This Is A Template For "The Witching Hour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                               Oh, my God, darlings, let me tell you, it took me over twenty four hours to process "American Horror Story--Coven."  There is so much to talk about here--the acting, the gorgeous visuals, the costumes, the hair, the shots--that I don't know where to begin.  Let me start by saying that, in doing this, Ryan Murphy and Brad  Falchuk, through this, have found a way to film Anne Rice's masterwork--and my personal favorite of her books--"The Witching Hour!"  And they have most of the cast, already here!!!!!!!!

                              I mean, wouldn't Lily Rabe make a fabulous Antha?  And how about Kathy Bates, as Carlotta?  Then there is Emma Roberts, who is so good at being trampy, she would make a wonderful Stella!!!!!   And how about Sarah Paulson, as the tragic Deirdre?  Of course, how about Jessica Lange, as Suzanne Mayfair, who is burned at the stake, and is the first to call forth Lasher?  And I think we can get Frances Conroy in there, as Mary Beth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               The best way to start talking about "Coven" is to first discuss its overall assets.  So, I will make only sporadic comments about the cast and characters here, as some will be dealt with, individually, in other posts.

                                 Let's start with New Orleans.  Just like David Lean made Venice, Italy one of the stars of  "Summertime," the creators of  "Coven" have done the same thing with the Crescent City.  But it is also an occult one, full of witchcraft, voodoo, and other forms of the supernatural.  And anyone with an affinity to the paranormal will most definitely have experiences here.  I am living proof of that.  In 1996, while standing in front of Anne Rice's house, setting of "The Witching Hour," in the Garden District--you know I just love it THERE, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!--I saw a bearded man sitting on the very porch rocking chair Deirdre is seated on, at the start of the novel.  Though I was standing outside the gate, he called me up to the porch, and, as though in a hypnotic trance, I obeyed his command.  I stood before him, as he touched my cheek, and he said, in a Southern drawl...."You know why you are  lucky?  "Cause you woke up, this mornin', that's why."
Then, he delivered a parting gesture, and I left.  I never saw him again.  To this day, I am convinced this was the spirit of Julien Mayfair, and no one can tell me different.  I don't know what I have been marked for, but I have been singled out by The Mayfair Witches!  Who knows?   Then, in 2011, fifteen years later, while in the the hallway of the Monteleone Hotel, in the French Quarter, I saw the ghost of a woman, in 19th Century garb, float past me, down the way a bit.  When I got to where I saw her, there was nothing.  And, while visiting Voodoo Priest, Doctor John, I held a voodoo snake--and holding a snake was something I thought I would never do.  It seemed so sweet and gentle.  And not to forget the swamp trips, and our friend, Fancy, The Alligator!

                              So, I have  had my experiences with this city, which is one reason I connected to this show.  But Ryan and Brad, as they did in other entries, create a constellation of refernces, that points its way on the journey.  For starters, they reference real life New Orleans figures, like Madame Delphine Lalaurie, whose house, on the evening ghost tour, I saw on Royal Street, and heard the story of how she dealt with the servant problem--by concocting a Chamber Of Horrors upstairs, where the misbehaved slaves were deprived of food, sunlight, and eventually life, after grotesque physical torture.  Which makes for great Gothic gossip, and we just love Madame Delphine Lalaurie for it; however, as a Plantation Princess, myself, and knowing how to deal with servants, myself, I advocate being firm, but not THIS!!!!!!!!!  I just simply tell them to walk in only through the back door, and everything is fine!  Then, there is the New Orleans Axeman, the serial killer of 1918-19, who gets a mention, in this, with a brilliant turn by Danny Huston in the role.

                               My one regret is that they did not reference the story of  Zack Bowen and Addie Hall, the New Orleans lovers, whose French Quarter relationship degenerated into a horror show, when, after acting as humanitarians during Katrina, Zack killed Addie, cooked her remains--and then, in late October 2006, threw himself from the roof of the Omni Hotel.  It really belonged here!

                               But I want to talk about, and show some other visual references, which are so brilliant, I could not tell if they were conscious or not.  Considering that Stevie Nicks--yes, girls!!!!--actually makes an appearance on this, it is no coincidence that Lily Rabe's character, Misty Day, is made up to look like a younger version of the singer.  Don't worry, not to fear; there will be  more on Lily, and Misty, later!

                                Then, there is Frances Conroy, brilliant, as always, cast here as  Myrtle Snow, a member of the Council of Witches, and the show's leading gay icon, being very fashion conscious herself. I mean, anyone who says lines like, "Look at me; I'm fabulous!" or "Your fashion faux pas give me nightmares," is pure gold, in my book.  This is one tough cookie of a witch, getting burned at the stake twice, and, on the final burn, her last word is...."Balenciaga!"  Talk about a flaming exit!  I just love her!

                                  But, wait!  Look at this!

           
                                 Now, I don't know, if this was conscious on Ryan's and Brad's parts, but I would say, that, with her haute couture look and hair style, Myrtle is referencing Grace Coddington!!!!!!!!!!  Wouldn't you agree with me, girls!!!!!!!!!!!  I wonder what Grace thinks?????????????????

                                  Obviously, the set, costume, and hair stylists had as much of a field day on this show as the actors.  "Coven" not only has a distinctly New Orleans look, it is also, amazingly Felliniesque.  Again, I do not know if this was conscious or not, but in several shots,  which I will try and show you, I was certain they were referencing my favorite of the director's films, "Juliet Of The Spirits."  Look!

I mean, isn't this all simply brilliant?????????????

And wait till you see Kathy Bates, as a talking head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!