31 Days of Spooktober, Day 7: "American Horror Story: Freak Show" All the wonderful Mid-Century freaks!!

The cast of AHS Season 4, in all their Mid-Mod splendour.

http://www.mtv.com/news/1954006/american-horror-story-freak-show-premiere-review/

I will not get so excited I pass out.   I will not get so excited I pass out.  I will not get so excited I pass out.

Tomorrow night is the premiere of "American Horror Story: Freak Show".  I've been a fan of the show since its inception and haven't missed an episode.  Even when they're almost too graphic to watch (Hello Season One's black vinyl jumpsuit-clad folk!), even when certain images are presented that are horrifically burned into my retinas for the rest of my life (like Season Three's "atmospheric" attic torture chamber).  I'm not a slasher/gore afficionado one iota.  I am easily disturbed; content warnings for film and TV that warn "may be upsetting for more sensitive viewers" are directly aimed at me.  My husband has absolutely NO sympathy for my post-show ramblings about how gross/disgusting/perverse the show is (he will not watch a minute of it). So why, oh why, am I drawn to it?

A few salient reasons.

1.  The writing is amazing.

2.  The acting is amazing.

3.  The direction is amazing.

4.  Ditto for the art direction.

Its gaggle of Emmys is proof positive that AHS has it over many a major motion picture in all of those categories.  But it's got yet another thing in its slimy back pocket: it's got style.  And when I say "style", I'm talking about stylized style as well as sartorial/design style.

I think the reason why AHS doesn't make me squirm too much is that, although scenarios presented are done so realistically, there's a bit of a heightened reality to the lighting, sets, even the acting.  Jessica Lange is a great example; her acting can be "over-the-top" and completely believable at the very same time.  Simply put, I'm in awe of her.  And I'm equally in awe of Ryan Murphy, who is able to extract such brilliance from his performers, to house those absolutely stomach-churning situations in a world that could be pulled out of a well-conceived graphic novel (I'm recalling Season Two's MANY moments of terror, juxtaposed with moments of pop culture whimsy, evident here in the "astonishingly zippy for a musical number set in an insane asylum": "The Name Game" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvbRwgadw80 ).

And now for the style part.  And, for this season, I'm talking Mid-Century splendour and grime, in beautifully equal amounts. The Mid-Mod Mystic is bouncing up and down in her chair!!!

As a Mid-Century enthusiast, I can't find the words for how exquisitely happy I am that Mr. Murphy is setting "American Horror Story: Freak Show" in the 1950s.  It was an era of an almost dainty, "scrubbed clean" aesthetic - at least on the surface.  There were also subcultures (burlesque, Beat, drug) that were decidedly more seamy. If the above poster is any indication, it looks like Ryan Murphy will be exploring both sides, but especially the darker world of the traveling freak show, a world I got a taste of while writing my book, "The Cotton Candy Road Trip".  But I'll be writing more about that in an upcoming post.  Suffice it to say, I am enthralled with that world - and have huge respect for the performers who keep it alive in the 21st century.

31 Days of Spooktober, Day 6: "I Want to Be Evil" by the marvelous Eartha Kitt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS02GeKuWQ4





It doesn't get more Mid-Century, mystical or Spooktober than this.  I can't count the ways that I love this video.  Just do yourself a favor and watch this.  Great interp!

31 Days of Spooktober, Day 5: Hitchcock Halloween Decor

My darling Hitchcockian throw pillow

So you know, you can get THE best things in the world at the Kane County Flea Market.  And so you also know: it's less "flea" than "really cool things that are mostly antique but are also, at times, home-made".

Case in point, my new bit of Halloween decor, handmade by The Clay Penguin (that's her Etsy store, but I met her in-person at the Flea; her name is Lisa Cramer).  Here's a link to the store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheClayPenguin  And. in case you're curious: the design on the pillow is by graffiti artist Banksy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banksy  I bet you could order your OWN Hitchcock "The Birds" pillow at her Etsy shoppe.  Or maybe you'd like eight or more!

Ms. Cramer, a.k.a. Clay Penguin Lady, is a sweet gal and had a great selection of items, some handmade, others vintage, at her table at the Flea.  We shared our stories about our love of Hitchcock, namely "The Birds", and I told her about the time I saw the film at the Hollywood Palms on the Big Screen and Tippi Hedren was indeed there to introduce the show, but had a cold so only spoke for a short period of time.  And speaking of short, Tippi's about 3 feet tall.  I know this because I was entering the ladies' room as she was exiting.  She's still absolutely stunning in her 80s.

The beautiful Ms. Hedren and Crow

I also mentioned that at this viewing of the film, there was a young girl who came TOTALLY decked-out as Tippi, in torn and bloody skirt suit, with fake bird neatly attached to her head.  And I said if I could've adopted the child, I would've. The child waited in line to have Ms. Hedren autograph her Tippi Hedren Barbie doll.  Here is a photo of said doll:

I own the doll

Such was my day at the Flea.  Now to decide how else to Hitchcockify my digs for the season ...

31 Days of Spooktober, Day 4: Pumpkin Squares

Yep, today you get a recipe.  And you also get me renaming the month as Spooktober, because I find that to be a little "kickier".

So, here's the recipe I like, that I've used for at least two decades:

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pumpkin-bars

Yes, it's the one from Taste of Home, but it's identical to the one I've used.  Feel free to substitute apple sauce for the canola oil.  You get a fluffier, lighter, moister square. Oh, and these work perfectly well sans cream cheese icing.  I actually prefer them that way.

BONE Appetit!

31 Spooky Days of October, Day 3: The Mummer's Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTpvA-pUG0

If you read about Loreena McKennitt, what will inevitably come up is the question, "But is she Pagan?"

The answers have been inconclusive.  But this song, THIS SONG, makes the line of query irrelevant.

It's magickal, pure and simple.

Enjoy.

And you can read more about what a Mummer's Play is, which is what the song is based upon, here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummers_play

And here be Mummers:

The 31 Spooky Days of October, Day 2: The Eyes of Hitchcock!!

http://vimeo.com/107270525

Let this hypnotizing piece of video art carry you away. Hitchcock used close ups on eyes to heighten the terror, to allow you to feel the terror through the characters' eyes.  Just another bit of Hitchcockian brilliance.




Read more about it here:

http://www.openculture.com/2014/10/the-eyes-of-hitchcock.html

Boo!

31 Spooky Days of October, Day 1: Rare Bewitched Promos!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1xmGgmkDtw

In an effort to bring you only the best in Spooktober entertainment, I give you vintagey, rare, "Oh my GOSH where did they FIND this stuff?!" promos and commercials from the 60s. Don't miss the second one, that features Elizabeth Montgomery, Judy Carne ("Laugh-In") and Marlo Thomas ("That Girl")!!  A true Mid-Mod spectacle!

I'll be seeking out strange and unusual clips, images, information, recipes, poems, things you can buy on Etsy, things you can make - all Halloween or Samhain-centric - all month long.  Just felt right to start the month off with an ode to one of my biggest heroes and influences.

Enjoy, be you witch, mystic, curiosity-seeker, or Mid-Mod enthusiast!  I'd love to hear your thoughts and inspirations about what makes this time of year special to YOU.

Blessings - TMCM