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Thursday 18 October 2012

American Horror Story: Asylum vs. Australian Horror Story: Larundel



So, who watched the premiere episode of American Horror Story: Asylum? Besides the fact that there appears to be an even level of sex and gore in this show, I am finding other things interesting too. Having only watched the first ten minutes so far, I already am making comparisons between the institution that inspired my novel, The Ring of Lost Souls, called Larundel and the one in the show called Briarcliff.

American Horror Story Asylum: Briarcliff

So lets have a look at the similarities so far:


  • Both were built at the start of twentieth century. Briarcliff in 1908 and Larundel in 1938 (but the larger facility it belonged to, Mont Park, was founded in 1912. However the oldest buildings which were built around 1911, now officially belong to the Larundel section)
  • Briarcliff was originally a tuberculosis centre. While Larundel never housed tuberculosis sufferers, the buildings that did, were situated in the very next suburb
  • Larundel housed the criminally insane. People like serial killer Peter Dupas spent time there. These 'locked wards' have now been demolished, but there are plenty of stories on the Internet that claim the houses built over that area are now haunted.  Briarcliff converted to a centre for the criminally insane in the 1960s
  • Even the name forms a coincidence. While Larundel is in the suburb of Bundoora, a mere three suburbs away is one called Briar Hill
  • Bloody Face the serial killer. As I said in an earlier point, Larundel housed serial killers. While Dupas was not known by any fancy serial killer tag, he was known to mutilate his female victims in a bloody fashion
  • Dr. Arthur Arden performs torture on his patients in an attempt to discover the meaning of madness. While there have been no actual reports of behaviour like this at Larundel, there have been plenty of unsubstantiated rumours
  • Graffiti - both places have tons of it! Not to mention the mess! People just don't seem kind to old asylums :-/ 

Australian Horror Story Asylum: Larundel



All this and so far I have only watched a small portion of American Horror Story: Asylum!

Let me know if I have missed any.



6 comments:

Alison DeLuca said...

I'm waiting for an appropriately dark, rainy moment to watch my TIVO'd American Horror Story! As for Ring of Lost Souls, I already read that and LOVED it. Great book.

MG WELLS said...

WOW! The parallels are awesome. I missed the premiere of AHS. If it's as good as season one, I'll be watching. Best wishes to you.

Rachel Tsoumbakos said...

Allie, luckily for me we have thunderstorms all day today! I have promised my hubby that I will wait until he gets home to watch the rest ;-P

Rachel Tsoumbakos said...

MG, I missed the first season, but I just couldn't resist this one when the word 'asylum' was mentioned ;-) now I will CERTAINLY be watching last season!

Unknown said...

Wow, the parallels are uncanny! They've just started advertising AHS over here and I also missed the first series. I'll have to check it out!!

Rachel Tsoumbakos said...

I watched the rest of the show and there are certainly a few more similarities :-D