Movies & Film Corp Writing Sample - LA, Cal

An overarching theme of many movies that depict children in unpleasant situations, is the children's retreat into a fantasy world.  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe takes place in wartime England, during the Blitz.  Radio Flyer shows a young Elijah Wood dreaming he can escape an abusing stepfather, by constructing a flying red wagon.  And Pan's Labyrinth continues this archetype.  Perhaps, a world where the line is clearly drawn between good and evil is simpler for a child to understand, than are  the vagaries and complexity of real life.

Pan's Labyrinth in in Spanish, with English subtitles.  It is, visually, one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen.  A young girl and her pregnant mother are traveling to the countryside in Franco's Spain, to be with the unborn child's father.  The girl, Ofelia, has lost her father, and doesn't want to move - but her mother, having a difficult pregnancy, insists.

They arrive at their new home, a military outpost, where we learn that her stepfather, Captain Vidal, is a brutal and unpopular man.  Simple peasants are mistaken for communists in Franco's Spain, and how this is portrayed is, sadly, based on historical fact.  The facts and daily life at Captain Vidal's home are unpleasant, to say the least.  Ofelia daydreams and enjoys fairy tales even before arriving at the military outpost.  Now, Ofelia retreats into a fantasy as often as she can, and the lines become blurry:  Is she really seeing fairies?  And if so, what is their purpose?

The fairies take her to a labyrinth on Captain Vidal's woody property, where she enters a subterranean area and meets a faun.  The faun tells her that  she is the princess daughter of the underground king, but to prove she is worthy, she must complete three tasks.  The telling of this part of the film is done with a bright palette, while her time with her sick mother and cruel stepfather are shown in muted tones.  It is clear, to the viewer, which world Ofelia prefers.  The girl attempts to complete the three tasks, while tending to her ailing mother and attempting to stay away from her stepfather.

There is so much to commend about Pan's Labyrinth.  It is imaginative, beautiful to watch, exquisitely acted and utterly transporting.  A sense of sadness underlies nearly every scene - but a good review does not give away major plot points or the ending of a film.  This was one of my favorite movies of the year.  While in many ways this is a fantasy movie with a child in the lead role, it is not appropriate of children.  Pan's Labyrinth depicts the cruelty of men with the clear eyes of maturity. Directed by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Blade II).

Addendum: On Saturday, January 6th, 2007, the National Society of Film Critics chose Pan's Labyrinth as 2006's  Best Picture of the Year.  This is a high honor indeed, coming from 58 of the country's leading movie critics.  But, as of early January, many people in the US haven't heard of, let alone seen, Pan's Labyrinth.  It's only been in limited release, to be eligible for major awards.