The Theme of a “Besieged House” as a Topos in American Cinema in the Context of a Discussion on Remakes, Sequels, Prequels, and Hidden-Remakes

Piotr Kletowski

Abstract

Referring to classical anthropological theories of the symbolic dimension of proxemic relations (S. Kracauer, M. Lurker), the author analyses the motif of the “besieged house” as typical of American cinema since Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation (1915) to this day (modern action cinema, claustrophobic sci-fi thrillers like Cloverfield Lane 10 /2016/ by Don Trachtenberg). The author argues that the films that take up this motif reflect in a direct or metaphorical way the current socio-political situation of American society, which - as a collective - during moments of crisis, perceives itself as a threatened community in a confined space, which space becomes a besieged fortress to be defended at all cost. This motif - used and transformed by directors such as H. Hawks, S. Peckinpah, G. A. Romero, J. Carpenter, J. McTiernan - made many original films dealing with this topic the basis of numerous references, alterations and hidden remakes (that is films, which are obviously new versions of already existing films, but for various reasons, usually connected with copyright, cannot be considered to be true remakes).