Rarely does a film combine visual brilliance and emotional pitch quite like Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. It takes place in 1944 Spain, but it represents the sad horror of all wars. It features one little girl, but Ivana Baquero unforgettably portrays the youthful innocence we all fear to lose. It's the story of a child who stumbles into a maze and finds a magical creature with a challenge for her, one that's everything she could possibly hope—and fear—it will be.
Of course, anyone who's seen the film knows the devastating punch of its ending. (And here those of you who haven't seen it should be warned that this discussion contains some serious spoilers.) But it's an ending that begs a lot of questions even as its events sink in. The obvious issue is whether or not the film's fantastical elements actually exist, or if they are only figments of Ofelia's imagination as she struggles to cope with a harsher reality.
A lot of people seem to think it's a revelation that the faun doesn't exist when the captain can't seem him in the maze. But there are other points of the story that don't seem possible if everything is in Ofelia's head. As she's running from the captain in the maze, for example, a hole opens up in the wall that then closes and the captain can't see. Also, even though the mandrake appears to be a lifeless root when the captain discovers it beneath his wife's bed, her physical condition does change in exact correspondence to Ofelia putting it there (and it being taken away).
If the faun is as old and powerful a creature as he claims to be, it's certainly plausible that he could hide himself from the captain at such a critical moment, especially if it's the cusp of his princess finally being returned to her kingdom.
Do you think it was del Toro's intention that we see the movie in a particular way with regard to this issue? Or is it even important to the movie's overall impact? Please feel free to share your thoughts on this extraordinary film below. Unique and powerful, it's definitely a movie worth talking about.
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Comments: 20
It's the combination of a lot of small hints and phrases and seemingly meaningless incidents placed throughout the movie that were brought together creating strong imagery and characterization which give the movie some of its greatest significance but, hands down, my favorite thing about this movie is that they decided to make it in Spanish. Especially in an English market making it in Spanish created an out-of-synch-ness between the watcher and the movie which was just unsettling enough to make the fantasy more welcome. Spanish's Latin connection with English also gave it a strange familiarity that worked well parallel with the Kingdom's small connection with Earth via the portal, pan's creatures and Ofelia.
An entirely incredible film. I can't wait to watch it again and again and again.
While one might think this is another children's fable by seeing the trailer, it deftly conveys nuances of the teetering balance between good and evil.
See it.
Enjoy it.
In fact in the scene where the mandrake was in the fire screaming Ophelia's mother didn't even seem to hear it, but fell sick quite quickly afterward, and Ophelia herself seemed downright horrified.
Why couldn't the movie be in English? Well I suppose that it's because the movie didn't have ENGLISH SPEAKING CHARACTERS NOR WAS IT PLACED IN AN ENGLISH SPEAKING SETTING. Geez people, dont be so ego-centric. I thought the movie was good simply because it made me think. It stuck with me similarly to Life Is Beautiful and Amelie.
Secondly, I do not think that the fantasy in the book was real. The only time that anything strange happened while others were there to see it was when the mandrake died, and no one acknowledged it. There was no evidence that any of the events that took place when she was alone were anything other than her fantasy.
Thirdly, the intention of the director was clear, to tap into the need in every person to generate fantasy. Fantasy is one of the most important learning tools that humans posses and allows us the opportunity to practice and test our reactions to situations far more complicated than what might be presented in real life. It also allows the individual the ability to control the obstacles and the outcome, something the real world never allows. Most adults allow only a small amount of fantasy in their lives, but a child's life is made of fantasy.
Also, I feel compelled to mention that the most wonderful part of this movie was the way that the pace and intensity of the movie added to the level of plausible deniability. Even the musical score was key to the movies general effectiveness. The use of English as the language would have destroyed this.
Lastly, the movie was not in favor or, nor did it show support for fascism. It was the telling of the story of TWO women, one older, one younger, dealing with the reality of their lives in the best way they can, each finding a different way to cope, and a different end.
I know a little Spanish, but I still had to watch it with subtitles. It was thrilling when I recoginized a word or two though!
The fantasy aspect of this film was, well, fantastic! I loved it... it was creepy without being disgusting. Couldn't help but laugh at the eye-hands thing...
The war-time violence was a little nasty- over-stabbing in the face, the cut cheek opening... But it definately added to the movie.
Overall, I think this was the best foreign film I have ever seen and I now realize why it won so many Academy Awards.