Plot: What’s it about?
This series has been visited before, as Anchor Bay released the first three volumes as separate editions. Now the studio has gone back to the franchise, giving us a four disc collection that houses all four pictures. So toss those single discs to the curb, as this special collection is the sole option if you want the fourth movie. The series is by no means a classic, but if you’re a genre devotee, the films are a decent watch. Without further delay, below I’ve written a synopsis for each film, should you be interested.
Mirror, Mirror- Megan Gordon (Rainbow Harvest) is very shy and as such, she doesn’t always make friends quickly or easily. So now that she’s moved to a new town with her widowed mother Susan (Karen Black), she isn’t optimistic about having much of a social life. It doesn’t help that she has moved into a house rumored to be haunted, since it gives her even more of a fringe persona. But even she didn’t think the cliques in her new high school would be this cruel, as she is harassed from the start and finds herself to be the most unpopular quicker than she can even realize what has transpired. What was supposed to be a fresh start after her father’s death has turned into something even worse than her previous situation, not what she wanted to have happen. At least she likes her new room and the odd mirror that stands inside of it, even though she had to convince her mother to pay in order to keep it with the house. The mirror soon becomes very important to her too, as she learns that whatever she wishes for and then sees in the mirror, becomes reality. So when she has her mom’s date see worms in his food at dinner, it happens and by turn, he makes a hasty exit from the house. But when her thoughts become darker and involve pain & suffering, will she go through with them and will she discover the true source & intentions of the mirror’s powers?
Mirror, Mirror II: Raven Dance- An evil mirror is hidden within an orphanage, covered with thick cloth and crucifixes, to ensure it remains undiscovered. This mirror was responsible for many deaths within the orphanage, but now seventeen years have passed since those events. But when a rock band arrives to put on a benefit concert, some of the band members stumble across the covered mirror in a closet and of course, want to know what lurks underneath. When a cross is removed, the cover falls to the ground and the band finds itself locked in the crosshairs of this mysterious device. One of the teenage girls at the orphanage, Marlee (Tracy Wells) is becoming tired of the band’s torments toward her younger brother Jeffrey (Carlton Beener), so she wishes that some harm would come to the musicians and soon enough, that’s just what happens. The supernatural mirror responds to her wish and thanks to some sudden electricity jolts, the band is left fried. So now the two orphans are drawn to and connected to this strange mirror, which seems to have powers they can’t understand, though it usually makes Marlee want to shake that ass. When Marlee’s mean stepsister Roslyn (Sally Kellerman) visits and wants to have Marlee committed, can she call upon the mirror to assist her and if so, what price will she have to pay?
Mirror, Mirror III: The Voyeur- Cassandra (Monique Parent) and Anthony (Billy Drago) are deeply in love and share a passionate bed, so they vow to remain together until the end. As much as she cares for Anthony however, his minimal income from his art isn’t enough to provide for her, so she dabbles on the side with a drug dealer, Julio (Richard Cansino). In exchange for some cash to keep herself in business, she showers Julio with sexual affections he could only otherwise fantasize about. She also has a special mirror in her possession, one which allows her to see into the future, but when she looks this time, she sees a horrific event. As she gazes into the mirror, she sees herself being murdered by Julio and as she doesn’t wish to allow this to transpire, she decides to go after him first. The next encounter between them turns sour, as Cassandra stabs the drug pusher, but he is soon able to take control over the situation. But when both vanish and no location is known, Anthony simply assumes he has been left by his former lover. He moves into Cassandra’s old place however, along with his brother Joey (Mark Ruffalo) and his new girlfriend Carolyn (Elizabeth Baldwin), who helps him sell his paintings. But when the past resurfaces through a detective (David Naughton) looking for Cassandra, will the truth about all this be discovered?
Mirror, Mirror IV: Reflections- In this fourth and final installment, the mirror has five new victims to inhabit. The extra workload never proves to be a hassle however, as the mirror soon begins to call to each of the people. The five folks are desperate, lost souls who seek some kind of solace, even if it comes at a massive cost. As a storm rages outside, the five are sucked into the surreal world of the mirror’s powers, which reveals a lot more than expected. These people have to face lost chances, untraveled roads, and broken lives, none of which are easy subjects to deal with. But that is just the start of what the mirror unveils to the poor souls, who soon find themselves entranced and taken in by the mirror’s powers. But when the storm clears, what will have become of the five people and their battered lives?
Video: How does it look?
The films are all presented in full frame, as intended. The transfers here are varied, some look quite solid and some don’t. The first two films have the usual signs of low rent, direct to video material, but the treatment is still passable. You’ll see some grain and nicks on the print, but the image is always clean enough. The third volume has a less impressive presence, thanks to unrefined visuals, as if the film were shot on video tapes. This limits sharpness and depth, but in the end, the treatment is still watchable. The fourth installment, available on DVD here for the first time, has a more than solid treatment. Of course, it is still a lower budget movie and that shows, but for what it is, the transfer is good enough. So we have three good, solid treatments and one lackluster one, but the flaws are due to the source material. The end result is that Anchor Bay has given fans about the best visual presentations possible.
Audio: How does it sound?
All four films have 2.0 surround options, which means some life can be heard, but not enough to make much of a ruckus. I found all four soundtracks to be about the same, with no real flaws to mention, but no real standout moments either. The sound effects don’t need much room to stretch, so this track handles them without issue, but don’t expect the surrounds to pulse either. The main focus is the dialogue, which has a pleasant and clean sound, although not as crisp as I had expected. These are still average mixes, but I had expected a little more, especially from the atmospheric presence angle. I mean, more subtle cues could have added much more tension. But in the end, these soundtracks are passable and for the limited audio potential of the source materials, I can’t complain too much.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This release includes no bonus materials.
