THE VANISHING
Games of Death
Geoffrey Hamilton
May 11, 2000
Movies (on video)
A Dutch movie called "THE VANISHING" is an original horror movie which shows
the game gene in its more frightening aspects.
In this Dutch cult classic a French professor of
mathematics, who is quite a common person in many ways, does something very heroic
which his wife and daughters admire. But this act of his makes him ask the
question "If I am a hero what is the worse thing that I can still do?" He
answers this with the concept that he must murder someone to test himself.
He proceeds to set up a plan of action. He methodically times and works out the
variables of his plan. When he takes the first steps towards implementing his
idea he finds his math skills fail him in the light of reality. Repeatedly
he attempts to lure a victim into his car only to find his method lacking.
However, he does not give up. As his character says , once an idea begins to be worked on it
grows in importance so one can't let go of it until it's run it's course.
The gamegene in action.
The professor is finally about to give up the original plan as impossible when, without any
plan in mind, he adlibs a scenario with a Dutch woman until he convinces her to enter his
car. Eventually he kills her
as simply as he can, which is horrible for us to see, but he does this without any
pleasure being taken in the act itself. The end - at least of his game.
By adlibing he was able to succeed whereby by planning he failed. Now the
concept was tested, he proved to himself he could murder and be a hero too. The obsession
was finished. Game over. He went back to his normal life as a well loved and
respected teacher and father.
Eventually, the Dutch boyfriend of the now missing girl proceeds to look for her all over France. For two years
he puts up posters and goes on radio and TV to canvass for clues. The professor
watches the media and calmly sees how the boyfriend's obsession grows like his own once did.
The
boyfriend has a wonderful new girlfriend who he says he would have left the
missing girl for. However, he believes he must continue the search for his
missing ex until he finds out what
happened. He and the professor are equally alike in obsessions. The boyfriend
progressively gives up money, work and his life in his search.
The professor recognizes this unrelenting pursuit may net him and so decides to head him off.
The
professor uses the knowledge of his own obsession to, as the admitted killer of his
girlfriend, openly lure the boyfriend to France.
He even offers to show the boyfriend what actually happened to her by getting his
consent to replay the whole murder on him. The trap is brilliant, like slowly
bringing a frog to a boil. The father-professor goes back to his normal life.
They call it an obsession in the movie
but it is only the game gene functioning.
There are no heroes and murderers because the goals implied in these labels are just
two goals among an infinite number that all people are capble of pursuing.
ethics
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