The Empty Mirror

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While I doubt this movie appeals to the majority of people, it is never-the-less accurate both historically and psychologically. Many of the ideas expressed (by the character Hitler and his cohorts), facts referenced, and behavior exhibited are realistic. I have studied Hitler to a some extent, particularly his psychology and neuroses (read Robert G .L. Waite), and I feel that this movie shows the man as he was, a facade of power covering thinly doubt and pain. Hitler is not, after all, simply the worst monster in history, he had reasons and beliefs that motivated his actions. While the depiction of him may seem to inappropriate to some, it shows Hitler as a vulnerable, conflicted person who uses power and cruelty to attempt to hide his own debilitating lack of self confidence. Hitler needed to be accepted, loved, and to belong. He tried to use power and fear as a surrogate for all these things that make a healthy happy person, but it gave him no rest. He did indeed stare into an empty mirror. Hitler was a victim of his own twisted mind and lonely, hollow existence.

Hitler deserves not to be forgiven, but understood. The empty mirror shows Hitler as human, and a weak one. This is not a tribute: Hitler wanted to be remembered as a great destructive prophet, to see him as the vulnerable victim of himself (while not pardoning what he did) is not what Hitler wanted. Watch, and understand Hitler the victim.

For a relatively young, post-war Boomer like myself, this spellbinding movie poses a question which is more fascinating than Hitler himself ever was. Out here in ultra-liberal California, why do we still pay any attention to this guy? He died in the Bunker in Berlin on April 30, 1945, five years before I was even born.

Over the years, I've seen multiple object lessons on the benefits of tolerance and the sheer self-destructiveness of intolerance. I've seen everything improve from my love-life to my job prospects, as I have become more tolerant, more "easy-going" over the years.

Maybe it's because World War Two is one of the cases in which good really did vanquish evil.

On the other hand, maybe there is something mesmerizing about mental pathology, or at least the type that this neurotic SOB had. This guy was no BS-ing Spiro Agnew, no sobbing Jimmy Swaggart, he was the "real deal", a man who truly did the devil's work. And yet, who coolly maintained a distance between his person and the "Final Solution to the Jewish Problem". An animal-loving, sentimental vegetarian who loved bloody war. A raging maniac who revelled in his own anger, but who never himself killed anyone in civilian life. An adherent of "physical culture" who was sallow-skinned and infected with syphilis. A charismatic figure who spent his private life in an odd sort of solitude. A man who lived for a "glorious" past, but whose operatives created jet airplanes, robot bombs and the first ballistic missile, majorly contributing to the Twentieth Century which he so detested.

Yeah, sometimes pathological men are entertaining. And this movie tells us something about him and a great more about ourselves. Research on the Third Reich itself can become a form of conquest.

I strongly disagree with the comments made about this movie. It's not obscene. It's an honest attempt to get at the heart of one of the most fascinating and significant people in history. Sure, it takes some chances but all great works of art do. Is there any guarantee that Hitler actually had the thoughts that the writers of this movie think he had? No. But that's the case with most biographical movies. All in all, I found the movie disturbing, enlightening, and very much worth seeing.

As I am reading some of the reviews, I begin to realize that this masterpiece is not for the unsophisticated who draws a blank at symbolism. It also would not hurt to have read some of the more comprehensive works on the subject such as J. Toland's `Hitler' to understand the making and the pathologies of this sometimes gentle monster. There are so many outstanding moments in this film. Like when Hitler tallies up the murdered Jews and comes up slightly short of six mio., then trivializes it by claiming the other side is always embellishing. The illuminated part where he stands in the light beam of his projector directing Handel's Messiah. Yes, he is the creator! The phallic symbol of shattered mirror he holds up. Yes, there was a problem with potency. Finally his jailer becoming himself. And his last act to immerse into the tunnel and into the light, cleverly staged through the light beam of the projector. Frustratingly clawing entry into the projection. No, he is not permitted entry. His pained face shows utter torment and eventually takes on the image of a distorted mask against a black background. Norman Rodway as Hitler did a fantastic and believable portrayal of Hitler. No, he is not the spitting image of the egomaniac, but remember looks can be deceiving!

