: Interview with Denis O'Hare (Larry)

This is a great article on Movieweb.com -- an interview with Denis O'Hare. Check it out here.

I pulled a few really interesting tidbits out -- I especially loved the whole section where he talks about the process of getting his makeup on.


"In your opinion, what kind of release or redemption do you feel that Larry is ultimately looking for?

Denis O'Hare: You know, in upcoming episodes it's played out a little more. On a prosaic level he's looking to expiate his guilt. But what does that mean is that he's going to pay for his crimes or does it mean he's going to finally be held accountable and judged, I suppose, is one. But in a metaphorical sense, I think he's looking for meaning. Why have I gone through this? Why have I experienced this pain and suffering? Why have I not been allowed to reach happiness? And I think what he wants is resolution in the form of an answer, and that answer can be an action or it can be a message. I think all the characters in American Horror Story, which is why I love it, are looking for some sense of meaning, and also it's their form of happiness. If you think about Tate and Violet, if you think about even Vivien and Ben, their marriage, they're-people are struggling to find sense in what is a crumbling marriage. So I think for Larry it's a similar thing. He's looking for, sort of, a way of out of what he considers to be a hellish existence."

Seems like alot of the characters on AHS are just looking for a meaning -- meaning in a variety of different things, but meaning nonetheless.


"Denis O'Hare: I would love to have had a scene with Larry running lines with Ben in the apartment for The Odd Couple and giving each other notes. I think that would've been fantastic. And I would love to see Larry's photo session with the photographer who's saying, 'Okay, chin down. Okay, a little more to the right. Okay, that's nice. Hold that.' I think that'd be terrific. You know, they write me beautiful comic stuff. There was a great scene last night when I was coming to the open house with Marcy, the realtor, and Vivien, and I just love the fact that they give me this nice little comic stuff. "
Would LOVE to see a bit more comedy in the episodes -- although they already do a good job of inserting some great little lines in the dialogue that make you snort or giggle, think it would be a nice sweet and sour mix. What do you think?


"I wanted to talk about the first basement scene where Larry tells Constance that he loves her, and she says to him, 'Look what you did to yourself, look at what the house did to you.' And then he responds, 'The house didn't do this to me, you did this to me.' So she seems a little disgusted, and he sort of seems to blame her for his physical condition. Can you share with us more details about what this is all about?

Denis O'Hare: All I'll tell you is all will be revealed in, I guess it's Episode 9. There's an explanation of that, and I would be irresponsible if I said anything more. I love their evolving relationship, and I love the information we get. There's some great stuff in Episode 9 that comes out. We call it nine, sorry, that would be your ten, I think. But there's some great information that comes out about Constance's' life with Larry and Larry's attempts to become part of the family, which are sad and disturbing." Can't wait to learn more about this relationship -- my hunch is that Constance threw Larry into the fireplace. :)

Check out the rest of the article, it's a great read!

Rubber Man

We're all (im)patiently waiting the reveal of Rubber Man on tonight's episode, coincidentally sharing the same title as this blog post.

We caught a sneak peek at two (perhaps different!) Rubber Men during the promo FX has been airing and that can also be found here. We learn from this special preview that during tonight's episode Chad goes to an S&M start to spice up his relationship -- the shop-worker shows him around, finally deciding he should buy a large black S&M suit.

First, I'd like to discuss a theory I've seen floating around on AHS Facebook page and the IMDB discussion boards -- the notion that there might be two different suits that we've seen. Let's take a look at a few different versions of Rubber Man that we've seen:

Rubber Man:

(Source)

Tate in Rubberman Suit:

(Source)

Rubber Man suit seen in promo while Chad is shopping in S&M Store:

(Source: Screenshot from promo video linked above)

Seems to me like there is a strong possibility that there are two different suits -- the S&M suit that Chad bought to spice up their relationship, as seen in the promo for tonight's episode and the actual black latex suit that Rubber Man wears. I had a bit of trouble finding a bunch of good pictures to relate this -- I'm thinking back to the first episode, when Viv and Ben go exploring in the attic (total side note: how come we didn't see any signs of Beau during this? or did we?) and find the S&M suit -- I seem to remember it having some chains and buckles on it. Was this just because it was hanging, similar to the picture above from the S&M shop? Or is a different suit? The suit that Rubber Man wears (and coincidentally Tate wears when he scares Violet in the basement) is a very simple latex suit.

What do you think? Is there a possibility that there are two suits? What difference could this make in the story line?

Now onto my real theory...

Tate is Rubber Man.

Why do I think this? Well for a number of reasons (in no particular order)...

Tate appears in the Rubber Man suit in the basement to Violet -- she says "I thought my parents threw that away." and Tate replies with something to effect of "Finders, Keepers." Going against the above double suit theory, this could be a reference that Rubber Man was 'born' when Tate stole/found the suit in the attic after Chad bought it. This brings me to another side note -- I've read on FB/IMDB suggestions that perhaps Tate is actually the blonde Chad's significant other is cheating on him with -- thus Tate kills him as Rubber Man? Interesting thought... Back to Tate appearing as Rubber Man to Violet -- why? Why did he think it was a good idea to scare the girl he's been pining over in a black latex suit in a creepy basement on Halloween? Would you think that's a good way to get on a girl's good side? Personally, it doesn't work for me.

