Thapson
The movie is a Dutch/French co-production originally titled “Spoorloos” (Dutch for “traceless”). There is an American remake too, but not nearly good enough. So, this is basically a review of the original “Spoorloos”. Incidentally Tim Krabbé is also involved in the screenplay for the movie.
“… a movie that is scary, suspenseful, and disturbing. And it does this with a minimal use of violence.”
The Disappearance
“The Vanishing” tells the story of a young Dutch couple who are driving along a highway in France and decide to take a break at a rest stop. It’s summer and the stop is quite busy and crowded with other holiday revellers. It’s under these perfectly ordinary circumstances, in broad daylight, and among dozens of witnesses that Saskia, the lady, disappears.
Rex, her boyfriend, initially suspects she’s among the crowd and will return soon enough. However, things turn ominous as there’s no return of Saskia. Rex’s desperation mounts as he starts asking around if anyone has seen Saskia. With no luck, it’s obvious she has vanished – without trace. Rex is panic stricken as this disappearance turns into a reality for him. And panic turns to complete dejection, as night falls at the gas station, and Rex is left no choice but to accept the obvious. Saskia has vanished.
Repercussion
We flash forward three years and while Rex has moved on with his life, the disappearance of Saskia has remained unsolved. He has started dating again, but is still obsessed with finding out what happened to Saskia. This obsession interferes with his dating scenario as the woman he is seeing can only tolerate his fixation so much. He still obsesses over the “missing” posters of Saskia and fervently seeks leads that offer any glimmer of hope regarding her disappearance. This includes making TV appearances on the anniversary of her disappearance. His current girlfriend assists him as far is possible, but can only do so much as he is a man possessed with finding out the truth. Rex, understandably, suffers from a guilt complex as his last day with Saskia had its ups and downs.
Some Likely Clues?
Meanwhile, Rex has been receiving communications from a man who claims to have information on her disappearance. He doesn’t want to turn any opportunity down despite initial skepticism. Eventually he meets up with a man, or rather the latter steps out of the shadows. The man, a somewhat reserved middle-aged Frenchman named Raymond, lives a fairly normal family life.
Rex accepts the offer of a ride with Raymond, as the Frenchman promises to explain everything. Riding along, their conversation suggests that Raymond may indeed have the answers to the mystery of Saskia’s disappearance.
Rex’s obsession has the better of him and he throws all caution aside as he continues on with Raymond. As they interact, we get to know Raymond better and realize the kind of a man he really is. We learn everything of what happened on that fateful day of Saskia’s disappearance as the chilling details are revealed.
The Revelation
Raymond takes Rex to where Saskia is likely now. Rex’s obsession to know the truth has him accepting anything Raymond has to offer. Not the wisest of decisions. What happens next would be a spoiler. You need to watch “The Vanishing”, the Dutch/French version, to know the rest of the story and what exactly happened to Saskia. Furthermore, what does Rex do on finally knowing the truth that has eluded him all these years? Oh, one more thing, why is the novella entitled “The Golden Egg?” Again, you would need to watch the movie.
Principal Cast
My Take
“The Vanishing” is one of those movies that triggers a range of emotions including anger, frustration, disappointment, empathy, disgust, and fear. The biggest is a feeling of being unsure of your, or your loved one’s safety. A feeling of dread and a strange sense of vulnerability. One feels a deep sense of empathy for Rex as he is torn between continuing life as normal, and his obsession and guilt on the loss of Saskia.
Then there’s the villain of the piece. What turns seemingly normal men into such predators? There’s definitely a case of some mental illness at play here and that makes it all the sadder. The mental condition of one person has the potential to affect so many others in the process. Even Rex becomes corollary victim as he’s unable to move on and form any meaningful relationships in life. A tragedy indeed.
The movie also is a warning of sorts to never take your loved ones for granted. This incident in broad daylight, in the most public of places makes it all the more poignant. Triggering an unexpected sense of paranoia, it plays with your fear psychosis to the point of suspecting all strangers. Which is unfortunate, as it can lead to further self-isolation and a reluctance to assist anyone in genuine need.
annubis44 – YouTube.com
Personal Offbeat Observation
For me personally, the movie also had other angles to it as I’m a fan of movies that can “take me” to the era it was shot in. So, it’s a time capsule of sorts that shows the cars, clothing, attitudes, and culture of the late 1980s. It also gives a quick “non-touristy” glimpse of France from the point of view of an ordinary citizen as I’ve never visited that country.
As I’ve already mentioned, there was an American remake of this movie in 1993 and I’ve seen that one too. However, with all due respect, it had an over-dramatized (Hollywood) feel and different conclusion which spoilt it for me.
I’ll be back with another movie review. Until then, happy movie viewing to you!
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