Entertainment
Ryan Murphy Quietly Made a Horror Prequel to an Iconic Jack Nicholson Movie 6 Years Ago
Whenever Ryan Murphy releases a horror project, you know to expect visual splendor and outrageous shocks. So, when he was involved in a prequel to the cult classic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the series was so tonally divorced from the original that it wasn’t immediately recognizable as a prequel. But, this means you can indulge in the progression of Nurse Ratched’s tyranny without ever watching Milos Forman‘s film. Murphy’s Ratched is its own diabolical fare, one that delves into the origin story of the titular character without shying away from body horror and problems in the medical industry despite its glamorous sheen.
In the original film, Mildred Ratched was played brilliantly by Louise Fletcher, who exacted rigid control over a psychiatric hospital until Jack Nicholson‘s Randle McMurphy and his rebellious ways were admitted. In Ratched, Sarah Paulson takes over the helm of the soon-to-be nurse tyrant, and we are whisked back to when she blackmails her way into a position at Lucia State Hospital. Though her motivations are obscure, they have something to do with a man named Edmund (Finn Wittrock) being held in the basement for killing four priests, and as she navigates the hospital, we meet characters like the easily-manipulated head of the hospital, Mr. Hanover (Jon Jon Briones), the suspicious head nurse, Betsy (Judy Davis), and poised campaign manager, Gwendolyn (Cynthia Nixon).
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If you have watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, then you may recognize hints of Mildred’s characterization in the newer show. Paulson’s Mildred is itching for the control she lacks, manipulating her way around the hospital and incrementally gaining power over the officials — particularly Mr. Hanover — who is far too busy with his personal ambitions to even realize he is being puppeteered. Her demeanor is cold and calculating like the original character, but we also witness many more emotional paroxysms that keep the show from being too predictable. However, the premise of a villain climbing up the ranks with her own ulterior motives is a timeless enough conceit that makes Ratched something you can easily watch on its own, and you may be better off for it.
While it is fascinating to consider how Paulson’s Mildred could turn into Fletcher’s, Murphy’s distinct style offers a viewing experience so unlike the original that it should be considered its own piece. Paulson rocks a bold red lip and egregiously fabulous outfits as she struts into the extravagant set of the spa-turned-hospital, casting a glossy excess on everything. This is contrasted neatly with gruesome body horror (including a gnarly lobotomy, so be warned) and an overall atmosphere of creepiness. It’s a delicious mix of flamboyant and macabre, one that visually encapsulates the show’s commentary on the hidden corruption of authority figures.
Sarah Paulson Brings Her Own Touch To Nurse Ratched’s Horrifying Evolution
If Ratched were to be more faithful to the source material, then Paulson would have an even more complicated job on her hands. Fortunately, the show’s departure allows Paulson to add her own flair to the character, and she is as magnetic as always with her emotionless face and expressive eyes. As the tension culminates in major narrative beats, Paulson then whips out her ability to crack viscerally and abruptly, uncovering the viciousness that hides behind the seemingly unflappable eyes of Mildred. She conveys the nurse’s frightening lack of humanity and care for a patient’s life with the subtle naïveté of the younger character, turning her into an effective anti-hero we cannot tear our eyes from.
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Throughout the series, Paulson’s Mildred also goes toe-to-toe with head nurse Betsy, who is acutely suspicious of the new nurse’s motivations and rightly so. Davis is always hilarious in any role, and Betsy is no exception, as she becomes a frustrating and obstinate thorn in Mildred’s side at the beginning. On the other hand, Nixon’s performance as the charming Gwendolyn is an endearing reprieve from Mildred’s utter darkness, and she shares delightful chemistry with Paulson on-screen. You wouldn’t expect Gwendolyn as Mildred’s love interest, but their relationship gave us a sensual scene worth savouring that involves oysters… oh, and fleshes out Mildred’s character, of course.
Whether you’re familiar with the source material or not, Ratched is a thrilling watch. It is essentially an American Horror Story installment of the cult classic original, one that imagines a villain origin story for a character while standing on its own as a Murphy production. With Paulson’s unsettling charisma at the forefront, the show questions whether monstrous figures like Mildred are born or made, while dousing us in the ghastly splendor of medical malpractice.