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Tag Archives: mirrors
Mirrors #20
Great shot in Janet Planet, one of my favorite films this year, directed by Annie Baker – her first film as a director. She’s a famous playwright. In 2015 I went to go see her three-hour play The Flick, when … Continue reading
Mirrors #19
Two striking mirror moments in Marleen Gorris’ provocative directorial debut, a major entry in the catalog of feminist cinema, a film still poking the bear, 1982’s A Question of Silence. (People freaking out about how Barbie is anti-man clearly have … Continue reading
Mirrors #18
I collect mirror moments like a hoarder. Here’s a really good one from this year’s wonderful Fallen Leaves, directed by Aki Kaurismäki.
Mirrors #17
Wandering aimlessly through Laura’s apartment, his sense of uneasiness growing, as he almost visibly avoids Laura’s portrait, the detective (Dana Andrews) – who may very well be the most naturally taciturn man who ever lived – taciturn to the point … Continue reading
Mirrors #16
Joan Fontaine’s chilling “mirror moment” in the astonishing Ivy (1947). (Joan Fontaine? Playing an evil woman? Really?? YES.) In this moment, dressed in mourning for her husband – who died somewhat mysteriously – hmmm – she avoids looking in her … Continue reading
Back-ting and Mirrors
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how I love moments where actors have their back to the camera (back-ting) and moments where characters stare at themselves in the mirror. I started mulling about this 15 years … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies
Tagged backting, Five Easy Pieces, Harriet Andersson, Ingmar Bergman, Jack Nicholson, mirrors
2 Comments
Mirrors #15
Marilyn Monroe as the troubled broken Nell in one of her best performances in Don’t Bother to Knock. As with so many broken characters in cinema, Nell is drawn – irresistibly – to the mirror. Not for vanity. But to … Continue reading
Mirrors #14
Robert Siodmak’s Phantom Lady has many interesting mirror moments, one where Ella Raines – dressed up as a floozy, for the purposes of going undercover to get intel from a frighteningly lascivious Elisha Cook Jr. on the mysterious woman in … Continue reading
Mirrors #13
Another striking mirror moment from Little Foxes (the first being this one), involving the father-son morning-shaving ritual, spiced with pitiless criminal plotting. Nasty bunch of work, this family.
Mirrors #12
I have a lot to say about movie scenes where men look at themselves in the mirror. And I keep babbling about it, tagging posts with “mirrors” just for fun. Women sometimes have similar scenes in films – and I … Continue reading