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The Reflecting Skin (1990)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
7/25
7/25:
I liked The Passion of Darkly Noon, so that led me to Philip
Ridley's first work: The Reflecting Skin.
And...nope. I won't call it a terrible movie, but there's barely any substance to sustain the show for 95
minutes. The story goes in circles, and all I can say is "nice-looking wheat fields." Philip Ridley tries
to be shocking through child abuse, homosexuality, dead kids, and animal abuse, but nothing works.
I don't mind the performances. Make no mistake: this is Jeremy Cooper's, not Viggo Mortensen's, film. Hence,
he should've gotten top billing. All of the characters are obviously low in IQ. They simply need education.
The film was shot on location in Crossfield, Alberta, Canada.
As for Viggo Mortensen's character, he'll die within three years because of cancer. How did that happen? The
clue came from the tale he related to Dolphin Blue at her house. I wager he's referring to the atomic
bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific which went on from 1946 to 1958. Seth, being a stupid kid,
misinterprets it as a trait of vampirism. When he becomes an adult, I guarantee his mind will be so messed-up.
All in all, Philip Ridley should've realized that Days of Heaven was a
box-office failure before setting out to work on The Reflecting Skin.