Genre films often have certain calling cards allowing audiences to know what we will be watching. Symbols and stylistic elements aid the film and composition of narrative. In horror films we can expect to see shadows and darkness, noirs offer oblique lines, and science fiction introduces objects unfamiliar to the ordinary world. But of the objects in mise-en-scène, what is one piece that often transcends genre and has the option to evade or pursue analysis?
The use of mirrors is explored in a supercut video by The Auteur Journal and shows the purposeful use of mirrors throughout varying films. Beyond a setpiece, mirrors in film offer a very stark reality that audiences are not only participants in a story by bearing witness, but also able to self-reflect by way of the mirrors themselves. Mirrors offer a reality check, and seeing Marion Cotillard break down in front of a bathroom mirror in “Two Days, One Night,” for example, offers a very intimate moment. While Guy Pearce stares at his growing tattoo reflection in “Memento‘,” and the audience is called to ask how far our protagonist has fallen. Mirrors offer more than just a “cool shot” in a frame’s composition; it adds a depth to any already fascinating world.
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Beyond the aesthetic pleasure of their use and the technical achievement, directors’ use of mirrors offers stunning visual compositions and opportunities to create a greater sense of intimacy for the diegetic characters. Reflect on this video essay and share your fave mirror scenes in the comments section.
