The Staircase is the Star
It may not immediately seem obvious, but staircases have often played a pivotal role in cinema, providing a useful visual metaphor for suspense and transition within a narrative. A spiral staircase that is instantly recognisable is that featured prominently in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, and arguably the most famous curved staircase from history is the one installed in the first class deck of the Titanic – reproduced in James Cameron’s 1997 film of the same name. Creatively used staircases, whether mundane or fantastical, have become as much a star of some movies as their human stars, so here is a celebration of the most famous staircases to come out of Hollywood!
Home Alone
The house used in the Home Alone movies is in Illinois and was built in 1920, in the Georgian colonial style. It features a wide straight staircase in the entryway which has become iconic since the film’s release in 1990. The staircase is instantly recognisable as it was the location for many of the movie’s memorable moments, including the family bustling to get ready to leave for their holiday, Kevin sledding down them and out into the snow, and a number of booby traps such as slowing down the intruders by swinging paint cans over the balustrade.
Titanic
The film adaptation of the Titanic story by James Cameron included a faithful reproduction of the grand curved staircase that was constructed in the first class section of the famous ship and descended through seven levels. This ornate staircase was created in the Louis XIV style with treads and balustrade of oak, and finished with iron and bronze detailing. The same staircase was installed on sister ship Olympic and on both vessels, the staircase was considered to be one of the principal interior features, and a symbol of the ships’ opulence and luxury. Some of the film’s most iconic scenes are based around the staircase including the final scene depicting Rose returning to the boat and ending on the landing of the iconic staircase.
The Truman Show
The famous staircase from The Truman Show only appears for a very short time, right at the end of the movie, but has become iconic for what it represents. The main protagonist spends the duration slowly coming to realise that his entire life is constructed as a reality show, and when he finally decides to escape he is faced with a blank wall painted as the horizon. He walks along until he finds a staircase leading to an exit door, climbs up slowly, and then bows to the cameras before walking out. This particular staircase is a simple solid construction, painted for camouflage and not particularly striking, but the moment it represents is so memorable that it has gone down in Hollywood history.
The Exorcist
The Exorcist does feature a number of scenes on the interior staircase of the house, which are most likely etched on the memories of all who have seen it, but the most famous staircase scene takes place outside of the house at the end of the film, when Father Karras falls to his death down the steep steps. The staircase was built in 1895 in Washington D.C. and had previously been known as the Hitchcock steps because locals thought them to be ‘creepy’, and Hitchcock was the most famous horror film director at that time, but after being used in the final scene of The Exorcist they have become a place of pilgrimage for horror fans wanting to take photos of themselves climbing the long stone staircase.
Rocky
Possibly the most iconic moment from the Rocky movie is the training montage showing the title character overcoming challenges and running to the top of the 72 steps and celebrating triumphantly at the top. The particular staircase featured is that leading up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and has attracted so many visitors over the years wanting to recreate the famous scene that there is now a bronze statue of Rocky Balboa at the bottom of the steps.
Vertigo
Stairs played an integral role in a number of Alfred Hitchcock’s movies, and he had a unique way of portraying them, and using them to represent feelings of danger and suspense. In Vertigo, the theme of the film is a phobia of heights, and the experience of vertigo. Hitchcock invented a new filming technique, the dolly zoom, in order to create the visual effect of how vertigo feels, and staircases were central to its use. The way the scenes are filmed and edited emphasises the feeling of climbing stairs with a sense of dizziness and disorientation, and the film has firmly established the use of the spiral staircase to represent uncertainty and confusion.
Labyrinth
In Jim Henson’s 1986 film Labyrinth, one of the most famous scenes is that of the ‘endless stairs’ based on the art work ‘Relativity’ by M.C. Escher which is also visible on the bedroom wall of one of the main characters. The image is famous for its depiction of an impossible staircase, where stairs seem to lead up and down whilst at the same time going nowhere. The bizarre staircase has become an iconic scene which represents the confusion of Sarah’s character within the kingdom of the Goblin King (played by David Bowie).
Joker
The famous staircase scene from Joker is designed to represent the character’s descent into madness, showing him in the early part of the film struggling with the long climb, and later on dancing across the steps. Staircases are often used in art and film to represent struggle and transformation, and this particular movie is a prime example of that. The staircase, located in the Bronx area of New York, has since become a popular tourist destination to the point where local residents have complained about the throngs of people blocking the staircase which is near to a subway station in a busy neighbourhood.
Ghostbusters
In the final part of the Ghostbusters film, the staircase in Dana’s building is the setting for the main characters’ investigation – starting at the bottom and working their way up to the top of the high-rise apartment block. The stairs begin as a square spiral staircase with ornate railings and become narrower and more plain looking once the boys reach the 22nd floor – and walk through what used to be Dana’s apartment into the staircase that was previously hidden behind the fridge!