Architectural Scenes and The Haptic Experience: An Analysis of the Organization of Space in Moulin Rouge

Abstract

This thesis traces the architectural shift of spatial design through the haptic lens, from 16th century theater to modern cinema. Using two competing methodologies set forth by C.S. Tashiro and the Affrons, I will analyze the organization of cinematic space and scale in two films: John Huston’s 1952 Moulin Rouge and Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 Moulin Rouge! I will examine how all elements of the mise-en-scène – from extra-small objects to extra-large set pieces – contribute to the viewer’s haptic experience. This discourse will be centered around four fundamental haptic qualities that were first identifiable in Palladio’s Teatro Olimpico and are now visible in modern cinema, having withstood the test of time. These are the architectural curtain, scenic progression, pictorial illusions, and the overall insertion of space within space. Ultimately, this thesis encourages the total integration of the haptic in filmic projects and contends that the sensory component singlehandedly produces a profound and long-lasting impact on the audience.