Pan's Labyrinth By Guillermo Del Toro: Film Analysis

Introduction I have chosen to watch and discuss the film ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ (2006) directed and written by Guillermo del Toro. I have chosen this particular film as it reflects upon Franco’s Spain and the Civil War that took place alongside. ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ was the first film for which the Mexican director, Guillermo del Toro, was recognised internationally as a filmmaker. I see this as a revolutionary step as this fairy-tale like film intertwined both aspects of storytelling and past historical events in a likeable way which grew in popularity in the English-speaking world. The film’s success and popularity are further enhanced by its ability to win three Oscars in 2007 for Cinematography, Art Direction, and Makeup.

Description

The young

At a first glance the forest seems tranquil, yet it provides a sense of claustrophobia and isolation which suggests a feeling a being trapped under the Franco regime for the three-female characters; Ofelia, Mercedes the maid, and Carmen who is Ofelia’s mother. We can see that both Mercedes and Carmen are two different alter reflections of Ofelia. Carmen has succumbed under Vidal’s rule, while Mercedes is silently disobeying his ruling by helping out with the resistance. On the other side, the trees provide protection for the Maquis to carry out their work against the Franco supporters. The forest acts like an iron curtain between Franco’s Spain and the outer world, the only connection is the railway track which symbolises a one-way communication method which lack of understanding between both parties. For Ofelia herself, the forest is a mystical place, a place of renaissance as she engages in several quests in order to recover her past and strive for her perfection as a princess. This replicates the forgetting of memories of the Spanish Civil War (Pacto de Olvido) in which war crimes were to be forgotten about, but as democracy flourished, more action was taken place to remember those who suffered as a consequence of being on the losing side. Ultimately, Ofelia is on the losing side as she gets murdered by Vidal, but in the end she gets reunited with her

Yet, Hispanic cinema has not forgotten the historic struggles. It has a fresh style revisiting the time of war. The vast array of mystical creature, including the faun, provide us with a metaphor for the multiple moral pathways available to Ofelia on her journey for the recovery of her memories.

The film has an ability to surprise its audience with its violent scenes, mostly brought up by Vidal and his troops. This creates a stark contrast with the innocent mind of Ofelia and her quest to recover her past life as a