The Monstrous Makeover: American Horror Story, Femininity and Special Effects

This essay examines the use of make-up and special effects on the first season of American Horror Story (2011–present), specifically the thematic significance of female characters' bodily transformation and disfigurement. Horror television, as opposed to the more consumer-oriented narratives of self-improvement that make up the television landscape, does not turn unpalatable subjects into acceptable ones, but rather meditates on disruptive and disfigured bodies. The goal is to locate these so-called ‘monstrous makeovers’ within the genres of horror and the gothic and reflect on the specifics of these transformations in terms of visual effects, femininity and serial television.