American Horror Story 1984 Was An Underrated Gem Heres Why

American Horror Story: 1984 Was An Underrated Gem – Here’s Why

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American Horror Story: 1984 may have not been the best season, but thematically, it was stronger than fans of the anthology gave it credit for.

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American Horror Story 1984 Was An Underrated Gem Heres Why

Season 9 of American Horror Story, 1984, wasn’t the most popular season with fans, but deserves recognition as an underrated gem of the long-running FX anthology series because of how it adapted one of the most beloved sub-genres within the horror genre.

While some aspects of 1984’s plot were convoluted, such as the inclusion of real-life serial killer Richard Ramirez as a fictional—and main—character, overall it was a well-made season of Ryan Murphy’s show. Absent were notable cast alumni like Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson, who have been major draws to the show since season 1, which released in 2011. Other than Peters and Paulson, other cast members who fans look forward to seeing every season, such as Kathy Bates, Angela Bassett, and Frances Conroy, also failed to appear, which is likely part of why 1984 wasn’t as beloved. Nielsen ratings and viewership hit a series low, likely due to these cast members being absent and the theme of the show not being as popular with fans. Slasher movies have been incredibly popular in the past, but the over-saturation of the sub-genre’s prevalence in modern media has caused interest to dwindle.

However, Emma Roberts—who joined the show in season 3, Coven, as Madison Montgomery—led the cast of other young, fresh-faced actors, many of whom were relatively new to AHS, like Billie Lourd and Cody Fern. This was a strength of the season rather than a weakness. After all, the mark of any worthwhile slasher movie is a large body count, usually of expendable young people. 1984 leaned into the many tropes of the slasher movie sub-genre; for that and many other reasons, it deserves more credit for accomplishing a feat that is none so easy to pull off successfully.

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AHS: 1984 Evoked The Best Of The Slasher Sub-Genre

Not only did 1984 make reference to major horror franchises and horror movies from the 1980s, but it adapted the tone and presence of a good slasher movie. The setting—Camp Redwood—evoked a common background for numerous horror films of the era, such as Friday the 13th and Sleepaway Camp. Not only were summer camps popular in the 1980s, but the gathering of young teenagers led to an environment that was ripe for youthful experimentation with sex and drugs, two of the commonly played tropes that lead to an untimely death in slasher movies.

Many horror movies have some root into the political climate of the times, and the 1980s were no different. The rise of the AIDS epidemic led people to be fearful of rampant sexuality, and there was a push for more moral, family values to take precedent over the wild, free ways exhibited by the “flower children” of the 1960s and 1970s. In some ways, the slasher villains like Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers played into this sexual awakening experienced by young people by using long-bladed knives and machetes to represent phallic imagery, but they also served to punish young people for going against societal expectations and norms. 1984 played into this excess through the brightly colored, sometimes provocative dress of the young cast members, explicit commentary on various means of sexuality—including homosexuality—and brought it full circle by promptly dispatching many characters early, often several in the span of a single episode.

There were also homages to movies like Stephen King’s Carrie, where religion played into the ruling and punishment of teenagers and young adults through the character of Margaret Booth (Leslie Grossman). Booth ended up being the true killer at Camp Redwood instead of Mr. Jingles (John Carroll Lynch), whom she set up for her crimes. Later in season 9, an entire side plot straight out of Friday the 13th was included. Camp cook and single mother Lavinia Richter (Lily Rabe), suffered a great tragedy after her son, Bobby, died in a boating accident on the lake when he was supposed to be watched by the counselors. This, similarly to Pamela Voorhees’ massacre, ended in bloodshed and Lavinia’s death.

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Albeit not the most gripping or original season of American Horror Story, 1984 served as a time capsule to one of the most beloved aspects of the horror genre, and was entertaining by not taking itself too seriously. It wasn’t afraid to lean into camp, and made a risky, but rewarding effort that proves Murphy’s grasp of the genre on the whole.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/american-horror-story-1984-underrated-reason/

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