Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal

ISSN: 2278-9529  |  www.galaxyimrj.com

Abstract

This paper examines Kane Parsons’ Backrooms (2026) as a cinematic representation of liminality, memory, and trauma. Originating as an internet horror phenomenon, the Backrooms developed around the idea of an endless and unsettling space that exists beyond ordinary reality. The paper argues that Parsons transforms this concept into a psychological space closely connected to the experiences of the film’s characters. Drawing on Victor Turner’s concept of liminality, Astrid Erll’s theory of mediated memory and Cathy Caruth’s understanding of trauma, the study examines how the film uses space, repetition, and distorted familiarity to represent psychological experience. It argues that the Backrooms transform liminality from a temporary state of transition into an enduring condition of uncertainty, where memory and trauma continually shape the spaces the characters inhabit.

Keywords

Backrooms Liminal Spaces Memory Digital Horror Cinematic Space

Article History

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How to Cite

Gharoi, Soumydeep, and Angel Chaudhary. “The Architecture of Memory: Liminality, Trauma, and Spatial Uncanniness in Kane Parsons’ Backrooms.” Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research Journal, vol. 15, no. 5, Sept. 2026, pp. 76–92. https://doi.org/10.66376/galaxy.v15.n5.5

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