Friday, March 10, 2017

The Uncanny Mountain

I was trying to understand how I got so wrapped up in "Breaking Bad". I think it's because I no longer live there, so the city is slightly unfamiliar. At the same time, I know it fairly well.

Vince Gilligan's Albuquerque is a nearly-perfect simulacrum of the city. It constantly surprises the viewer with its filming locations, and seems to be saying that even familiar places are not at all what you thought them to be, but contain hidden menace around every corner. The places scream "Stay alert to your surroundings!"

In many ways, it's the inverse of the "Uncanny Valley". More like an "Uncanny Mountain". In other contexts, it's been noted elsewhere.

For example, with regards to geeky humor, "xkcd" has a cartoon about the "Uncanny Mountain":

No comments:

Post a Comment