TV REVIEW: AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW




41/2/5

In 1952 Florida a freak show carnival moves into sleepy town of Jupitor. The owner of the freak show is Elza Mars (Jessica Lange), a strong willed and glamorous figure who dreams of a serious success as a singer. The supporting cast consists of her army of freaks, most of them not just carrying a burden of a tragic past, but also harbouring dangerous secrets. 

It's no long before the show attracts the unwanted attention of the police - a killer clown is lurking near by, and freaks are under suspicion. The danger is also coming from psychotic Stanley (Dennnis O'Hara), a con artists who wants the freaks dead and in a different kind of show - in a museum, displayed in glass jars; and from an evil young man Dandy, whose only desire is to be a movie star takes a very dark turn. The show also gets a slightly supernatural angle with Edward Mordrake - a ghost of a freak with a second face on the back of his head, who will drag to hell any freak who performs on Halloween. 

Unlike previous seasons FREAK SHOW follows the same timeline, there are barely any flashbacks, and much more music and singing than before (this tradition started in the COVEN and it seems had become part of the franchise).

FREAK SHOW is a slow burning thriller. The story of a killer clown gets wrapped up too quickly and after that series seem to focus on dispatching to the next life every character, but their deaths are a little inconsistent, and yes, there's a feel that episodes are being filled in, until the grand (and gory) finale.

It is sad to admit that with the pacing, FREAK SHOW also looses its thrills. It is definitely NOT a scary movie, if anything it's a satire and a parody on the early horror films. It seems that this season is just trying too hard to be original, with some grotesque imaginary and twists that would be unheard of in a TV's history, that said, the choice of these twists is not always to the series advantage. 

What series delivers well is drama and character development. We do get deep under the skin of these poor fellas, and when they die it hurts. Particularly tragic is the story of Pepper - reprising her role from ASYLUM. It maybe the slowest episode in the season, but it will bring tears to your eyes.

FREAK SHOW is a thirteen hour affair, and the question arises if it all worth it? The simple answer is - it does. The final episode is just brilliant. It is violent, sad and satisfying. The final scene is so strong and heartbreaking that it will make you want to applaud. FREAK SHOW lacks tension of the first season, story complexity of ASYLUM and fast pacing of the COVEN, but it has the best ending.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We'll End Up Together - Nous Finirons Ensemble (French Movie Review)

Image
10/10 Max has a sixtieth birthday coming up. The problem is he is broke, divorced and depressed. When a group of his best friends show up at his doorstep to help him celebrate, he reluctantly agrees to spend a few days with them, but won’t explain what’s going on in his personal life. When ones darkest moments come, will friendship conquer all? Seven years after the breakout success of the film Little White Lies (Les Petits Mouchoirs) comes the long anticipated sequel and it is worth the wait. The success of WE’LL END UP TOGETHER is not in its rather predictable plot, but the chemistry on screen, the characters that we recognise ourselves and our friends in, and the amazing warm atmosphere that makes one believe there’s no problem a good dinner with friends won’t sort out.  Written and directed by much loved French actor and director  Guillaume Canet this movie feels like a welcome return home to those who have seen the original and will also welcome new viewership - the film c
Read more

KOREAN MOVIE REVIEW: MEMOIR OF A MURDERER

Image
8/10 Byung-su is an elderly veterinarian who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He has a caring daughter who does all she can to make his life easier, and a policemen friend whose name Byung-su forgets from time to time. He also goes to a poetry club (in order to keep his mind exercised) where a lonely widow makes advances at him. But there’s one thing that sets Byung-su apart from the other senior citizens of his little town – he is a serial killer.  When a new wave of killings begin Byung-su starts to suspect that a young man who is dating his daughter is the culprit. Trying to keep the remains of his memories together Byung-su writes extensive journals. But what if his memories are actually real? Losing his grip on reality he goes head to head with the new serial killer in order to protect the only life he cares about in the world – his daughter’s. Before Dexter came around Koreans had excelled in creating charismatic killers as protagonists of the films
Read more

MSFF: DEATH IN BUENOS AIRES (MUERTE EN BUENOS AIRES)

Image
3 1/2 /5 It's year 1980 and we are in Buenos Aires. The wealthy gay man is murdered  and inspector Chaves is on the case. In order to find the culprit he has to plunge into the world of gay nightclubs, drugs and sex. But what is it with the young and handsome officer Gomes, who was the first on the crime scene, and seems to place himself with ease as a mole into a gay community? Is he trying to catch the killer? Or hiding something? As suspicions arise, Chaves is haunted by the feelings he does not understand. Will the fatal attraction to a younger man help him to solve the case, or be his undoing? First time director Natalie Meta is "spot on" on the upbeat atmosphere of the 80s without too much expense. She cleverly uses the pop tunes, over-the-top clothes and many other ingredients to recreate the time. The murder mystery is secondary, and the movie is focused on the relationship between the two men, full of innuendoes and mistrust. The very simple cinema
Read more