Tate wouldn't have sex with Violet on the beach. Tate didn't offer Violet a really plausible reason (granted it was a plausible reason for the situation -- 'Maybe it's the medication you're Dad's got me on' -- Remember, Violet didn't know Tate was dead yet.) -- so what was the reason? Could the reason be that Tate had already had relations (if you can even call it that...) with her mother and was uncomfortable doing it with mother and daughter?

Rubber Man hasn't killed anyone since the Harmon's moved into the house. In the last episode, Tate says to Violet "This is the better place now that you're here." Could Tate be pulling away from his evil ways because he's finally found love in Violet? This is going to lead me into my second theory about Rubber Man/Tate so stick with me here...

Tate as the blonde, normal - looking teenager is the good version of himself. Tate as Rubber Man is the evil version of himself, perhaps even controlled by Infatata. Tate knows alot about the history of the house, especially the original owners -- we know this because he gives Violet the run down of the story, I believe in one of the Halloween episodes. Though it still boggles my mind why a ghost would be interested in using a Ouija board, I digress... Tate also finds the photo's, mason jars and other junk in the attic and shows it to Violet -- how did he know where this stuff was? Why is he so interested in the history of the house and sharing it with Violet? I also find it interesting that we've seen hints (the dead rodents, slashed throats of the twin victims, "Charles, it's not milk that he wants!' - Nora Montgomery, etc) that the infatata needs blood to survive -- is it just coincidental then, that in the last episode Tate licks the blood off Violets wounds?

Also, let's think back to the first time we saw Tate's horrible acts in the high school -- he is disguised, face painted like a skeleton, almost completely covered and unrecognizable and dressed all in black. Could this be a clue that he wasn't himself? He was perhaps, being controlled by something else? Such as the Infatata? This gives us a reason as to why Tate did these horrible things -- maybe Tate is a good person (like Violet asks the teacher in the library) but something, like the infatata, is getting in the way of it. I could be wrong here, but I also seem to remember Tate's face being painted when Violet brings the bully to the house and brings her down to the basement -- another sign?

It's really hard for me to believe that Dr. Montgomery didn't have to sell his soul or the soul of Thaddeus the baby to bring the it back to life. There is ample evidence from the previous episodes that the Infatata is indeed some form of the devil, but I will leave that for another post. Let's just assume the Infatata is some form of the devil and is thus using/controlling Tate, dressed as the Rubber Man to do it's dirty work.

Getting back proving that Tate is indeed the Rubber Man -- think back to what Addie said to Constance through the medium -- "I'm glad I'm not in the house -- I'm scared of Tate now that I know the truth about him." This suggests there's obviously something we don't know about Tate yet -- very well could be that he's the Rubber Man or a number of other things given this show's incredible plot twists.

Let's jump back a few episodes again to the first Halloween episode -- Larry is knocking at the door, Violet calls her Dad super freaked out and Rubber Man appears behind her -- stares, and leaves. He had the perfect opportunity to kill her, but just walks away -- we don't see Rubber Man appear for no purpose in any other scene except this one. (Please correct me here if I'm wrong!) Could this be another reason that Tate is indeed Rubber Man? Regardless of the suit and the powers controlling him, he couldn't hurt Violet.

Another clue that Tate is the Rubber Man -- at the end of the promo, if you still the end scene where Rubber Man is taking off his mask, you see pieces of blonde hair appear under the mask.

Lastly, I read one of the original interviews with Ryan Murphy (source to come shortly) and he's asked about the identity of the Rubber Man -- his answers is obviously very vague, but he mentions that he thinks its so obvious and he's surprised that no one has figured it out yet. Would the obvious choice be Tate?

So what do you think? Do you think the Rubber Man is Tate, controlled by the Infatata perhaps? Or is the Rubber Man just another form of the Infatata?

Last question I leave you with: Do you think Violet is still living or did she die in the episode she overdoses in? Was Tate too late in saving her?

Happy watching!!

Not to Dissect?

My first post was originally going to be about Rubber Man, the draft is currently saved and will be uploaded as soon as I've finished. However, I was doing a bit of research on the web while writing the post and came across this article on Yahoo: 'Three Reasons Not to Dissect American Horror Story' written by Drew Taylor. I couldn't resist talking about an article that is essentially giving me three reasons as to why this blog shouldn't exist, lol!

Before I delve into his article -- I want to say that I think the fact that AHS provides you with so many clues and so much information beneath the surfaces of the story line, in many cases, without you even realizing it's there is what makes AHS such an amazing show. It keeps me talking, thinking and in turn makes the anticipation for next week's episode that much greater.

Back to the article...

Taylor's first reason to not dissect AHS is Unpredictable Twists.
Well yes, they are crazy unpredictable twists -- I probably would have never  guessed that Larry was secretly or not-so-secretly I guess, in love with Constance. "The show adds rich layers to an otherwise foreseeable source of the supposed dream house's unrest by giving the doctor a drug addiction, materialistic wife, slain child, Frankenstein obsession and crushing debt. Who could anticipate that combination?" Very true, Taylor, very true -- but isn't the fun in trying to come up with the explanation in the meantime??

