American Horror Story: Hotel was the show's fifth iteration which aired from October 2015 to January 2016. It concerned the bizarre and otherworldly Hotel Cortez, which was overseen by Lady Gaga's The Countess.
Like many of the preceding American Horror Story seasons, Hotel had its roots in urban legend and film history. Some references were rather obvious, while others were a little more obscure and obtuse. Either way, it's clear that the writers and creators have an in-depth knowledge and appreciation of the horror genre. These are ten movie references littered throughout Hotel that you may not have noticed.
10. Se7en
This reference may be a bit of a stretch, but we believe there's enough connective tissue there to make it count! The plot of Se7en concerns two detectives as they hunt a serial killer who kills based on the seven deadly sins. Hence, you know, Se7en. Hotel contains the Ten Commandments Killer, who kills his victims based entirely on the Biblical ten commandments. It's obviously not exactly the same, but both serial killers base their MOs on Biblical allusions and wish to punish those who go against God's teachings.
9. The Shining
It was inevitable that viewers were going to compare Hotel to The Shining. Hotel smartly decided to embrace its obvious influence rather than ignore it entirely, and there are numerous Shining references that pop up throughout Hotel. The carpet of Hotel Cortez looks suspiciously like the one found in the Overlook, creepy children roam the hallways, sober men are lured to and seduced by alcohol (at empty bars, no less!), and both contain a specific room that promises despair and unnerving experiences (237 in The Shining, 64 in Hotel). Yep, the influence is there all right!
8. Nosferatu
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is often considered to be one of the first horror films. Released as a silent German expressionist film back in 1922, Nosferatu was essentially an unlicensed rip-off of Bram Stoker's Dracula, and the monster design of Count Orlok remains influential and terrifying to this day. Viewers may have recognized Nosferatu from the first episode of the season when it is being projected during Elizabeth and Donovan's seduction.
It only makes sense. After all, the entire concept of vampires owes its very existence to Bram Stoker, and by extension, Nosferatu.
7. The Hunger
The Hunger is an erotic horror film released back in 1983 starring Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon as lesbians. Nothing has been confirmed, but some fans have seen connections between The Hunger and Hotel. Fans noticed similarities between The Countess and The Hunger's Miriam Blaylock, who changes her victims into eternal lovers. Both stories also have strong parallels to Egyptian mythology, and both stories contain the use of Ankh pendants. Finally, some believe that the erotic scene in the first episode bears a striking resemblance to the opening scene of The Hunger.
6. Barton Fink
Barton Fink stems from the genius minds of the Coen brothers. This one sees John Turturro as the titular Barton Fink, a playwright who writes scripts in the decrepit Hotel Earle. The hotel is very eerie and bears a resemblance to the real Hotel Cecil in Los Angeles. The Cecil is one of the most infamous hotels in the country, as it has a reputation for suicides, drugs, and violence. It was the main inspiration for the Coen brothers in writing Barton Fink, just as it was the main inspiration for the writers of Hotel.
5. Interview With The Vampire
Hotel owes its seductive and sensual tone to Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire. Her iconic novel was made into a film in 1994 starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Kirsten Dunst. The Countess and Donovan share a lot in common with Interview's Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis de Pointe du Lac, as they too gain pleasure from killing and turning their victims into fellow vampires. They also live a very lavish and luxurious lifestyle, much like The Countess and Donovan. They may not be 1:1 comparisons, but there's no denying the roots.
4. Village Of The Damned
One of the creepiest aspects of Hotel has to be the children. These children have very recognizable features, including their pale complexion and ghostly white hair. Horror buffs may recognize this look from Village of the Damned, as the children in that movie look pretty much exactly the same. This is a British movie released back in 1960, which itself is an adaptation of John Wyndham's novel The Midwich Cuckoos. We think Village of the Damned has more of a ring to it, but that's just us...
3. Rosemary's Baby
Hotel contains a demonic baby by the name of Bartholomew. Back in 1926, The Countess was pregnant and attempted to abort her child (Bartholomew), to no avail. He was subsequently born extremely disfigured and with a thirst for human blood. Fans were quick to draw connections between the story of Bartholomew and Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby. In that movie, Rosemary gives birth to the Antichrist (thirst for blood... metaphorically), and, while we never see its face, we are led to believe that it is either horribly disfigured or demonic in nature.
2. Poltergeist
One of the most disgusting sequences in Hotel sees Tristan Duffy aimlessly wandering the halls and taking a bite into a rotten sandwich filled with maggots. This may be a reference to another maggot-filled food in Poltergeist. In that film, Craig T. Nelson's Steve goes to the kitchen to make steak and gnaw on a drumstick, only to find... something erupting from the raw meat. He drops the drumstick from his mouth, and, when he shines on it with his flashlight, he sees that it is covered in maggots.
1. Psycho
Psycho is a masterpiece not just for its filmmaking qualities, but for the themes it represents. One of the biggest themes is that of falling to temptation. Marion steals a large sum of money from her boss and is killed as a result.
This theme is mirrored in Hotel. Various drug addicts find homes and solace in Hotel Cortez, only to fall victim to the hotel and its inhabitants. Both stories contain characters falling to temptation, and both stories see these fallen characters being killed in hotels. Bit of a stretch maybe, but the connections are there...
Done - Grey
