‘Broken Mirrors’ (1984) Blu-Ray Review – A Blistering Sophomore Effort From Marleen Gorris

Situated in an Amsterdam brothel, two whores rebel against their lot in life. Meanwhile one of their customers, a serial killer, kidnaps a housewife. This portrait of sexual power is the second film by the controversial director of A Question of Silence, presented in a new 4K Transfer and with new bonus features.

For thoughts on Broken Mirrors (1984), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/1D3SR_N-57U?si=p6tjdTcynBXuM4d9&t=2294]

Video Quality

Broken Mirrors (1984) comes to Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original aspect ratio derived from a 4K restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. It was just a few months ago that A Question of Silence was released on Blu-Ray from a 2K scan of a 35mm print since the OCN was unavailable. We think that release is quite good for the source that was available, but there are some clear benefits that come with working from the Original Camera Negative. You may spot some fleeting deficiencies, but the viewing experience is much more stable and enjoyable overall for this follow-up. 

The natural film grain can be quite thick, but it resolves favorably with incredible detail unlocked within each environment. The film is stylistically soft and dreamy, but that does not mean the transfer doesn’t deliver subtle details in the clothing and production design. Black levels have a decent amount of depth without crush serving as an issue. The transfer also avoids digital noise, banding and compression artifacts. There are some occasional nicks and specks of damage, but the source has been cleaned up quite a bit. Cult Epics has done a really nice job of bringing this one to disc. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a nice LPCM 2.0 in the original Dutch mono, along with a new DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original Dutch with optional English subtitles. As with the video side of the equation, we did not spot any significant instances of damage or age-related wear and tear outside a small bit of humming in a few spots. Dialogue is strong in the mix without being overshadowed by competing sounds. Environmental sounds such as the milling about in the lounge of the brothel are rendered impeccably alongside everything else. The score is robust throughout the duration of the film as it establishes the tone of the narrative. This audio presentation is quite capable.  

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Film Scholar Peter Verstraten provides a very thorough commentary track in which he discusses his history with the film, the restoration efforts, the themes and visual motifs, the backgrounds of the talent involved on screen and behind the camera, the music of the feature, the general response to the film and more. This is well worth a listen if you are interested in gaining more from the film. 

• Interview with Margo St. James: An eight-minute interview with US sex worker/advocate Margo St. James from 1991 in which she discusses the need to give sex workers rights, the arguments put forth by the patriarchy, the power dynamics at play, misconceptions around the issue, how things are different in Holland and more. 

• Promotional Gallery: A collection of posters and stills from the movie are provided here. 

• Trailers: The three-minute trailer is provided for Broken Mirrors. There are also trailers provided for A Question of Silence; Angst; Death Laid An Egg; My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie; and Obsessions. 

Final Thoughts

Broken Mirrors (1984) is an entrancing sophomore effort from Marleen Gorris which once again takes a strong feminist swing against the patriarchy. The filmmaker frames the struggles of sex workers as a stand-in for issues that women at large face as they are often reduced to being objects that men can use for whatever purpose they please. The plot is not heavy-handed, but anyone with any kind of rational thinking can see the dangers that arise from humanity being stripped from the existence of women. Each performer brings something special to their role which makes the emotional impact land that much more mightily. Cult Epics has delivered a Blu-Ray that offers a great A/V presentation and a couple of decent special features. If you are a fan of the director, this is a top tier release. Recommended 

Broken Mirrors (1984) is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Cult Epics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.