Reading Response: Ancuta and Cheung

In Ancuta’s paper, there are three main interconnected statements made through studying the architectural spaces in three types of Asian horror movies. From Hong Kong’s movies, the disconnection between the housing and the land, and transient ownership caused by overpopulation, we found that actually the ghosts in condominiums are ourselves. While the similarity between human and ghosts is beyond the anthropomorphic forms but lies in the unbearable loneliness, we realised that “we need ghost as much as they need us”. Further, Bangkok’s case, the ghosts metaphorize the decimation of dreams of Thai’s population pursuing success, this is the destroy of hope.

I found the isolation and alienation as a side-effect of rapid modernization, seems to be an inevitable path for a city to undergo, and can relate to my previous study on urbanisation, though I never connected this with this genre of films. This can be seen as early as the 40s in America, which was depicted through Edward Hoper’s paintings, where residents with vague expressions, were captured isolated, trapped in built environment. The problems of housing that were then seen in Hong Kong, can be gradually found in mainland’s residential buildings now. Moreover, the notorious postmodern urban design may also contribute to the liability problem. These are further addressed in Cheung’s paper, particularly about the public housing, eliminating the primary contact and weakening bonds of neighbourhood.

This genre of movies, can also be seen as a criticism and resistance against the “cutthroat” capitalism. Despite the “grand narrative” focusing on the elite, which has become a convention in documentation in history, the horror movie, somehow create this “petite narrative”, pioneered a new direction, telling the story of the vast majority lower-middle class in the society, which was usually covered by the superficial prosperity.

HE LOK YIU, Melody

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