Droo
Nov 25th, 2006, 04:06:59 AM
I was suprised to find that there were no other threads about this particular film. In fact, I was convinced I had started one a while ago but obviously not. Well, you Americans hereby have a month's notice prior to this film being released in your neck of the woods. It's released on December 29th. Here is a link to the website complete with trailer and all your other usual features:
http://www.panslabyrinth.com/
Since I saw the concept art for this film a long long time ago on Ain't It Cool, I've been interested. Over the recent months, I've been investing more and more interest in Guillermo del Torro's latest effort. The early reviews from Cannes had it down as a masterpiece, calling it the film of the year, you name it. The simple synopsis is this: Pan's Labyrinth is a fairytale for adults; set in 1944 fascist Spain where there is still turmoil and civil war.
The film was released yesterday over here, I'd been hounding a few friends to go see it with me when it came out but ultimately, I end up going to see all foreign language films by myself. And I did, I had to see this film. It pains me a little to say this, since Superman Returns was released in Summer, but Pan's Labyrinth is easily the best film I've seen this year. It's a magical something else, I've never experienced a film like it before and I still don't really know how to describe it.
I went for the fantastical beauty that del Torro had evidently conjured and brought to the big screen but now it stays with me for being such a stunning and unique piece of cinema. Essentially, there are two worlds woven into the story; the harsh and grim reality of Spain at war under evil fascist men who use violence and fear as their tools to keep the country under their boot and the lush and awe-inspiring otherworld in which the young girl, Ofelia, journeys into on her adventures. While the latter of these two worlds is truly something to behold, its presence in the film is not overdone, and while I expected to prefer the fantasy elements of the film, I found the stark drama of the real world to be so gripping and moving that I think I actually prefered it. In any case, both elements are integral to the story and wonderfully intertwine, the director keeping the seams completely out of sight.
The only actor I knew was Maribel Verdú(from Y tu mamá también) as Mercedes, but the cast was flawless. Ivana Baquero, at only twelve years old, takes the lead as the young protagonist, Ofelia, and she knocked me off my feet for having so much talent so young. No character given screen time was undeveloped or unrealised, and everyone was important and unique, each with a part to play in the story. While the young Baquero was wonderful in this film, I have to say that Verdú stole the show for me; her character was complex and powerfully portrayed. In many ways, she was the backbone of the film since her character has a relationship with all the key characters in the film.
What cannot be stressed enough is that this is in no way a film for children. The voilence is unrelenting and the camera never shys away from it. In fact, there are moments in this film that really made me shudder. The Captain Vidal is an absolutely monsterous character and its been a long time since I've ever wanted to see an antagonist recieve his comeuppance so badly. Yet while there is such darkness to the film, there is still so much beauty and wonder as seen through Ofelia's eyes. The creatures and monsters that inhabit her world of fantasy are exquisite creations, simultaneously beautiful and terrifying, and this cannot be said more for The Pale Man. The encounter the young girl has with this monster is something that makes Silent Hill's horrific imagery look relatively tame.
I've waffled on a bit now but I cannot stress to anyone who reads this how important it is to see this film. If you are a lover of film, you cannot miss seeing Pan's Labyrinth, too rare do spectacles such as this come along. If you didn't already know, the film is entirely in Spanish, and subtitled, and if you allow such a detail to put you off watching it then I can't acknowledge your opinion on film with the same respect as those who do take the time to enjoy the gems of foreign language film. If anything, the Spanish language only adds to the beauty of the film.
Is there anything else to say? The pacing is pitch perfect, the cinematography is sublime, the score is delicate and fitting, and all in all, this film will renew your faith in the media of modern cinema because no matter how many The Santa Clause 3's that can be thrown at you, the wait for a thing such as this is truly worth it. Please, support art of this quality and go see Pan's Labyrinth. You will not regret it.
http://www.panslabyrinth.com/
Since I saw the concept art for this film a long long time ago on Ain't It Cool, I've been interested. Over the recent months, I've been investing more and more interest in Guillermo del Torro's latest effort. The early reviews from Cannes had it down as a masterpiece, calling it the film of the year, you name it. The simple synopsis is this: Pan's Labyrinth is a fairytale for adults; set in 1944 fascist Spain where there is still turmoil and civil war.
The film was released yesterday over here, I'd been hounding a few friends to go see it with me when it came out but ultimately, I end up going to see all foreign language films by myself. And I did, I had to see this film. It pains me a little to say this, since Superman Returns was released in Summer, but Pan's Labyrinth is easily the best film I've seen this year. It's a magical something else, I've never experienced a film like it before and I still don't really know how to describe it.
I went for the fantastical beauty that del Torro had evidently conjured and brought to the big screen but now it stays with me for being such a stunning and unique piece of cinema. Essentially, there are two worlds woven into the story; the harsh and grim reality of Spain at war under evil fascist men who use violence and fear as their tools to keep the country under their boot and the lush and awe-inspiring otherworld in which the young girl, Ofelia, journeys into on her adventures. While the latter of these two worlds is truly something to behold, its presence in the film is not overdone, and while I expected to prefer the fantasy elements of the film, I found the stark drama of the real world to be so gripping and moving that I think I actually prefered it. In any case, both elements are integral to the story and wonderfully intertwine, the director keeping the seams completely out of sight.
The only actor I knew was Maribel Verdú(from Y tu mamá también) as Mercedes, but the cast was flawless. Ivana Baquero, at only twelve years old, takes the lead as the young protagonist, Ofelia, and she knocked me off my feet for having so much talent so young. No character given screen time was undeveloped or unrealised, and everyone was important and unique, each with a part to play in the story. While the young Baquero was wonderful in this film, I have to say that Verdú stole the show for me; her character was complex and powerfully portrayed. In many ways, she was the backbone of the film since her character has a relationship with all the key characters in the film.
What cannot be stressed enough is that this is in no way a film for children. The voilence is unrelenting and the camera never shys away from it. In fact, there are moments in this film that really made me shudder. The Captain Vidal is an absolutely monsterous character and its been a long time since I've ever wanted to see an antagonist recieve his comeuppance so badly. Yet while there is such darkness to the film, there is still so much beauty and wonder as seen through Ofelia's eyes. The creatures and monsters that inhabit her world of fantasy are exquisite creations, simultaneously beautiful and terrifying, and this cannot be said more for The Pale Man. The encounter the young girl has with this monster is something that makes Silent Hill's horrific imagery look relatively tame.
I've waffled on a bit now but I cannot stress to anyone who reads this how important it is to see this film. If you are a lover of film, you cannot miss seeing Pan's Labyrinth, too rare do spectacles such as this come along. If you didn't already know, the film is entirely in Spanish, and subtitled, and if you allow such a detail to put you off watching it then I can't acknowledge your opinion on film with the same respect as those who do take the time to enjoy the gems of foreign language film. If anything, the Spanish language only adds to the beauty of the film.
Is there anything else to say? The pacing is pitch perfect, the cinematography is sublime, the score is delicate and fitting, and all in all, this film will renew your faith in the media of modern cinema because no matter how many The Santa Clause 3's that can be thrown at you, the wait for a thing such as this is truly worth it. Please, support art of this quality and go see Pan's Labyrinth. You will not regret it.