In a subterranean bunker, displaced from place and time, Adolf Hitler is very much alive. Full of his trademark demented energy and vigour, he rants and raves about art, philosophy and psychology. Dictating his memoirs, the Führer displays little remorse, while compatriots such as Goebbels, Goering and Eva Braun continue to feed his ego. However, the appearance of Sigmund Freud, as well as a mysterious woman in black, cast doubts over the fascist's agenda; leading him to finally question his legacy and life.

A complex and intriguing experimental film, Barry J. Hershey's 'The Empty Mirror' is a fascinating examination of one of the most infamous characters in history. Written alongside someone credited only as R. Buckingham, Hershey's screenplay is strongly written, painting a nuanced portrait of the Führer, whilst condemning his National Socialist policies. Much like Oliver Hirschbiegel's 'Downfall,' the film does not take a one-dimensional view of the man, exploring the humanity of a most inhumane character.

Hershey's version of Hitler is a man struggling to accept the fact that his policies failed, that his ideas for the world were not realized in his lifetime. Though an egotistical lunatic in many respects, the film highlights the magnetic- and to modern viewers, perhaps maniacal- draw he had over audiences. Through his rants- many of which are taken word for word from 'Mein Kampf'- we begin to understand the man better than in most other contemporary accounts or films; such as the overwrought 'Hitler: The Rise of Evil,' or in the rather one-note 'The Death of Adolf Hitler.'

It is a powerful film with an important- albeit familiar- message at its centre: that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and that even the most powerful and evil people are still just that; people. The film doesn't try to mythologize the man, nor his actions, and is all the better for it. Furthermore, through his encounters with Freud, Hitler is finally faced with someone who disagrees with him on practically every level. In this respect, the narrative showcases that authoritarianism breeds isolated ignorance, leading everyone involved down a dark and sinister path.

'The Empty Mirror' is a visually striking affair, containing stylish imagery that compounds the main messages of the film. Influenced by the same expressionism and surrealism so well-utilized by Leni Riefenstahl, Frederick Elmes's unique cinematography employs a compelling mix of black-and-white and colour footage. This choice deftly contrasts the stark reality of Hitler's ideology with the vivid, often grotesque fantasy of his envisioned utopia.

Symbolic elements are woven throughout, with the mirror serving as a recurring motif for self-reflection, while the painting and chessboard symbolizes control and strategy. The mysterious woman in black introduces an element of the unknown, casting a shadow over Hitler's certainty, while Elmes's use of tight close-ups captures the intensity of his delusions. Elmes's utilisation of low angle shots elevates the Führer's imposing presence, while the dimly lit, oppressive bunker interior makes for a claustrophobic experience, trapping the viewer in Hitler's warped mindset; forcing a confrontation with the disturbing allure of his rhetoric. Elmes's work not only enhances the psychological drama of proceedings, but also serves as a stark reminder of the power of visual media to manipulate and mesmerize.

Furthermore, John Frizzell's score is haunting and evocative. Combined with Elmes's visuals, his work recreates the intense atmosphere that must have been experienced at a National Socialist rally in the late 30's. Making effective use of pieces by Wagner and others, Frizzell's stirring melodies create an atmosphere of epic dread, which is only compounded by the affecting sound design, as well as Melinda Eshelman's remarkably accurate costume design; while Marc Grossman's intuitive editing holds everything together adroitly.

'The Empty Mirror' finds Norman Rodway starring as Hitler, delivering a powerful and poignant performance that highlights the man's madness, as well as his humanity. Rodway could be the fascist's double, at times, so uncannily does he capture Hitler's expressive gesticulations. It is a grounded performance, full of nuance and subtlety. Camilla Søeberg is equally good as the somewhat naïve Eva Braun, while Peter Michael Goetz, Glenn Shadix and Joel Grey do sterling efforts as Freud, Goering and Goebbels, respectively.

A fascinating film, 'The Empty Mirror' is a clever and canny examination of Adolf Hitler, that doesn't attempt to excuse the man or lessen the inhumanity of his actions. A balanced and provocative portrait of the madness borne of absolute power; it is a film that will keep one thinking long after the credits have rolled. Boasting strong dialogue, power-house performances, a stirring score and striking cinematography, Barry J. Hershey's 'The Empty Mirror' casts a reflection of life one cannot ignore.