I find that horror based on liminal spaces is the most interesting. When I was in high school I did a lot of after school activities and walking down the school hallways that were completely silent and empty, when normally they were crowded and loud, always felt surreal.
When ever I stay in a hotel I get creeped out by long hallways at night. One of the main thoughts I have is usually wondering how many people are actually in the hotel. Maybe I'm all alone, which somehow seems worse in a corridor of endless doors.
Such a good post. I think you nailed it, describing hallways as liminal spaces. So interesting how a hallway can go from mundane to surreal depending on lighting, people, noise, etc. You could take a normal enough hallway, stretch it out, remove the windows and furnishings, and it goes from cozy chamber to sterile, hospital-ish hallway. All in the design.
House of Leaves probably does have my favorite hallways, but We Spread by Ian Reid has some pretty good hallway scenes, too, e.g.:
"It's taking me longer than it should. I walk down the hallway that leads to my room, but this time, it doesn't. It leads to another hallway, so I turn right and follow it around. It keeps going around, so at some point, I stop.
I turn back.
This house is a maze. These hallways aren't what they appear to be.
They're longer. Or shorter, depending on the day. They're narrow at night, wider in the morning. They change, these hallways, depending on who is walking them and at what point in their life they're in them.
I go the other way when I get back to the last hall. It's longer than it's ever been, altered since yesterday. It's the same hallway. I recognize it, but it's longer.
I turn back once more and make another turn, left this time, before I get back to my door."
I find that horror based on liminal spaces is the most interesting. When I was in high school I did a lot of after school activities and walking down the school hallways that were completely silent and empty, when normally they were crowded and loud, always felt surreal.
It’s such a distinct feeling. Thanks for reading!
When ever I stay in a hotel I get creeped out by long hallways at night. One of the main thoughts I have is usually wondering how many people are actually in the hotel. Maybe I'm all alone, which somehow seems worse in a corridor of endless doors.
Yes! The power of the unknown…
I think office corridors and stairwells and various spaces are massively underrated in horror
Also good essay
It's always nice to read about always, and to get some reading references too
Such a good post. I think you nailed it, describing hallways as liminal spaces. So interesting how a hallway can go from mundane to surreal depending on lighting, people, noise, etc. You could take a normal enough hallway, stretch it out, remove the windows and furnishings, and it goes from cozy chamber to sterile, hospital-ish hallway. All in the design.
House of Leaves probably does have my favorite hallways, but We Spread by Ian Reid has some pretty good hallway scenes, too, e.g.:
"It's taking me longer than it should. I walk down the hallway that leads to my room, but this time, it doesn't. It leads to another hallway, so I turn right and follow it around. It keeps going around, so at some point, I stop.
I turn back.
This house is a maze. These hallways aren't what they appear to be.
They're longer. Or shorter, depending on the day. They're narrow at night, wider in the morning. They change, these hallways, depending on who is walking them and at what point in their life they're in them.
I go the other way when I get back to the last hall. It's longer than it's ever been, altered since yesterday. It's the same hallway. I recognize it, but it's longer.
I turn back once more and make another turn, left this time, before I get back to my door."