“On the other hand (often these two positions converge or overlap to a certain degree), it introduces approaches predicated upon the idea of skin as an organ of continuous perception that understands cinema also as a haptic experience,” (Elsaesser, Hagener, 2009).
Skin and touch is an important sense which we may take for granted until something prevents us from having it. Touch can create an intimacy between people or between other things, it’s something that is used daily and is seen throughout cinema.
But when that element of touch is taken away, it can be very difficult on a person.
This is seen through the film Everything Everything (2017), which follows a teenage who has spent her whole life confined to her home with an illness that prevents her from touching everything and others outside of her home.
The movie gives us a glimpse into the life of people living with SCID, and how lonely it can truly be. When I first watched this movie it made me feel sad for the protagonist as she was missing out on so much, and it truly made me begin to cherish the people around me more.
A scene that always stood out to me was when the protagonist Maddy ran outside for the first time as she is fearful for what is happening next door to her crush Olly. As the viewer I felt emotionally invested and felt scared for Maddy, fearing she may get sick or even die.
Touch is also a huge theme portrayed throughout the film Bird Box (2018), which follows a mother and her two children as they try to reach safety from an ominous unseen present which drives people to commit suicide.
Throughout the film they must keep their eyes covered the whole time to prevent the presence from getting to them. They must then rely on their other senses to get themselves around, particularly touch.
The protagonist Malorie uses rope/wire as she walks from one place to another in order to help feel her way back to where she came from. Relying on this alone must be truly difficult, but it’s something that she has had to adapt to over the years.
Touch can be a very powerful tool, especially when it’s something that you are unable to have or whether it’s something that you must rely on instead of using other senses. It’s something that we have seen through cinematic history, and will continue to see at it is something that we tend to use everyday.
Reference:
Elsaesser, T, Hagener, M, 2009, “Cinema as Skin and Touch”, ‘Film Theory: An Introduction through the Senses’, p. 111
Screen & Sound 