Il labirinto nello specchio

I first saw the film when I was a little kid. I only saw the first episode from what I could vaguely remember, but I've been fascinated ever since.

I couldn't find this film for decades and I only remembered pretty much two things. A collage with scared eyes and a recurring nightmare with a murder. This is not a spoiler, that's how the film starts with the opening credits.

Other than than that, I had no idea, what these films were about. When I finally found a copy of the films, I was hesitant to watch it for months - it's really one of the things that impacted me as a child. I've never seen anything like that before, it had a very haunting atmosphere, probably that's why my parents didn't let me to watch the rest of it.

I was hesitant to watch it again after all those years, because I thought it would spoil my very special memories - that it wouldn't be as interesting, as special, as I thought it was and I didn't want to ruin this memory.

I finally found the courage this weekend and watched it.

It was not what I expected, as I didn't remember pretty much any of the storyline, but I am amazed.

Now to be fair, there were some scenes that could have been shot differently, or added - just small bits and pieces, like when Dora is advised to talk to a lady in a laundry to talk about the photograph, this scene is missing, (well, at least in my copy of the movie).

The story was not what I imagined it was, but it is very captivating, you might be able to guess what's going on, who is who and what is what and why in the third film (or maybe I just watched and read too many detective stories), but it's still very interesting to watch how the story gets to that point.

Overall, it's a really well done mystery film, it will definitely take you for a ride. I hope to find more films like this. I cannot recommend this film enough.

This suspenseful gem was made for French TV in 1985. I watched it in the late 1980's on German TV and am waiting ever since for it to be released on DVD. Aurore Clément plays the successful American photographer Dora Stern who lost her memory as a teenager in an accident and who is fascinated by mirrors. Edward Meeks plays her friend at the US newspaper in Paris, Bruno Crémer helps her find out who she really is. Jean-Pierre Aumont (Lili) plays a mysterious part linked to the past.

What I liked about it was not only the thrilling plot (the French sure know how to make suspenseful movies!), the good cast and the beautiful locations (among them Paris, Etretat in Normandy and Antibes, Côte d'azur), but also the very engaging soundtrack which adds to the tension.