THE REFLECTING SKIN
A film review by Thomas E. Billings
Copyright 1991 Thomas E. Billings
Synopsis: In the 1950s, in the Midwest wheat fields, a young boy struggles to understand the strange world of adults. One day a black car filled with strangers arrives in town, and shortly afterward, a series of mysterious murders begins. A warped mystery, with some deadpan humor. Not very good, though it may appeal to fans of David Lynch.
England, color, 1991, 96 minutes. Director/Writer: Philip Ridley.
Seth Dove is a seven-year-old boy who lives with his parents in the Midwest (U.S.), in the middle of wheat fields. The time is the early 1950s, and Seth and his friends amuse themselves by abusing animals, engaging in vandalism, and various other childish pursuits. His major worry is that the woman next door is really a vampire, and will come at night and suck out all his blood, killing him.
One day a black car, with four strangers in it, arrives in town. Seth is the first to encounter them when they stop at his Father's gas station. Shortly thereafter one of Seth's friends, another young boy, vanishes. Later the boy is found dead in Seth's yard, and the story continues with the police suspecting Seth's Father of murder...
This film is full of weird, warped characters and strange events. The Sheriff is very colorful, with an eyepatch, deformed ear, and artificial hand. He's also cranky and not concerned about the rights of the accused. The woman next door tells Seth that she is 200 years old (part of the reason he think's she's a vampire), and gives Seth the tip of a whale harpoon. The parents of Seth's friend are religious fanatics, totally obsessed with the idea of sin and sinful thoughts. Seth's Father is an alcoholic, and Seth's Mother rants and raves about the gasoline smell that pervades their home.
Some of the dialogue is quite warped; some of the dialogue is funny, although some fails in its attempt to be funny. The presence of so much weirdness, with insufficient humor to mitigate it, really undermines the film. It makes it seem so self-conscious about its own weirdness. You may start to wonder what the next weirdness will be, rather than what the next major development in the plot will be.
Many of the events that occur in the film will strain your credibility, and add to the weirdness. Some viewers will consider the weirdness to be stylish, and the film has been compared to David Lynch's BLUE VELVET and "Twin Peaks." I frequently like really weird films. However this film did not hold my attention; it is weird but not funny enough to make the weirdness rewarding.
I don't recommend the film to a general audience; it's too strange and not done very well. However, some fans of David Lynch might like it. If you really want to see a weird film, I would suggest instead (a radically different film), TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL.
Distribution. The U.S. distributor is Miramax Films; release is planned for early summer in the U.S. Note also that BBC Films is listed in the production credits; this suggests possible television broadcast in England.
Reviewer contact: teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU
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