"'American Horror Story' drops clear hints about upcoming plot twists, but the clues are not predictable enough to anticipate the whole story." My feeling is that the writers are dropping clear hints for a reason -- they want us to try and figure out the whole story, but obviously aren't giving us enough information to figure out the whole story -- what would be the point of the show if we knew what was going to happen around every corner?

Second Reason: Fast Paced Mythology.
Taylor explains we are introduced to a number of different characters and possible storylines in a short amount of time, but many of these 'smaller' storylines develop rather quickly. He takes living vs. dead as an example -- we learn quite quickly who of the main cast has a pulse and who doesn't. I'd have to counter you with this question, Taylor: what about Tate? I for one, couldn't decide if he was of the living or dead until the Halloween episodes, when it started to become very clear, but yet not definite that Tate was in fact living among the dead. ('Living among the dead'? A future topic for discussion I'm sure... What is actually happening to these ghosts in the house? Are they dead among the living? or Living among the dead?)

Taylor cites Viv's pregnancy as an example of a storyline Murphy has injected into the show with a need to develop more freely and slowly. As a previous fan of Nip/Tuck -- I love how Murphy includes story lines that take quite a few episodes to develop, some even being forgotten storylines that reappear and make you wonder, "Hey what did happen with that?"

"For the truly impatient, Ryan Murphy appears to have an affinity for giving major spoilers." -- Does he? because I'm not sure I've caught on to these major spoilers yet -- do you agree with Taylor?

Third Reason: New Lore vs. Tradition
I'm pulling Taylor's entire third reason below because I think there's a ton to dissect here.

"The show relies heavily on surreal images, jolting camera angles, and uncomfortable themes to create an emotional experience that does not always jibe with real-world logic or existing horror themes. Although the show explains, or at least acknowledges, two major cracks by giving the cash-strapped Harmons financial incentive to stay in the haunted house and having the undead teens ask Violet how she never heard of their high school massacre, it does not have to play by the rules.

By reimagining popular horror stories, legends and historical events, "American Horror Story" is creating new lore.

Theorizing and speculating about "American Horror Story" add to the unique appeal of this show, but there is no reward for giving it the "Lost" treatment. Instead, relish the combination of horror, suspense and mystery as the story develops. "

I'd have to disagree with Taylor in the first paragraph. While I agree that an amazing use of different technique certainly sets the tone of the show, I don't agree that is at times, at the expense of real world logic.

I think the creators/producers/directors have done a wonderful job invoking emotion out of its viewers -- when the characters start to get scared, I start to get scared (Example: Violet at home on Halloween night, with Larry knocking at the door). I can feel the worry in Viv's character about her pregnancy, while feeling nothing from the scenes with Rubber Man -- cold and icy, just like a murderer.

I'm not well versed enough in the horror scene to say they aren't keeping with the typical horror themes -- I'd like to think I'm pretty well versed in real world logic. I think the characters do a great job of being put in a completely other-wordly situation and keeping their logic. Larry's referral to Ben's logic as a 'puny analyst's worldview' is quite telling, especially when you set the scene: the two are arguing, standing over Hayden's grave. Ben watched Larry kill her, but is so much disbelief that this could actually be reality -- he's making up stories to explain the supernatural. Side Note: I love that Ben's profession is a therapist; it adds an extra element of believability (great new word I just made up!) to his overly realistic way of viewing the world. Viv's concerns about her babies having hooves are even cemented as normal fears by her OB-GYN in the last episode.

Creating a horror show that lasts an entire season, and perhaps even more is a hard task -- in the movies, its quite easy to gloss over a few details and questions (like, WHY ARE YOU STILL IN THAT HOUSE?) without losing the audience. AHS has a much harder task at hand -- having to keep this story alive and running for a number of hours. Personally, I think they have done a pretty good job at convincing me that there are legitimate reasons for the Harmon's still be in the house and still not completely believing that the house is indeed, haunted.

I disagree with Taylor that AHS does not deserve the Lost treatment. A wonderful HS teacher of mine, loved to bring up the Wizard of Oz story -- the story starts out with an initial problem, Dorothy loses Toto in Kansas - yet the main storyline never deals with this problem, we never know that Toto is brought home safely. I'm using this as analogy for AHS because I think the original problem is "You're going to die in there" -- something is wrong with the house itself, which we haven't explored deeply in any of the episodes -- we've explored many of the murders that have happened in the house, but we don't know why so many murders are occuring in this particular house. Everything we're learning about the house's inhabitants should be major clues as to what supernatural powers the house actually has.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with Taylor that AHS doesn't deserve the Lost treatment? Do you disagree with me that the root of the problem within all of the storylines is the house and we still don't know why? What are your feelings on how or how not Murphy and the writers have infused typical horror themes into their storylines? Do you think AHS's writers are doing a good job at keeping the show believable?

Ready.. Set.. Discuss! :)