Deconstruction - Locations

For my location deconstruction, I decided to look at the types of places which psychological horrors were conventionally filmed in. This could help us to decide and confirm the locations in our film, depending on whether we want to subvert or conform the common representations. I looked at a number of different films but within all of them there was an underlying theme of large suburban houses. 

The first film which I looked at is Poltergeist, and the house that features is a large suburban house. The house is modern and expensive looking, but in America this is seen as 'the norm' for the average family. The house is perfect for this genre as there are many rooms and areas which can be seen as hiding places, either for the victims or similarly for the killer or possessed being.

In Sinister, the house is much less modern looking, although is more modern than a traditional American house. However, this creates a new level of understanding for the audience as they can relate to the modern setting. Also, the house seems much smaller than the previous example, which may not only suggest the difference in wealth, but maintains a sense of normality. As the house is smaller, it also highlights that there are less hiding places and areas of protection for the victims from the antagonist.

In Oculus, the house is a modern looking stone building. The plot of the film focuses on an old possessed mirror, this is significant because it doesn't fit into the setting, therefore highlighting the abnormality in an otherwise normal life. Also, the large amount of grassland surrounding the house suggests it is a family home, which is confirmed by the children in the image below.

The house which features in Insidious,  is a large and modern looking building with futuristic connotations, which may be a result of the blue haze filter. The palm trees give the audience a further insight into the overall location of the house, as they are generally associated with LA and other hot places where wealthy and successful families reside.

In The Purge, one of the main aspects of the film is that the family is very wealthy and can therefore use this for protection, conforming to the Marxist theory. This is highlighted through not only the appearance of the house and its sheer size, but also the advanced technology used, such as the hydraulic pressurised system for closing doors and also the electric gate at the front of the house. The sensor lighting on the house also shows that the inhabitants want to illuminate their surroundings so they have full visuals of the areas surrounding the establishment.

To conclude these findings, it has been discovered that a main convention of the psychological horror regarding location, is that the houses are often modern and elaborate, but without losing the sense of normality. This is effective because it enables the audience to relate to the location within the scene but also adds to the mysterious and eerie effect.