Thursday 1 January 2009

Impossible architecture - film

Whilst watching the inevitable Christmas televisual treat of E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, I noticed that Elliot's house possesses an impossible architecture beyond the imagination of any James Bond baddy domain http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2008/nov/04/james-bond-architecture

A result of considering architecture for a potential Mini Doll Gallery, and having researched architecture for this purpose, it was at the forefront of my mind as I watched E.T.

Mainly, I have observed the impossible location of Elliot's room.

Elliot's room exists at the end of the upstairs landing, yet to make sense of where it is located within the architecture of the house, and why it's impossible, we must look at Elliot's house.

http://www.movielocationsguide.com/E.T_The_Extra_Terrestrial/filming_locations

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/10188225

This is a clear image of the house used for the filming of E.T.
As you can see from this image, there is no room above the front door. There is a second floor room to the left of the front door, but not directly above it, and especially, not IN FRONT OF the front door.



This is a rough illustration to illustrate what I mean!

Here is an interior of Elliot's room from the film:

http://l.yimg.com/img.movies.yahoo.com/ymv/us/img/hv/photo/movie_pix/universal_pictures/e_t__the_extra_terrestrial/_group_photos/henry_thomas5.jpg

Here is the scene where Elliot leads E.T. into his room:



This video (below) at approx 5.30 shows Mom carrying Elliot downstairs and opening the front door, which is definitely BELOW Eliott's bedroom door!



To clarify, watch the following clip from approx 2.57, where Elliot comes home and goes to his room:



If you watch the film, you will know that Elliot's Mom at one point goes in the front door, up the stairs, which lead away from the front door, turn back along the landing and goes to Elliot's room, so Elliot's bedroom door exists roughly ABOVE the front door and slightly to the RIGHT, and it also means that Elliot's room occupies a space above and in front of the front door!



Here is the scene where Mom is at the front door and goes upstairs to Elliot's room at 2.30 mins. You can see that the front door is directly below Elliot's room and opens out obviously onto the driveway - there is no corresponding downstairs room below where Elliot's room is located upstairs.
This is also defies by the fact that whenever anyone goes to the closet, it is located in a position where there is no upstairs room as seen in the outside view of the house.

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