PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006) - Guillermo del Toro's Dark Fantasy Classic Turns 20!!

PAN'S LABYRINTH (2006) d. Guillermo del Toro (Mexico/Spain)

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Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Ofelia whose father had died, leaving her and her Mother all alone. The world was a dark and scary place, with war and death everywhere, and so, to save herself and her child, the Mother remarried an Evil Captain to keep them safe. Once the Mother as with child, the Captain sent for her to live with him in the forest where he commanded his troops, stamping out anyone that threatened his power. The Mother was sad, as was Ofelia, but the imaginative young girl had a special gift: she could see and talk to creatures that grown-ups couldn’t see, such as the Faun and the Pale Man (both played brilliantly by expert suit performer Doug Jones). She soon learns she is a Princess with a Destiny to fulfill. And so, her great adventure begins....

Revisiting del Toro’s metaphorical masterpiece combining dark real-world horror (Franco’s civil war-torn Spain) with children’s fantasy, it’s a little surprising to realize that this, his last Spanish-language movie, was released two decades ago. For me personally, whether directing (Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone) or producing (The Orphanage, Biutiful, Julia’s Eyes), everyone’s favorite Mexican-born monster kid delivers his best work in his native language. As diverting and visually imaginative as his Hollywood popcorn efforts like Pacific Rim and the Hellboy movies are, the heart, depth, and intellect of his more “personal” films resonate on a completely different level.

Interweaving fantasy and reality, visual poetry with graphic violence, Pan’s Labyrinth is an incredible cinematic experience, with astonishing production/set design, Guillermo Navarro’s cinematography, and breathtaking makeup designs, each earning Oscars in their respective fields. The film also was nominated for Javier Navarrete’s exquisite musical score, del Toro’s brilliant screenplay, and Best Foreign Film.

Within the incredible ensemble, special notice goes out to Maribel Verdu (Y Tu Mama Tambien, The End) as the duplicitous housemaid Mercedes, Sergi Lopez’s military and all too human monster, and Ivana Baquero as Ofelia, whose guileless central performance anchors the picture.

A unequivocal must-see, Pan’s Labyrinth continues to reward after countless viewings through various lenses, like every classic fairy tale. Join AC and his incredible panel of guests (Michelle Kisner, Tyler Pistorius, Lee Price, Elena Romea, Maura Sarazen) as we celebrate 20 years of PAN'S LABYRINTH!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioRVPi3fDYU

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