Film Her Her Film

Los Angeles: Playing tonight at the Egyptian Theater is the extraordinary THE DARK MIRROR by Robert Siodmak. A symphony of interior grays (like all Siodmak), an astonishing double role––and roll––as Olivia de Havilland plays twin sisters through Milton Krasner's double-printed composite cinematography. De Havilland utilizes every line in her face and body independently, against its own singularity, but of course solely of it. In this film the usual relationship between director, actress, cinematographer is melted down to make something else with its silvers: Siodmak-de Havilland-Krasner are laboratory partners at work elaborating an experimental science of psychology through eye and script. All codes of cinema are questioned by this film, though of course it is completely made up of them. The medium shot psychoanalyzes the close-up (two divided by one, multiplied by two), and the close-up the reverse shot. A film that makes you think twice with every composition.

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