OVERLAY REPORT

In the film *Thesis* (1996), the setting of the **Faculty of Information Sciences at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid** is not merely a backdrop; it functions as a primary driver of the plot, dictating the film's suspenseful pacing and the physical "cat and mouse" trajectory of the action. The following details illustrate how the setting influences the film’s trajectory: ### 1. The Labyrinthine Brutalist Architecture The film was shot in a real university building known for its **Brutalist architecture**—vast, cold, and composed of exposed concrete. * **Influence on Action:** The building’s maze-like design of endless, identical grey corridors and heavy doors creates a sense of disorientation. Director Alejandro Amenábar uses these long, rectilinear hallways to stage chase sequences where characters appear small and exposed, yet have nowhere to hide. The "flatness" of the concrete walls traps the characters in a sterile, institutional environment that feels indifferent to the violence occurring within it. ### 2. The Underground as a Literal and Figurative "Underworld" The action frequently moves from the public, brightly lit areas of the university (classrooms, library) down into the **underground tunnels and video archives**. * **The Tunnels:** A pivotal sequence occurs when the protagonists, Ángela and Chema, explore a hidden passage discovered in the video library. They are physically trapped when a door locks behind them, forcing them into a literal "underworld" where the university’s dark secrets (the snuff ring) are stored. * **Trajectory of Action:** This descent signifies the characters moving from academic theory (Ángela's thesis) to dangerous reality. The physical act of "going underground" mirrors the narrative's dive into the subculture of snuff films. The lack of light in these tunnels forces the action to slow down, shifting from a chase to a high-tension sequence lit only by matches, where sound becomes the primary tool for suspense. ### 3. The Institutional "Panopticon" The setting is a film school, a place dedicated to the **act of looking**. * **The Library and Cafeteria:** These public spaces are used to establish the "gaze." For instance, Ángela first spots the antagonist, Bosco, in the library because the open-plan but multi-leveled design allows for voyeurism. The setting facilitates a trajectory where characters are constantly being watched from afar or through viewfinders. * **Specific Detail:** The library is where the mystery begins to unravel through the "Sony" camera—the setting provides the tools (cameras, monitors, editing bays) that both facilitate the murders and allow the protagonists to investigate them. ### 4. Isolation During the Summer Void The film was shot during the summer when the Faculty was largely empty. * **Influence on Action:** This emptiness amplifies the vulnerability of the characters. In a bustling university, the snuff ring couldn't operate; in an empty one, the vast auditoriums and screening rooms become "dead zones" where a scream cannot be heard. This setting allows the antagonist to move freely, turning an institution of learning into a hunting ground. ### 5. Mirroring of Public and Private Spaces The action's trajectory moves from the **Institutional (University)** to the **Private (Bosco’s garage)**. * **The Garage:** The film’s climax takes place in a garage that mirrors the setting of the snuff films themselves. By the end of the movie, the "action" has moved from the intellectual space of the university to the visceral, claustrophobic space of the garage—a setting that is stripped of the university's "respectability" and reveals the raw horror of the crimes. In summary, the setting of *Thesis* influences the action by providing a **physical manifestation of a labyrinth** that traps the characters, utilizing its **underground spaces** to represent the hidden snuff industry, and leveraging its **Brutalist aesthetic** to create an atmosphere of cold, institutional alienation.