I think the relationship between ghosts and housing in hong kong is interesting as hong kong horror films have a unique strong linkage to a collective or a community, while foreign ghost films do not. Housing in Hong Kong thematically aligns with ghost stories in many ways, ghost can be a concretization of the anxieties and fears of residents in public housing.
The living condition of public housing is often poor. The interior is dark and the spaces are cramped, which creates a sense of anxiety. The feeling of living in this poorly developed estate is presented in a visible way. It allows people to understand the subjective feeling of fear of the residents — just like being haunted. Ghosts as the symbol of fear and threats, and the fear towards supernatural power symbolises the overwhelming anxiety of the residents.
the author also explores the tension between urban development and old architecture in hong kong, the rapid urban development can be cruel and unjust as they overlook the need for public space for the lower class. In many Asian ghost stories, the ghost is also portrayed as an ancestor guardian. It symbolises a force that is resisting the cruelty of development, protecting the old Hong Kong and the lower class.
Huang Ka Lam 3036079320
Your response demonstrates a thorough understanding between the relationship of the horror genre and Hong Kong’s urban landscape. You have analyzed the metaphor of ghosts in representing the urban psychology and impact of modernity to the marginalized. Some examples would help illustrate your point more vivdly.