Gerrard, C (2024) 'Thin places, other worlds, and visual layering in cinema.' In: Biotti, G, Chandra, I.V and Haouchine, N, eds. Uncanny perspectives in literature and culture. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp. 165-182. ISBN 9783031671647
Abstract
The depiction of the supernatural in cinema dates back to the earliest days of the medium, with a pioneering example being Georges Méliès’ Le Repas fantastique in 1900. This film displays a ghostly figure interfering with a family’s meal through the cinematic technique of superimposition. The supernatural is therefore conveyed through a second visual layer, simultaneously of the image, yet not of the world it portrays. This can be traced further back to double exposures in trick photography and magic lantern shows. From Méliès to the modern day, superimposition has allowed for worlds to collide, whether in modern horror, silent drama, or experimental cinema. The idea of the superimposition of two visual layers as the interaction between two distinct worlds turns the cinematic image into a “thin place” where the worlds of our everyday and the supernatural can intermix. This article will detail this cinematic tradition and explore the possibilities of this concept. It will question how filmmakers have interpreted the possibilities of layering reality, and how they have attempted to replicate the psychological feeling of the uncanny into a visual experience.
| Item Type: | Book Chapter or Section |
|---|---|
| Divisions: | Bath School of Art, Film and Media |
| Related URLs: | |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Oct 2024 16:21 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Oct 2024 16:21 |
| URI / Page ID: | https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/16515 |
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