My Original Observation Notes:
Going through scenes and characters from AHS Hotel Cortez and researching photos of similar scenes or in the case of Dracula parts because it is based off a connection to the novel. I was able to research to find photos of the 3 wives in coffins which was discussed in the novel. Vampires in coffins is not only their resting place but a way to protect and preserve themselves. I found this similarity in AHS The Hotel Cortez with The Countess’s (Lady Gaga) “Children”, I was able to find a YouTube video and snap a screen shot showing them in the coffins. While they are more modernized the elements of gothic are present in there design. These coffins like the ones in Dracula are used to protect and preserve the children in hopes of survival of their race. A race that they are trying to expand like Dracula is in the novel. Lady Gaga’s Character The Countess is similar to Dracula as the Children are similar to the three wives.
My Updated Thoughts of the Process:
The process of examining and really picking apart American Horror Story’s The Hotel Cortez was a very interesting one. Originally I was focusing on The Countess which was Lady Gaga’s character. Going through google I found she was based on Countess Elizabeth Bathory from Slovakia. She was known as “Blood Countess so I thought great I’ll really be able to give a bunch to our presentation. As went further into the research I found that the children were actually the best to focus on. It showed me that like with any project focus can shift. Also being that we are dealing with the genre of Gothic it really opens your eyes. When I was directed towards the children being the focus it gave me chills. As human beings we are taught to protect the children. In my research I found that the children where a source of food for The Countess. That in itself really made me think of the uncanny because you don’t know what’s going to happen next, Will the kids survive? Is The Countess going to snatch more kids off the street? Also it was quite easy to relate American Horror Story: The Hotel Cortez to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. While the show didn’t come straight out and label them Vampires that is automatically where the mind goes. I found that like in the show Dracula had children that were missing, the vampires were snatching them off the streets. This project really showed me the labyrinth that is Gothic Literature.
