Subconscious Theory
I’d like to preface this by stating that I don’t know a ton of the Backrooms lore (besides the few YouTube vids I watched with the sound down cuz I’m wayyyy to much of a whiss), also, I haven’t read any of the Producer’s comments and remarks, but I’m super down with all the direction and clarity you guys are able to supply.
So, with that out of the way, my theory..
I understand, from the movie, that the Backrooms is basically being created by itself, generating rooms, spaces and people autonomously.
These are based on vague memories, as Clark and the Therapist stated: “describe a dog to someone who hasn’t seennit before, then ask them to draw it”.
With th opening scene being from the Therapist’s perspective, it’s undeniable that the figures (or “still lifes” as I’ve been taught) are based on her “memory”/“interpretation” of each of the characters she has been directly or indirectly involved with (Clark, his Wife etc). This, along with her mother being crazy and the rooms looking somewhat of a boiled down version of her childhood home, leads me to believe that the backrooms are some kind of subconscious space (or metaphor) where trauma (more specifically distorted memories) reside.
The one pitfall of this theory could be the other characters (like Lampguy and Tableman) had no interaction with Therapist lady, which makes me think that the Backrooms could be some kind of “shared subconscious space” where memories are shared.
The theory, I think, fascinates me so much because the Backrooms as a metaphor for the subconscious and immaterial works sooooooo well once the material is introducer - like when the Therapist and Clark enters the backrooms.
Keen to hear everyone’s thoughts on this!
Peace!⚡️