You can’t run away from home without destroying somebody’s world.
MirrorMask (2005)
MirrorMask is a 2005 fantasy film directed by the renowned British artist David McKean, based on a story by the master fantasy writer Neil Gaiman. The idea for the movie was conceived by The Jim Henson Company following the success of DVD versions of Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal.
MirrorMask was produced on a significantly smaller budget of only $4-5 million, which is ten times less than the budget of The Dark Crystal. This limited funding resulted in the extensive use of CG instead of the renowned and distinctive Henson puppetry technique. MirrorMask was initially intended as a direct-to-DVD release but had a limited theatrical run, grossing under $1 million. DVD sales were also disappointing and The Jim Henson Company had to cancel the planned manga prequel.
The movie was also poorly received by critics back in 2005. Still, in the years that followed, it gained a cult following and is now often featured in various recommendation lists and content aggregators. It is a unique piece created with full artistic freedom by a group of very talented people, a true gem of indie art. If you like fantasy movies, MirrorMask well deserves your attention, but the film truly shines when enjoyed alongside the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 videogame.
When comparing the film and the game, it is clear that MirrorMask served as a major source of inspiration for Sandfall Interactive when they worked on their critically acclaimed masterpiece.
One might argue that both the movie and the game were coincidentally and independently inspired by the same classic pieces of art, including the masterpiece anime Angel’s Egg, which likely served as the inspiration for the flying fish in the city imagery. However, the similarities between MirrorMask and Clair Obscur extend beyond just their visuals; their plots also share several striking similarities, including the concepts of a painted world, family bonds, and transformation.
Watching MirrorMask after completing the game is an incredibly rewarding experience. It feels like an intense reverse Easter egg hunt, uncovering sources of inspiration and subtle references between the two.
Both the movie and the game take place in a surreal, painted world featuring a large city at its center. The world of MirrorMask is created by a young girl named Helena Campbell, who works in a traveling circus alongside her parents in modern-day Europe. Helena does not possess any extraordinary powers aside from her artistic imagination and travels to the painted world in a dream.
The world of Clair Obscur is a collective effort of the Dessendre family, a wealthy French family who live in early 20th-century Paris. Dessendre are Painters, people who have a supernatural power to create and manipulate worlds within magical Canvases.
Both painted worlds are inhabited by peculiar automaton creatures, fantastical beasts, and humans, including mirrored/painted versions of the Campbell/Dessendre families. In Clair Obscure, there are other humans besides Alicia’s painted relatives. One theory suggests that all of these characters represent different aspects of the original personalities of the Dessendre family members, effectively serving as their reflections or shadows.
Helena in MirrorMask and Alicia Dessendre in Clair Obscur both enter the painted world to save their mothers. Helena’s mother is sick, rushed to the hospital, and must undergo a serious surgery. In a painted world, Helena learns of a sleeping Queen of Light who bears a resemblance to her mother. It is implied that if Helena doesn’t find a way to wake her up, her real mother will not survive the surgery. Alicia’s mother in Clair Obscur has voluntarily resigned to stay in the Canvas for too long, which is harming her physical health; her family is trying to reach her and bring her back to the real world.
In the painted world, Helena encounters Valentine, a juggler who claims to be a very important person. He becomes her guide and partner. Valentine shares many similarities with Monoco from Clair Obscur. Notably, near the end of the movie, Valentine behaves like a dog and reveals that his mother is not his biological mother, stating, “She bought him from another man.”
In the real world of Clair Obscur, Monoko is a beloved pet dog belonging to the Dessendre family.
My mum always said: “It’s a dog-eat-dog world, son. You get them before they get you. Eat your greens. Please don’t do that. Stop embarrassing me in front of the neighbors. I think it would be best if you just leave home and never come back!” She wasn’t even really my mum. She bought me from a man…
Valentine, MirrorMask (2005)
The purpose of this monologue and the true nature of Valentine are unclear. At the end of the movie, he appears as a young man in the real world and meets Helena, suggesting a romantic connection between them.
The painted worlds of both MirrorMask and Clair Obscur are suffering from a catastrophe. A malevolent force is destroying life by draining color and disintegrating people into dust. The origin of this disaster is initially unknown, but it is later revealed that the world is falling apart because the painting is being destroyed.
During her quest, Helena/Alicia receives help from a gentle flying giant. In MirrorMask, the Giants Orbiting are instantly destroyed by the Shadows. In Clair Obscure, giant Esquie helps the party until the end and effectively serves as a mascot of the game.
Initially, Helena/Alicia believes that the source of Darkness is a fearsome Queen of Shadows/Paintress. The letter reveals that the Queen of Shadows/Paintress is actually protecting the painted world. Her motivation stems from a desire to keep her family together at any cost, even if that family togetherness exists only as an illusion.
The Queen of Shadows/Paintress creates a mechanical Siren to cast a charming spell on anyone who attempts to disrupt her dream world. Helena falls under the influence of this spell and spends time with the Queen, becoming her ideal daughter, until Valentine arrives to rescue her. In the game, defeating the Siren is a crucial step toward reaching the Paintress.
Valentine has a vision of a conflict with Helena, in which he claims the Mirror Mask and escapes into the real world, where he becomes a waiter. This ending is quite depressing.
In Clair Obscur a fundamental conflict emerges between Alicia and the painted Verso. This conflict presents a pivotal choice between two endings: to destroy the painting and remain in the real world, or to opt for an escape from reality through a gradual suicide.
It turns out that the true antagonist of MirrorMask is not the Queen, but rather Helena’s mirrored self, the Princess of Shadows. This character embodies themes of teenage rebellion, selfishness, the challenges of puberty, and a desire for unlimited freedom. The Princess of Shadows steals the MirrorMask and uses it to escape the painted world. In her quest for liberation, she begins to tear apart paintings, destroying the City of Light, and ultimately severing her ties with her parents.
The true antagonist of Clair Obscur is Alicia’s father, Renoir. His quest is to destroy the painting, bringing home his estranged wife Aline, who got caught in the illusory world where she can spend time with her deceased son. Unlike the Princess of Shadow, Renoir acts out of pure selfishness and care for his family.
Both stories feature a central plot device cleverly concealed in plain sight.
The ending of MirrorMask is lighthearted and uplifting. Helena defeats the Princess of Shadows and awakens the Queen of Light, saving the world. Additionally, her mother successfully recovered from surgery. Helena goes on to work in a circus with her parents, where she meets Valentine in his human form. This conclusion left me pondering the film’s message. Is it about obeying your parents? Not succumbing to dangerous teenage impulses? Or perhaps a warning against wearing goth makeup unless your mother approves? In my opinion, such a positive ending diminishes what is otherwise an engaging and profound story.
The ending serves as a reminder that, despite the listed similarities, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is not a retelling of MirrorMask. While both works share thematic elements, MirrorMask—like Labyrinth—serves primarily as an allegory for puberty, addressing the fear of growing up, escapism, and adolescent rebellion against parents. In contrast, Clair Obscur focuses on dealing with loss and facing (or embracing) suicidal thoughts.
A little bonus
MirrorMask contains at least one Easter egg reference to Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber. Neil Gaiman has stated that Zelazny is the author who has influenced him the most.
“What’s green and red and goes round and round and round?”
The sphinx blinked twice, then fiurrowed its brow. I used the time that followed for some more deep breathing and some running in place. The fires subsided, my head grew clearer, my pulse steadied…
“Well?” I said some minutes later.
“I’m thinking.”
“Take your time.”
Thumps of Doom (1985) by Roger Zelazny