Historical Mystery Behind ‘American Horror Story’s’ Roanoke Nightmare

Sarah Paulson as Lana Winters, "Asylum" -- Lana Banana is not only the best character Sarah Paulson has played, but also possibly the best character in "AHS" history. Her idealism is broken hard by the abuse she suffers in Briarcliff, but she ultimately comes out on top through sheer determination.

Evan Peters as Tate Langdon, "Murder House" -- Peters is arguably the most popular "AHS" cast member, if the Twitter rage over his absence in the "Roanoke" premiere is any indication. We attribute this to his strong performance as the clingy teen killer Tate, who is proof that you should always be skeptical of the "Nice Guys."

Taissa Farmiga as Violet Harmon, "Murder House" -- Of course, if we include Tate on our All-Star roster, we also have to include the object of his obsession. Taissa Farmiga got one of the best scenes in "Murder House" when she discovered that she was dead after attempting to run out of her house... only to find herself back inside.

Lily Rabe as Sister Mary Eunice, "Asylum" -- Sister Mary's heel turn is one of the best twists in "AHS" history. After being possessed by the devil, she's transformed from a demure, devout young nun to a sexually charged manipulator. And don't even get us started on her horrible demise.

Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau, "Coven" -- The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans' bitter feud with Fiona and Madame LaLaurie was one of the highlights of "Coven," as it allowed for some great dialogue for three of the best actresses in the "AHS" stable. The fact that Laveau was an actual 19th-century priestess adds to her intrigue, even if she's been heavily fictionalized for TV.

Frances Conroy as Myrtle Snow, "Coven" -- Like Laveau, Myrtle was another foe for Fiona to square off against. Eccentric, biting, and devoted to the Academy, she proved to be both a mother figure and one of the most violent characters in season 3. Just ask the Council members who condemned her to death.

Zachary Quinto as Dr. Thredson, "Asylum" -- Move over, Sylar. Thredson is now the creepiest character Quinto has ever played on TV. His compassionate exterior was merely a front that allowed him to manipulate Lana and Kit and to hide his bloodlust. It's that constant, cruel subversion that makes "Asylum" such a perversely compelling piece of TV.

Denis O'Hare as Liz Taylor, "Hotel" -- Season 5 of "AHS" does not have the adoration enjoyed by its peers, but O'Hare is one of its few bright spots. His Liz Taylor commands everyone's attention with her confidence and acidity, but it's her vulnerability and transition into life as a woman that makes her unforgettable.

Adina Porter as Lee Miller, "Roanoke" -- The mysterious "Roanoke" season started out as a show-within-a-show about Matt and Shelby Miller's paranormal encounters in Roanoke, VA. But by the end, it became all about Matt's sister, Lee, and the murderous lengths she would go to in order to be with her daughter, Flora. 

Emma Roberts as Madison Montgomery, "Coven" -- Madison was the fun-to-hate member of Miss Robichaux's Academy. A mean girl with telekinesis, she was once described by Queenie as a "stone cold bitch who loves hard drinking, big d---s and trouble." She also gets revenge on a fraternity that gang-rapes her by flipping over their party bus.

Naomi Grossman as Pepper, "Asylum"/"Freak Show" -- You can't have an all-star cast without Pepper, a character so popular that she broke Ryan Murphy's promise that each "AHS" season would be completely detached from each other. Her fun spirit and tragic arc made her a fan favorite, as did her transformation into a genius in "Asylum."

Finn Wittrock as Dandy Mott, "Freak Show" -- As Angela Bassett's character said just before killing him, Dandy Mott was the biggest freak on "Freak Show." A vain, spoiled brat who first wants to belong with the freaks and later wants to kill them.

Wes Bentley as Edward Mordrake, "Freak Show" -- Twisty and Pepper got everyone's attention on "Freak Show," but Bentley's portrayal of a gentleman cursed to be the Grim Reaper by his second face deserves praise. He is simultaneously dignified and chilling, and we could gaze at those wild muttonchops for days.

Gabourey Sidibe as Queenie, "Coven"/"Hotel" -- When you try to make a centuries-old witch drop her racist mentality by forcing her to watch "Roots," you're definitely going to make this list. Queenie's return in "Hotel" got fans excited, but that joy turned to rage when she got killed off in a moment that will live in "AHS" infamy.

