Emma Cianchette
Ms. Barklow
22 April 2019
Monsters and Misfits
Artist Statement
For my project I chose to adapt Murder House, the first season of American Horror Story. I chose to adapt this season because it explores so many different fears and every character has a different struggle and story that goes along with them.
In class we explored the idea of monsters/misfits not meaning to be harmful but just trying to find a way to fit in and cope with their struggle of being an outsider. Murder House also explores these ideas through the alive and dead in the series. Ben Harmon continues to have an affair on his wife Vivian and blaming it on her making her feel like there is something wrong with her because she had a miscarriage and is struggling to wrap her head around that situation. Violet the daughter doesn’t fit in at school or back in their old home in Boston but she loves that house because she feels like she belongs there. The dead that remains there were all misfits but in that house they are normal, most of the time they don’t mean any harm and in a way try to protect the Harmons. When Vivian and Violet were the victims in the reenactment of a murder that took place in that house Tate protects them even though he was considered evil when he was alive.
I really liked the work of this season of American Horror Story I thought everything was very well thought out with developed characters. I disliked the amount of time spent on the husbands affair, I thought a cheating scandal is overdone in a lot of movies and shows that it’s become boring to watch. I would like to see more about Violet and Tate, those two characters have minds that aren’t easy to read which makes it more interesting to watch for viewers. I could change those things because I would still keep the affair but it didn’t need as much emphasis on it, I would cut out the crazy mistress because she really did not need as big of a part in the series.
Changing the setting to Saco Maine would make the mansion more historical and creepy. LA is a lot more busy with people always around while Saco is more quiet and eerie when there’s nothing around. The mansion could have also been older and built back in the 1700’s rather than the 1900’s which would make the mansion more rundown and old looking. I would not have killed off Addy either, she communicated with the sprits in the mansion and I thought the producers could have done more with her. She was a special character, very innocent and I think every show needs to have that one innocent person in it because it gives a different perspective on everything happening. A sequel would be interesting to see how the dead spirits have changed since the Harmons are gone. It would show how Violet is being stuck in the house since she died there and how she reacted to knowing that.
In my project I will explore the idea of gaslighting and how everyone in that house is manipulative and relating that to society now and how people in the world that are in the wrong gaslight others to make themselves feel better. I want the audience to think about the deeper meaning of this series and the messages you can get from looking more into what the characters are doing and how they are acting.
Ms. Barklow
22 April 2019
Monsters and Misfits
Artist Statement
For my project I chose to adapt Murder House, the first season of American Horror Story. I chose to adapt this season because it explores so many different fears and every character has a different struggle and story that goes along with them.
In class we explored the idea of monsters/misfits not meaning to be harmful but just trying to find a way to fit in and cope with their struggle of being an outsider. Murder House also explores these ideas through the alive and dead in the series. Ben Harmon continues to have an affair on his wife Vivian and blaming it on her making her feel like there is something wrong with her because she had a miscarriage and is struggling to wrap her head around that situation. Violet the daughter doesn’t fit in at school or back in their old home in Boston but she loves that house because she feels like she belongs there. The dead that remains there were all misfits but in that house they are normal, most of the time they don’t mean any harm and in a way try to protect the Harmons. When Vivian and Violet were the victims in the reenactment of a murder that took place in that house Tate protects them even though he was considered evil when he was alive.
I really liked the work of this season of American Horror Story I thought everything was very well thought out with developed characters. I disliked the amount of time spent on the husbands affair, I thought a cheating scandal is overdone in a lot of movies and shows that it’s become boring to watch. I would like to see more about Violet and Tate, those two characters have minds that aren’t easy to read which makes it more interesting to watch for viewers. I could change those things because I would still keep the affair but it didn’t need as much emphasis on it, I would cut out the crazy mistress because she really did not need as big of a part in the series.
Changing the setting to Saco Maine would make the mansion more historical and creepy. LA is a lot more busy with people always around while Saco is more quiet and eerie when there’s nothing around. The mansion could have also been older and built back in the 1700’s rather than the 1900’s which would make the mansion more rundown and old looking. I would not have killed off Addy either, she communicated with the sprits in the mansion and I thought the producers could have done more with her. She was a special character, very innocent and I think every show needs to have that one innocent person in it because it gives a different perspective on everything happening. A sequel would be interesting to see how the dead spirits have changed since the Harmons are gone. It would show how Violet is being stuck in the house since she died there and how she reacted to knowing that.
In my project I will explore the idea of gaslighting and how everyone in that house is manipulative and relating that to society now and how people in the world that are in the wrong gaslight others to make themselves feel better. I want the audience to think about the deeper meaning of this series and the messages you can get from looking more into what the characters are doing and how they are acting.