MASCARA

Belgium, 1987, 99 minutes, Colour.
Derek de Lint, Charlotte Rampling, Michael Sarazzin.
Directed by Patrick Conrad.

Mascara is an unusual, somewhat oddball thriller. It is a Belgian/Dutch/French/American co-production. Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, of Cannon Films, were the producers.

The film also has an international cast led by British Charlotte Rampling, Canadian Michael Sarazzin and Dutch Derek De Lint. The film was made in English. It was based on an original idea by Patrick Conrad, its director and co-screenwriter.

The film has a police background as well as a background of underground clubs in an anonymous Belgian city by the coast, a place for transvestites and members of upper crust society. There is also an opera background with excerpts from Strauss's Salome, Bellini's Norma and, especially, Von Gluck's Orpheo ed Euridice - which gives some mythic meaning to the plot. There are also a number of contemporary songs, most especially `Help Me Make It Through The Night.'

The film deals in odd relationships, tensions, sexual ambiguity, violence, law and order.

1.Interesting psychological crime thriller? Bizarre behaviour? Law and order?

2.The international co-production, the Belgian settings, the international cast?

3.The musical score, the opera excerpts? The contemporary songs? The focus on Orpheus and Euridice, the underworld? The victims all dressed as Euridice? Orpheus murdering them? How valid the mythical background to the plot?

4.The Belgian settings, the city, police work, homes and apartments, the beach? The world of the opera? The underground club?

5.The title, make-up, masks, men and women and make-up? The transvestite theme? Transsexuality?

6.Charlotte Rampling as Gabby, the focus of the film, the background of her life, her child and love for her child? Her relationship with her brother? The outings, going to the opera? Sharing ideas and understanding? Undertones of possible incestuous relationship? Her meeting Chris, attracted by him? Her social life? The meetings with Chris, the affair, the apartment and his watching her, his behaviour and its effect on her? Bert and his breakdown, reactions? Spying on her? His hold over her, her control? The build-up to Chris and Bert at the club, the climax, the deaths? Her identifying the bodies and turning from Bert to Chris? Loves and loyalties?

6.Michael Sarrazin as Bert, credible as Gaby’s brother? His love for his sister? Ambiguous love, sexuality, undertones of incest? At the opera, interest, boredom? His meeting with Chris, admiration of Euridice's dress, his plan? The glimpse of him at work, his police skills, murders and investigations? The lack of information given about his work? His being tired and wanting to retire? His plan with the dress? His friendship with Pepper, with Lana - and her visits to the office and his abruptness? His affairs, to the club, the dress, getting Pepper to wear it and miming the opera, the revelation that she was a transvestite? Return to the opera, his hold over Chris? The murder? The cover-up? His plan, repeating the performance with Lana and killing her? His relationship with Gabby and his jealousy? His control over Chris? Bad-mouthing him and setting him up for jealous violence? The finale, his own dressing up and miming? The confrontation with Chris, death? His madness? The make-up and the mascara? A believable complex character or not?

7.Chris, the ordinary man, working at the opera, his design, the dresses? Hitting Gabby with the car, meeting her later? Attracted by her, in love with her, the affair, the apartment, the binoculars and the clash? Bert and the dress, his unwillingness, assuming it was for Gabby, his waiting in the dressing room? Not knowing of the murder? The danger - Lana and the others visiting him at the opera and threatening him? Lana's death? The hold by Bert, finally going to the club, the final set-up, mutual deaths?

8.The club, the underworld, transsexuals and transvestites, society? The operatic performances? The cover-up for the murder? Security? The performances, Euridice's dress? Death, violence and sexuality?

9.The character sketches of Pepper and Lana? As women, at the club, relationship with Bert? Transvestites? Victims?

10.The blend of murder mystery, myth, unusual sexuality, behaviour, meanings?