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Storyline
In a fantasy world of opposing kingdoms, a 15-year old girl must find the fabled MirrorMask in order to save the kingdom and get home |
Backdrops
User Reviews
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The dark storyteller
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Neil Gaiman is to be trusted when it comes to writing good stories. His enchanting style, along with dark sense of humor and untamed imagination make his books and graphic novels a genuine delight to read. And consequently - desirable goods for movie makers. To adapt a book is always a hazardous undertaking, yet apparently some movie god keeps an eye on this black-clothed Englishman. Most Gaiman-branded pictures not only serve as a good entertainment, but keep a lot of the original, slightly creepy atmosphere of his writing.
It is actually that atmosphere which makes the earliest Gaiman adaptation even watchable. "Neverwhere" is a thrilling adventure story, set in the cellars, roofs and sewers of London and it has all the qualities required to make a reader happy, including sexy vampire ladies and sarcastic vagabonds. Sadly, a 1996 TV series produced by BBC lacks the basic ingredient of a decent fantasy movie - money. To show the miracles and horrors of London Below with uninteresting costumes, lousy special effects and claustrophobic sets (the series was shot in the real tubes of London) is barely possible. Therefore the result can be recommended only to the hardcore Gaiman fans. And I presume those have already seen "Neverwhere" and do not need to read any more of my complaints.
"MirrorMask" was produced 9 years later as a partnership with Dave McKean - director, graphic designer and friend of Gaiman's. The script - bizarre and metaphorical odyssey of a young girl - is a result of cooperative efforts of this duet. Interestingly, it is also the weakest part of this picture. "MirrorMask" is entirely dominated by McKean's artistic visions, a dazzling mixture of Chaga...
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reviewed by Esme (Filmaster.com) on the 30th of July 2009
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Your typical "down the rabbit's hole" children's story... a dreamworld with lot of oddball stuff going on that has analogues in reality. The art direction is really striking, though. It's amazing what they're doing with computers these days.