This reading highlighted the cycle of the “apartment plot” appearing in numerous films, televisions or fiction since the rise of urbanism and modernism. It is interesting how the apartment plot is effective in reflecting the qualities of urban domesticity, for example its porousness, privacy, simultaneity and encounter. Meanwhile, different genres of film could interpret such quality in extremes: porousness could be the ideal quality of apartment for romance, while the least ideal in horror.
Besides, the apartment plot is also versatile in implementing narratives and messages of cultural, social or political context that we as audience might subtly digest from this overlooked tool of propaganda. For instance, director’s intention for the apartment as setting or narrative in film would differentiate audience’s role as outsider or insider respectively, henceforth result in either being critical or observant on the built-environment. It inspired me to further discover the underlying “apartment complex” of movies, speaking within our socio-political environment and in-between films.
Excellent reading reflection on Wojcik’s commentary on the apartment complex – especially in thinking about the interior space as a tool for expanding/deepening our awareness and reading of the narrative, characters, and its environment rather than a limiting factor. Well done!