Vampires and reflections. What's your view?

[horrorshock666]

I read this in the unofficial Buffy guidebook, Dusted. They have a theory on why sometimes we can see reflections of vampires. I'll quote that section from the book.​

"Chiefly remembered for revamping Giles' character and introducing Ethan Rayne, Halloween more subtly weighs in on the when you can/can't see a vampire's reflection debate. Here, a vampire shows up on videocamera (the teaser in which Spike watches Buffy slays vampire) even though mirrors are used inside video cameras.
Now, although this is often cited as a goof, the Angel series establishes that vampires don't cast reflections because the demon inside can't bear to face itself. Ergo, the process might be a deliberate - if subconscious - "blanking" of the host-body's reflection rather than a built-in law of physics. That suggests that if the demon inside doesn't percieve a video camera as being reflective, the camera will function properly.
Which begs the question: Do vampires cast reflection in mirrors if nobody's watching (or if they do not notice the mirror)? If so, it explains why we can occasionally glimpse Angel's reflection in smooth surfaces through-out the series' run. Ditto Spike."

This got me thinking. Could the occasional glimpse of a vampire in Buffy (it happens quite alot on mirrors and on shiny surfaces) be explained by this theory?

Can it be right though?​

After all We saw a photograph in Ats where Cordelia, Wesley and Angel are smiling at the camera, Angel knows about the camera and he is still on the photo and In Pylea Angel can see himself in the mirror, if the demon was scared to show himself, it would do that everywhere ... or it is a psychological thing, but if that is the case; Angel should've seen himself in the mirror when he lost his memories in Spin the Bottle. But he didn't.

I was wondering generally what people think...
I mean could this theory be right?
Could it be a mistake from the production side?
Or doesn't it really matter all that much to you?​

 

[Kemy]

Bram Stoker has a lot to answer for. Not only did he plagerise every other Vampire publication before him to create the basis of Dracula, the rest he simply made up, flying in the face of at least 4000 years of Vampire legend.

Babylonian depictions of Vampires show reflections as far back as 2000 BC and there are always accounts of people having seen them in mirrors. But there was this idea that Souls reflected in mirrors, and that a Vampire's reflection with be distorted or lack a true substance due to the lack of a Soul, or the trapped Human Soul was tormneted within the demonic vessel creating a twisted image.

Stoker changed this so that due to the lack of a Soul no Vampire reflected at all, which is dumb for obvious reasons. Vampires have substance, they're physically there and must reflect light, even if by some mystical means the image is not perfect (the blurring on photographs Buffy references keep bringing up) or like in Moonlight, Vampiric light distorts the Silver Bromide in the photographic film.

Overall its just easier to assume they do cast a normal reflection since its still a physical body standing there, people can see it, therefore theres no reason mirrors can't reflect them.

As I've mentioned before its one of the subtle lovable things about Underworld, vain Vampires admiring themsevles in every reflective surface they can find like Erika, perfect crystal clear reflections.

 

[lemst6]

Honestly, I think it's just a mistake in production. The reflection of Angel in smooth surfaces is the result of not editing out David's reflection when filming the scene, which if you take it into consideration the kind of technological effects already done in Buffy and Angel, if the production management were to take the time to edit out everytime David's reflection was seen in smooth surfaces, it would add months onto the production time. Also, for some aspects, it's easier to rely on common human knowledge to convey a thought than to try and explain a science fiction logic to it. Obviously to convey the idea of friendship and such, having photographs are the easiest way to show that in a non verbal way, to try to find a different way to convey that because of the law that vampires cannot reflect would take up important time in the airing and would cut back on the important aspects and plots of the show. So while you may have the occasional over analyzer of the show, most people will just accept it because it is common human knowledge. Just like heavy breathing in acting signifies a heightened sense of activity, yet vampires don't breath, it's easier to just convey sexual tension, fear, action etc by using the common human knowledge of heavy breathing, than trying to come up with a different way to convey it that would take explaining.

 

[CharmedSlayer85]

Yeah the times when you saw a vampire's reflection were just production problems not actual mythology, also Angel seeing his reflection in Pylea was explained just like him being able to be into the sunlight in Pylea.

 

[T.I.P]

I think they sometimes showed reflections just to mess with us and so we'd speak about it,

 

[NightBird]

Vampires having not reflections makes no sense, if we can see it then it reflects light and if it reflects light it has a reflection.

I just assume (righty or wrongly) that vamps can decide when they have reflections, use in hunting, hard to sneak up on somebody who is looking in a mirror.