American Horror Story Asylum Season 2 Recap - Episode 3: I Am Anne Frank (Part 1)

Episode 4: I am Anne Frank (Part 1)

So, who thinks maybe Anne Frank (played by Franka Potente) being alive and 'well' in Episode 4 of FX American Horror Story Asylum just a little more than they can bite off and chew? Me too. Although, the paranoia it brings to the whole cast when she accuses Dr. Arden (James Cromwell) of being a Nazi war criminal almost makes it worth it. Sister Jude (Jessica Lange) is, naturally, eager to usurp the lofty position Dr. Arden holds by bringing these suspicions to the Monsignor's (Joseph Fiennes) attention (and who missed the opportunity last week for Sister Jude to don 'Ravish Me Red' for the Monsignor's benefit, hey FX?) Of course, he's onto her motive and is quick to point this out. Once Sister Jude leaves, however, we discover that maybe the Monsignor is not a godly man as he rings Dr. Arden and warns him to tie up any loose ends. All I can say is; Poor Shelly (Chloe Sevigny). Speaking of the nymphomaniac, the three escapee/returnees from last week are under the assumption (thanks to Sister Jude's announcement) that Shelly really did escape from Briarcliff. The poor little dears are so excited to hear this.

We also learn Grace's (Lizzie Brochere) story this week. Or so we think. She tells a tale of mistaken identity and as a result, Kit (Evan Peters) and her get hot and heavy in the kitchen -SMOKING! Or it is until they get busted and wind up in Sister Jude's office. Uh-oh, can anyone say 'fifty shades' quicker than Sister Eunice (Lily Rabe) can pull a cane out of the cupboard? Looks like it's sterilisation for the pair of them until Sister Jude is interrupted by the two detectives that are hot on Dr. Arden's heels about the 'rough up' he gave the good-nun-hooker. While Kit and Grace count their blessings, Sister Eunice messes with Kit's head. Later on, he asks Grace about her back story and we discover another version of it, a not so 'poor me, I'm innocent' tale. Kit still thinks she's hot none the less.

Lana (Sarah Paulson) and Dr. Thredson (Zachary Quinto) are developing a 'friendship'. Either the good doctor wants Lana to expose the goings on at Briarcliff or he is falling for the lesbian journalist but it's not clear which yet. Although, after Lana undergoes aversion therapy (possibly the most humiliating television viewing I have ever seen) to 'cure' her homosexual tendencies, the audience is just left thinking that maybe Dr. Thredson is a perverted voyeur.

Dr. Thredson is also hard at work with Kit. He doesn't want Kit go to the electric chair, but to pronounce the man as insane will leave him locked up in the care of Sister Jude for the rest of his natural life. Hello Rock, meet Hard Place.

Getting back to Anne Frank and Dr. Arden, we finish this episode with Anne making a five finger discount purchase off the two detectives as they leave Briarcliff. She then confronts Dr. Arden about his past. It get ugly. Anne pulls the detective's gun on Dr. Arden and shoots him in the leg. She threatens to shoot him again unless he hands over the keys. The bad doctor does this and Anne opens a door. We are confronted with this:

Is anyone getting the feeling Bloody Face is actually based on one of those 'based on a real story' horror movie characters? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

And while you wait for next week's episode, why not check out The Ring of Lost Souls on Amazon or iTunes?

(Photo Credits: FX)

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.