The Anthropomorphization of Houses in Film
The Anthropomorphization of Houses in Film Kelli M Johnson Department of Film Studies Primary Thesis Advisor Dr. Melinda Barlow, Department of Film Studies Committee Members Dr. Shira Segal, Department of Film Studies Bryan Jonas Erickson, Department of Writing and Rhetoric 4 November 2013 University of Colorado at Boulder 2 Abstract Often times in film, houses have been categorized as a part of the set design or production design. They are purposefully furnished and decorated according to the director’s vision. Filmmakers, scholars, and critics recognize the importance of the setting and its decorations. However, let us consider the possibility that a house is more than the set design; it is a character. The characterization of a house can be both literal and implied. There are the houses that come alive like, as in Monster House (Gil Kenan, 2006) and houses whose character is subtler in its presence, as in The Old Dark House (James Whale, 1932) or The Haunting (Robert Wise, 1963.) The house as a character is neither static nor flat, but dynamic and complex. In order for us to understand the complexities of the house, this thesis will explore the major foundation stones of any character in film: costuming, physicality, the mind of a character, and its personalities. Like a human being, each house has a unique characteristic and personality. To name a few of the many, a house can be a murderer, a seductress, a femme fatale, or an isolated being. Its personality is structured around the foundations. The exterior is representative of the character’s physicality.
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