Paradoxical Pan's Labyrinth

Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth is a film which beautifully combines surrealistic qualities and historical fact. This combination is almost paradoxical, but the two factors work in unison (not against themselves, as something a director less apt at his profession may have filmed). The general story revolves around the trials of a young girl (Ivana Baquero) after the Spanish Civil War. Her mother (Ariadna Gil) ill, and her Captain stepfather (Sergi Lopez) distrustful of her, the young Ofelia partakes in various acts and tests for a mythical faun (Doug Jones). Ofelia completes three of these trials while her external world disintegrates under powers that she cannot understand. The surrealistic aspects serve to both portray the meanderings of a child and to foil the very real events of wartime Spain. The story continues in the two distinct and aforementioned patterns (the real and the surrealistic) and del Toro cuts seamlessly between the two. His film then, is able to provide large doses of fantasy without seeming illusional. Even the literary qualities and cinematics of del Toro’s work mirrors this idea. The dialogue of Pan’s Labyrinth is foundational and realistic, while the color is a peculiar concoction of sepia and technicolor. Pan’s Labyrinth juxtaposes something as jovial as a child’s bath with something as gratuitously violent as the smashing of a peasant’s face. In this way, del Toro toys with the emotional state of his viewers. We are repulsed by violence and war, only to be drawn back by the innocence of, and concern for, a child. The actors and actresses of Pan’s Labyrinth maintain their convincing performance throughout the film. In the case of General Vidal, this is quite disturbing. Perhaps this is why he is consistently portrayed in a dark light (both figuratively and literally). The greatness of the acting is in part, due to seemingly inherent talent. However, costume designers, graphics men and make-up artists should also take credit for this feat. The cinematics of Pan’s Labyrinth should be noted. Scenes important to the plot, generally, are longer. Close-ups are relegated to highlight particularly important scenes and events (The nymph fly, or the final shot of Ophelia, for instance). The screenplay was written by del Toro after the fundamental idea solidified in his mind for over a decade. As with so many other great works of art, it seems that Pan’s Labyrinth’s greatness could only come of this period of refinement and thought. The film, like few others, caters to an array of emotions that leaves any viewer yearning for more. Pan’s Laybrinth is wholly deserving of its multiple rewards and recognitions, and it is wholly deserving of yours.