Kathy Bates as Madame Delphine LaLaurie, "Coven" -- Speaking of the centuries-old racist witch, here she is now. Bates' first "AHS" role was a fictionalized version of an actual slave torturer from the 19th century. Imagine her surprise when she finds out who Barack Obama is.

Jamie Brewer as Adelaide Langdon, "Murder House" -- Addie is among the first of many, many people who warn the Harmons to get out of the house to no avail. She became a dark horse favorite for early adopters of the show as her gentle nature contrasted with her twisted mother and brother. She also was notable for being a character with Down syndrome played by an actress who also had the genetic disorder.

John Carroll Lynch as Twisty, "Freak Show" -- "AHS" has had many freaky monsters and killers like Rubber Man and Bloody Face, but it's Twisty that has become the series' most iconic image. His introduction in broad daylight is an unnerving, masterful scene thanks in large part to Lynch's ability to creep people out with just his eyes and physicality.

Jessica Lange as Constance Langdon, "Murder House" -- Finally, we have the "AHS" queen. It is incredibly hard to pick which of Lange's four "AHS" roles was best. We almost went with Fiona Goode, but ultimately settled on Constance. It was this performance that set the standard for all future "AHS" divas and helped make Ryan Murphy's series appointment television for lovers of camp.

The reference: The plot of the first season of "AHS" (a.k.a. "Murder House") is lifted from several classic films. Halfway through the series, we learn that Vivien Harmon is pregnant with two children, each with a different father. One of these children is destined to be the Antichrist, and Vivien's demonic pregnancy leads to her eating various organs -- including a brain, to feed her hellspawn.

The film: Both the pregnancy and the "diet" come from Roman Polanski's classic film "Rosemary's Baby," in which Mia Farrow plays a woman who is impregnated with the Antichrist thanks to a deal her husband made with a Satanic cult. Similar to Vivien, Rosemary gains a craving for raw chicken meat and innards. According to her autobiography, "What Falls Away," Farrow was asked by Polanski to actually eat raw liver for those scenes.

The reference: The other major plot thread of "Murder House" is, well, the Murder House. The Harmons move into a house in Los Angeles that has been the site of multiple murders over the years, and the horrors of the past come back to threaten their lives in multiple ways.

The film: As any horror film buff can point out, this premise comes directly from "The Amityville Horror," a book and film inspired by the accounts of George and Kathy Lutz, who claimed to have experienced several terrifying supernatural experiences while staying at a Dutch Colonial house in Long Island that was the site where six people were murdered.

The reference: Evan Peters' fruitful "AHS" career began with his performance as the messed up serial killer Tate, who pretends to be an innocent boy to win the heart of Violet Harmon, but rapes and kills many people in his attempt to preserve their relationship. Tate is introduced with a whistle theme that makes it clear which movie his character is based on.

The film: That tune comes from "Twisted Nerve," a movie about a boy named Martin, whose  dangerous obsession with a girl has him pretending to be a mentally disabled kid to earn her sympathy. Soon thereafter, axes are meeting human flesh. The film got renewed interest in 2003 when the tune whistled by Tate in "AHS" was used by Elle Driver in "Kill Bill."

The reference: The twist and resolution of "Murder House" loosely resembles that of one of the most critically acclaimed horror movies of the 21st century. The Harmons eventually learn that they have been killed and cannot leave the house. They then decide they will spend eternity scaring away future tenants to prevent them from suffering the same fate.

The film: This is similar to the ending of "The Others," which stars Nicole Kidman as Grace, the mother of two who discovers paranormal encounters in her house. Like "Murder House," the family discovers they are dead and have been scaring away the family that moved in. Though they won't be sharing the house with murderous ghosts like the Harmons, Grace tells the kids that they are going to make sure that anyone living who buys the house knows that they were there first.

The reference: In "AHS Asylum," one of the many inhumane acts inflicted on the patients of Briarcliff is behavioral modification. Lana Winters and Kit Walker are subjected to brutal Ludovico techniques, and one doctor tries to cure Lana of her homosexuality by using drugs to induce vomiting while presenting her with pornographic images.

The film: The brainwashing scenes come from two very famous '70s films. Kit's treatment is lifted directly from Alex's treatment in Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange." Meanwhile, Lana's electroshock therapy is reminiscent of the Shock Shop scene from "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest." In both instances, "AHS Asylum" uses nearly identical shots to the scenes they are referencing.

