THE CINEMATOGRAPHY OF A CASA

PRESENCE, ATMOSPHERE, AND STIMMUNG

Abstract

This article delves into the cinematography of A Casa (La Casa Muda, Gustavo Hernández, 2010) by examining its psychological horror aesthetic through the lens of Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht’s concepts of presence, atmosphere, and Stimmung (2010; 2014). Starting from the idea that cinema operates as a medium for immanent sensory experience, the argument is that the film’s photography goes beyond mere storytelling to construct a field of presence that renders fear almost tangible. The continuous long take intensifies this sensory immersion, as the absence of cuts shifts emphasis to real-time duration and the protagonist’s embodied experience. Meanwhile, the interplay of light and shadow—often limited to lantern beams and enveloping darkness—amplifies the sense of confinement and vulnerability, turning the house into an “atmospheric body” that envelops both character and viewer. By privileging the materiality of image and sound over interpretative logic, A Casa exemplifies Gumbrecht’s views on art’s capacity to produce a striking, corporeal impact.