X-Files--"Triangle"

Here you go, shippers--the first of four onscreen smooches between the agents, albeit Mulder kisses a 1939 version of Scully who punches him in the left eye for doing so. Fans into that sort of thing consider the occasion a series highlight, so rejoice as you deem necessary. I am more impressed with the technical expertise that went into filming triangle. It really is an extraordinary piece of filmmaking.

“Triangle” tells the story of Mulder traveling to the Bermuda Triangle on an apparent whim to search for the British ship Queen Anne. The opening scene depicts him lying facedown in the water before he is rescued by the crew of the Queen Anne. believing himself to be back in 1939 just days after Germany invaded Poland, he gets mixed up in a Nazi search for a nuclear scientist onboard and OSS agent Scully attempting to keep said scientist out of Nazi hands.

“Triangle” is generally an homage to The Wizard of oz. there are more subtle references, such as Mulder’s boat being called Lady Garland after Oz star Judy Garland, but far more overt ones, such as key roles in 1939 being played by people Mulder knows from contemporary times. Not to mention loads of joke s about over the rainbow and Toto.

As I said, the most appealing part of “Triangle” is the technical skill with which it was made. The first four acts are done in one continuous shot with the camera following a main character from commercial break to commercial break. That is not easy to do when considering each act is busier than the previous. In the present day, Scully scurries through the corridors and offices of the FBI building attempting to track down Mulder’s whereabouts, while in 1939, Mulder is being chased through the decks of the Queen Anne into an elaborate ballroom party. For the fifth act, the two time periods converge in a split screen in which 1998 Scully and 1939 Scully literally cross each other’s path on the same Queen Anne deck. Describing it does not do justice. It must be seen to be fully appreciated.

Not that it is perfect. At one point, Gillian Anderson stumbles on the FBI building set, but manages to right herself and keep going. The scene was kept in, presumably to add authenticity to Scully’s desperation is locate Mulder, but it was probably also kept in to keep from having to re-shoot the nine minute continuance sequence again.

As a period piece, the setting is done extraordinarily well. Many of the period costumes had been used in James Cameron’s Titanic, which was most certainly the inspiration for the episode in the first place whether anyone responsible is willing to own up to the fact. Gillian Anderson is quite hot, too. I can see how she has carved out a decent career for herself playing in period pieces for the BBC these days. Ahe makes for a classy dame.

There are strong hints the episode from Mulder’s perspective was an oxygen deprived hallucination in which he fantasized people he knew were a part of it. The only hint events were real is his black left eye from where 1939 Scully punched him for kissing her. That and the generally dismissive attitude 1998 Scully had for his advances, which include a sly placing of his hand on her hip in the hospital. Blink and you will miss it.

I am fond of “Triangle” as both one who appreciates when filmmakers take risks and as a history buff. Granted, the latter strains at times to accept some errors. Scully could not be an OSS agent in 1939 because the OSS was not founded until 1942. I suppose I can live with such things. “triangle” is the first episode in quite a while to earn four stars.

Rating: **** (out of 5)