Mirror Mirror

An 80s goth girl (Rainbow Harvest) and her goofy single mom (Karen Black) move to a new suburban town. She gets picked on by her new classmates and generally despises life in typical 80s goth girl fashion. She discovers a mysterious mirror in her room left by the previous owners and finds that it gives her the power to get what she wants...ie, the death of those who mess with her! The tagline for this movie is something about being a cross between "Carrie" and "Heathers". Well, it is nowhere near either of those classics. It is, however, a surprisingly charming little B-movie! The actors' style is late 80s/early 90s in the worst possible way but it is totally endearing. There is some witty dialogue and some really sick and twisted scenes (including a fair amount of gore). Karen Black is totally over the top. It seems like Rainbow Harvest (?!) was only cast because she looks like Winona Rider circa "Beetlejuice"...a more charismatic lead would have helped this movie. It also would have been more satisfying if the lead character had some attitude beyond her clothing and were a bit more hardcore (a la Ginger Snaps) instead of being a wimpering loser. But for a B-movie this was pretty damn entertaining. Recommended to fans of 80s B-horror as well as estro-infused horror flicks. My Rating: 6.5/10

Where credit is due, 'Mirror, Mirror' is a hot and steamy little Gothic horror oddity that won't blow you away from its originality, but by confident performances (headed by the likable Karen Black and Yvonne De Carlo) and director Marina Sargenti's presentably moody handling which simply builds towards the ghastly shocks. The script is standard, but its focus on an outcast's passage through school-life remains stimulating… no matter how many times we've come across it before. This can be attributed to the sincere acting of Rainbow Harvest (as the shy Goth girl who has a striking resemblance to a 'Beetlejuice' star Wino Ryder), Kristin Dattilo and the buxom Charlie Spradling as the stuck-up bully. Then revenge is served, as those you get in Harvest's way… bites the dust in many unexpected ways.

Megan and her mother arrive at their new home and a mirror (which did belong to the original residents) in Megan's bedroom catches her attention. Starting school isn't easy, and she's made fun of instantly. Her anger is soon picked up by the mysterious mirror, which suddenly gives her the ability to cause some 'accidents'. Soon she begins to pick on these things and virtually it takes control of Megan, which would go on to hurt those who she cares for.

The low-key back-story could have been a little clearer about the supernatural link (but the conclusion holds a witty touch), and the story could have been tighten since it dragged on too long. The low-budget look didn't stop the atmospheric camera-work (like POV from the mirror) and lighting being effective. Sargenti stylishly uses slow motion efficiently, and crafts some lasting scenes (some bloody and cringe-like scenes) and the eerie flight of the shady score works trumps.

Very passable horror feature.

At heart, this is a fairly typical demonic possession thing, with older-looking "schoolkids", jump scares and some gory deaths, plus the obligatory shower scene... with variable levels of acting. The thing that really got me though, was the awful sound design... switching between barely-audible dialogue and over-the-top sound effects during the "scary bits", I got really fed up with having to adjust the sound on my iPad accordingly.

Having said that, the plot's not too bad and, if this is your kind of thing and you're in the mood, worth a watch. It would be nice if someone were to remix it though.

Pretty funny little horror movie...better than one might expect. Karen steals it in a variety of different wigs as the wacky mother of Rainbow Harvest who's the new girl in school, tormented by her classmates because she dresses "punk". Kind of a cross between "Carrie" and "Heathers".

Los Angeles punkster Megan (Rainbow Harvest) moves with her mother (Karen Black) to a small California suburb. Megan doesn't fit in at her new private school, but to make matters even worse, there is a massive antique mirror left behind in her new bedroom that boasts dangerous supernatural powers.

"Mirror Mirror" is an under-viewed gem from the early nineties that is corny and shocking in equal measure. The film is admittedly a bit dated, and the singular element that I found most alluring in it was the late eighties/early nineties atmospherics that are reminiscent of an "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" episode; make no bones about it though, "Mirror Mirror" is considerably more gratuitous.

Director Marina Sargenti, who only has a small handful of credits to her name (all of them nineties television films and horror pictures) handles the material here very well. The film blends Gothic elements with an early '90s California sensibility, and the composition is surprisingly nice. The opening scene details a gruesome murder in the 1930s that takes place before the eponymous mirror, and occult elements pervade as its origins are uncovered.

Plot-wise, the film is nothing remotely original, and that may be its only significant downfall. Elements of "Carrie" and "The Boogeyman" abound, and the narrative progression is predictable to say the least. The upside is that the material is handled with much more sophistication than a film like this demands, and the horror creeps in, growing more and more violent as Megan's powers grow stronger and stronger. Great performances elevate the film above standard teen horror fodder as well; Rainbow Harvest (gotta love that name) plays the Gothic, "Beetlejuice"-era Winona Ryder character. We also have performances from veterans Karen Black as Megan's boozy Beverly Hills mother, and Yvonne De Carlo as the inquisitive estate handler; both Black and De Carlo's presences are welcome and they handle these supporting roles with considerable class.

Overall, "Mirror Mirror" is a well-made snapshot of late eighties-early nineties teen horror that is entertaining and thoughtfully made. While it lacks originality and could be heavier on stylistic flair, I appreciated the film as a time capsule for an in-between era of the horror genre as it transitioned from the celebrated eighties slasher to the onslaught of a nineties new wave. 7/10.