"The Vanishing 1988" tells of the dogged search of a man for his girlfriend who disappears while they're together on holiday. Not a "thriller", this psychodrama spends most of its time dwelling on the criminal mind of the abductor, the anxiety and angst of the abductee's boyfriend, and flashbacking to show what transpired from the abductor's perspective after setting up the story with the boyfriend's perspective. The film is well crafted realism and a worthy watch for those who don't mind subtitles.<br /><br />From the same novel as the later American version (circa 1993), movie purist agree this Europic is superior to the Hollywood product but then, aren't they all? There are sufficient differences, however, to make viewing both films worthwhile.