The reference: The major villain in "Asylum" is Bloody Face, a serial killer who wears the skin of his victims. This is a clear reference to one of the most popular villains in horror movie history.

The film: That villain is Leatherface, the killer in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," which has been referenced on multiple occasions on "AHS." In the very first episode of the series, bone wind chimes blow in the breeze in front of the Murder House, which is a reference to Leatherface's penchant for making furniture and art out of the bones of his victims.

The reference: Season 3, "AHS Coven" references multiple films about witchcraft. One recent film about teen witches makes its presence felt early on in the series, when one of the young witches takes revenge on a fraternity that gang raped a member of the Coven, but also kills the leader of the fraternity who tried to put a stop to it.

The film: The concept of teen witches using their powers to get revenge at a price is most prominent in "The Craft," a '90s cult hit in which four teen witches cast spells to improve their lives at a high school that ostracizes them. This includes a spell that makes a jerk jock fall in love with one of the witches, but like the spell cast against the frat in "Coven," it backfires hard.

The reference: One of the most memorable images from "Coven" was Cordelia Foxx's white eyes after she was blinded by acid. Though she lost her sight, her blindness gave her the power to see the future.

The film: The image of a woman with marble-like eyes comes from "The Beyond," an extremely gory Italian movie about a New Orleans hotel with a portal to hell, called the Seven Doors of Death. That may have also inspired the Seven Wonders ritual in "Coven," which involves a rite of passage into hell.

The reference: In "Coven," the Seven Wonders is a test that determines whether a witch is powerful enough to be named the Supreme. The test is explained in a silent film that references one of the oldest known movies about witches.

The film: That movie is "Haxan," a 1922 Scandinavian documentary about witch hunts and superstitions. It's known for its lavish dramatizations of witch trials and occult rituals that has earned it an unintended legacy as a horror classic.

The reference: The fourth season, "Freak Show," references two horror movies through villains that threaten the freaks. One is Stanley, a con artist who planned to kill the freaks for money, but was discovered by the freaks' leader, Elsa, who was on to him thanks to a controversial horror movie.

The film: Elsa claims to have a copy of "Freaks," a 1932 film about deformed carnival performers who attack a woman who plans to seduce, marry and kill the richest of them to gain his inheritance. Though the film was banned in several states, Elsa said she had a copy of it. Like the con artist in "Freaks," Stanley is turned into a human duck and paraded about as Elsa's newest attraction.

The reference: The other villain that's a walking film reference is Dandy Mott, a rich, spoiled brat who hunted Elsa's freaks because of his boredom with his perfect life. This serious case of affluenza comes from a far more recent film than "Freaks."

The film: Many of Dandy's scenes are recreations of Patrick Bateman's murders in "American Psycho." In fact, Patrick and Dandy's motives are almost identical, and both killers get to show off their athletic prowess with exercise scenes accompanied by smug voice-overs.

The reference: While "AHS" has earned praise for its homages, "Hotel" got accusations from some corners for crossing the line from tribute to rip-off. This accusation was particularly made when it came to one of the most famous hotel horror flick of all-time.

The film: From the carpets of the Hotel Cortez to bedrooms filled with evil spirits, every episode of "Hotel" seems to have a reference to "The Shining." The whole season owes its pacing, premise and plot obstacles to this film.

The reference: The other big reference in "Hotel" comes in the form of the Ten Commandments Killer, who slays killers, adulterers and other sinners who do not obey Moses' Law.

The film: The David Fincher classic "Se7en" has Kevin Spacey playing a similar killer, only instead of the Ten Commandments, he bases his punishments around the seven deadly sins. The film's finale, based on the sin of Wrath, is one of the most powerful scenes Fincher has ever directed.

The reference: The Butcher's band of murderous spirits in "Roanoke" is full of many vicious creatures, but arguably the most infamous is Piggy Man, an aggressive killer who hunts the "Return to Roanoke" production crew. 

The film: Killers associated with swine have been seen throughout horror, but today it's most associated with the "Saw" series, as Jigsaw wears a pig mask while kidnapping his victims to put them in his gruesome games. 

The reference: Throughout "Roanoke," The Butcher's victims were haunted with the sight of wooden totems strung up in the trees and in the house, where they would appear out of nowhere. 

The film: This is one of the more blatant references "AHS" has made, as the totems are an exact copy of the ones seen in "The Blair Witch Project." "Roanoke" is also built on the "shaky cam" presentation that "The Blair Witch Project" popularized.