My Bloody Valentine
In the mining town of Harmony, a drilling accident buries six miners alive. When the rescue team make their way down there only Harry Warden is left alive, but in a coma. It is concluded that Harry murdered the others with his pickaxe to save oxygen for himself. Harry awakes from his coma on Valentine’s Day and kills 22 people He is killed by the deputy, but the only survivors are Tom Hanniger, his girlfriend Sarah, their friend Axel Palmer and his girlfriend Irene.
Ten years later Tom returns to Harmony after the death of his father, intent on selling the Hanniger Mine. On Valentine’s Day Harry Warden also returns, seeking revenge against those that had escaped his pickaxe in the past. Tom finds himself suspected of committing the murders, and only his ex-girlfriend doubt his guilt.
Can I just talk about how beautifully directed this scene is? (Even if it did give away the plot twist at the end of the movie for me - and if you haven’t seen it I’m about to give it away.)
At the beginning of the film Tom’s not in the best of places mentally, for the drilling accident that trapped the miners Harry Warden killed was apparently due to a mistake he made, and now being back at the mine freaks him out somewhat. Then Harry Warden attacks him and, just as he thinks he’s about to die, he gets a faceful of his would-be killer’s blood and looks him straight in the eye. I believe it is the trauma he suffers at this point that causes Tom’s mind to fracture, thereby giving him a split personality where one part of his mind takes on the traits of Harry Warden:
But back to the top scene.
Tom is facing Harry Warden for the first time in ten years, and we get a side-on view of them as they look at each other - this mirrors the moment near the beginning of the film where Tom was very nearly killed by him. Speaking of mirrors, the two characters then stand up perfectly in sync with each other, as if each of them is the reflection of the other. (This is the point my brain clicked and I realised that ‘Harry’ was actually a part of Tom’s mind.)
And not just that, but Tom being locked in the cage while 'Harry’ kills the miner is such an amazing metaphor. (The fact that Tom was locked up instead of just killed outright was another reason I guessed the truth.) I think that when 'Harry’ takes over Tom’s mind and kills people, Tom sees it all happen but is helpless to stop it, then when 'Harry’ retreats back into the depths of his mind Tom represses everything he’s just watched himself do because he can’t handle it. Tom rattling against the door of the cage he’s locked in shows him desperately trying to regain control over his body, Like I said, that scene is an amazing metaphor.
And now just for some general speculation - I’d need to watch it again to be fully decisive about this, but before 'Harry’ kills his first victims Tom has taken his medication, so I don’t think he’s fully aware of exactly what it is he’s done; however I think it’s in this scene after 'Harry’ kills the miner that Tom realises it’s him killing people, because he’s not dosed up on his pills and can actually watch himself do it.
But over time Tom can’t fully push 'Harry’ down far enough, and the two personalities start merging into one another while they each battle for dominance. Tom sees Megan’s Valentine’s message with the chocolates that says 'be mine 4 ever’, but it’s 'Harry’ who write that exact same message over Megan’s mutilated body, just as it it’s 'Harry’ who kills her, but Tom becomes aware of the fact without ever being told. Then at the end of the film 'Harry’ starts to be more in control, like while Tom’s driving Sarah out to Axel’s dad’s old place and he starts to lose his temper with her.
Ultimately, though, I think this is the point at which 'Harry’ takes control:
But although by this point 'Harry’ is the dominant part of Tom’s mind, when Sarah faces 'Harry’ and says his name - not Harry, but Tom - it gives Tom the strength to regain control, just for a moment, because he still loves her. But then 'Harry’ takes over once again and we get is that beautiful moment near the end of the film where Jensen goes from Tom to 'Harry’ in the blink of an eye - just watch his face!!!
And then in the very final scene where he escapes the mine, I doubt there’s much of Tom left - he’s buried deep inside and 'Harry’ isn’t going to let him resurface any time soon.
Just look at the way he squares his shoulders before he goes to walk away!
