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The Mirror Scene | SECOND


Mirror as a reflective surface has a metaphorical meaning in itself beyond its physical function. The introduction of the mirror to an infant triggers the formation of “I” at the very early months of lifespan as Lacan states in The Mirror Stage. From that point on, the mirror becomes something that captures the projection of self. That being the case, the mirror has been placed into many films since both the camera and mirror act as an external eye. As Godard states “Art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self” and the mirror is used by many directors while revealing the inner self. 

First, I will be focusing on the mirror as a projector of the ego ideal. The term “ego ideal” is defined as the inner image of oneself as one wants to become, ideal selfhood. The mirror can be functioning in two opposite directions depending on the character’s psychological state. First, it can be the disconnection of the self and ego ideal resulting in depression when the ideal self does not correspond with the experiential reality. In Bresson’s film called “Une femme douce”, the female character looks toward the mirror which is placed aloft, and smiles at her ego-ideal before she kills herself indicating the unattainability of ideal self. At the extreme point, the disconnection of self and ego ideal can cause the suicide of one. 


On the other hand, the unification of ego and ego ideal can result in a manic state of mind that is seen in the film called “Der Fan” by Eckhart Schmidt where the female character kisses her reflection with passion. This theme has a long history starting from Narcissus who falls in love with his own reflection on the water. 

Secondly, the mirror can perform the task of a separator between rational and irrational. Rationale corresponds to conscious and daily reality, where irrational is accords with the unconscious. As an example, in the mirror scene of the film called “Evil Dead 2”, we observe interference of unconscious to rational reality.  



Finally, I believe there is a connection between the mirror and the camera in relation to scopophilia since they both focus on the gaze. I think the director Nicolas Roeg is pointing the same point while saying “mirrors are the essence of movies”.





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