The author mentioned the ideology of ghosts not only the spirits of the dead but often depicting social issues. Given the sophisticated Chinese spiritual beliefs, and Hong Kong’s “advantages” of having a huge amount of estate architecture, the rife of Asia horror films can be said to originate in Hong Kong. Personally, I reckon it is ingenious to utilize the unique properties of the estate buildings: sterile blocks of concrete with a multitude of small windows, and windowless or narrow hallways with rows of identical doors. These contribute to the ambiance of the living area of lower-income people, crowded and dilapidated which accordingly provides a sense of horror. Furthermore, the author clearly explained how loneliness arouses fear as displayed in horror films. The environment of seemingly lifeless when the homely, familiar side gets hidden, constructing the isolation effect, and hence, fear.
3036106032 NG Hok Yiu BRYAN
I appreciate your spatial analysis of the settings in ghost films, as well as the uniqueness of Chinese/Hong Kong horror films. I would suggest digging deeper into how ghost serves as various metaphors to demonstrate social, spatial, and urban issues. More importantly, the bloom of Hong Kong’s ghost-themed films in the 20th century has something to do with its social background. This can navigate your further analysis of the specific circumstance in Hong Kong. Similarly, the 1950s-1990s is the “golden age” of monster-genre film in Japan, which is a medium to emphasize the destruction and reconstruction of the city. It might be insightful to discuss by comparing these two film genres.