Physical Setting:
* New York City: The film is set in the bustling, vibrant city of New York, where Sam and Molly live and work. We see iconic locations like:
* The East Village: Sam and Molly live in a charming loft apartment in this historic neighborhood.
* The subway: Sam uses the subway for transportation, and it becomes a vital part of the film's climax.
* The Tribeca district: The neighborhood where Sam and Molly are robbed.
* The financial district: Sam works as a successful stockbroker in this area.
* Molly's apartment: A cozy, homey space where Molly retreats after the trauma of Sam's death. It becomes a place where she confronts grief and connects with Sam's ghost.
* Oda Mae Brown's apartment: A cluttered and chaotic space that reflects Oda Mae's unconventional personality, yet also offers a sense of warmth and acceptance.
Ethereal Setting:
* The spirit world: The film explores the idea of a spectral realm where Sam exists after his death, unable to interact with the physical world directly.
* The "in-between" space: The space between the physical and the spectral world where Sam can briefly appear to Molly. This is a hazy, dreamlike realm where the rules of physics don't apply.
* The "other side": The final destination for spirits, beyond the physical world and the "in-between" space.
Symbolic Significance:
* The contrast between the bustling city and the intimacy of personal spaces: This highlights the theme of loneliness and isolation that can exist even in a crowded city.
* The use of light and shadow: The film employs lighting to create a sense of the ethereal, highlighting the ghostly presence of Sam and the vulnerability of Molly.
* The "in-between" space: Represents the liminal state of Sam's existence, caught between life and death, seeking connection.
Overall, the setting of "Ghost" is a potent blend of the ordinary and the extraordinary. It creates a sense of both familiarity and mystery, grounding the supernatural elements in a relatable environment, allowing us to experience the film's themes of love, loss, and the enduring nature of the human spirit.