MIRRORMASK

MIRRORMASK
By Ken Leicht

A few nights ago, a friend and I went to a screening of one of the most fantastic films of the year: Neil Gaiman and David McKean’s MIRRORMASK from Samuel Goldwyn Films and Destination Films, and produced by the Jim Henson Company. While the press notes try to present the film as being cut from the same cloth as such classic Henson films as DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH, MIRRORMASK is entirely unique in vision and execution. It is a great fantasy film and one of the best translations of a comic author/novelist and artist’s work that I can ever recall.

The film tells the story of fifteen year old Helena (Stephanie Leonidas), the child of struggling circus performers, who wishes-quite ironically-that she could run away from the circus and join real life. She argues with her mother and father who run the show and then sulks in her low rent apartment.

When her mother takes ill, Helena becomes distraught. She then slips into a fantastic dream world inhabited by people who all wear masks and are searching for a charm that will save their world from the dark forces which are threatening to overtake it. Believing that finding this charm might help her get back home, Helena begins a quest to find the “MirrorMask.” She is joined by Valentine, a masked juggler who may or may not be a worthy companion. They navigate strange forests of Spiral staircases, sinister sphinxs and the omnipresent evil of the Queen of Shadows who wants her daughter back. A daughter who looks suspiciously like Helena. In the great tradition of films like the Wizard of Oz, there are several duel roles between the real and fantasy worlds. Helena’s mom (Gina McKee) is also the Queen of Light and the Queen of Shadows.

The largely unknown cast is all effective though ultimately it’s the visuals you’ll be gawking at the whole time. There are also some voice cameos from several famous British tv comedy figures such as Steven Fry and Red Dwarf’s John Llewellyn. On the technical side, the film’s effects look amazing. Though it’s allegedly low budget, you wouldn’t know it. The designs, art direction, all of it…just great.

To try to describe the visual wonderland on view in this film would give me a headache. To say its fantastic is probably an understatement. Being familiar with Neil Gaimen and Dave McKean’s work, it was astonishing to see it rendered so faithfully on screen. Sure the film echoes some elements of LABYRINTH, DARK CRYSTAL, WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (the film), Terry Gilliam’s TIME BANDITS, and of course the WIZARD OF OZ (or even THE WIZ for that matter). While pointing that out it is an effective way to sell the film, the comparison doesn’t truly give the imagination that is on display here justice.

Also, LABYRINTH and DARK CRYSTAL appealed largely to a family audience. This film, while aiming for fans of those films, is far more sophisticated. Too sophisticated for children really. This film will likely be more at home with the college and art house crowd and it is also a wee bit too British to cross over too far into the mainstream.

I do suspect that Hollywood studio bigwigs will see this and come a calling to Dave McKean to direct their big heartless fantasy or sci-fi opuses. Or, as my friend quipped, “I know…DREAM COP!...Dave McKean would be perfect!”. Hopefully, this may bode well for the always in some form of development hell SANDMAN film. I think Dave and Neil should do it themselves. Even if they’ll have to have a big name to get it going. (Keanu’s already been there (Constantine aka Hellblazer) so who knows). My vote is let the creators do it. They’ve proven with MIRRORMASK that they are up to the task.

MIRRORMASK hits theatres on September 30th.