'Pan's Labyrinth' - Film comments and picspam

[winterspel]

Saturday night I went to see Pan's Labyrinth with friends. While all of us had wanted to see it, I think the other couple were extremely shell-shocked by it when we came out, so it wasn't until the car ride home with icajoleu that we were able to really talk about the movie.

Comments

[bunengshuode]

I saw this! I cheated and downloaded it though. ^^;; I think it would have been much cooler to see in the theatre.

Anyways. What I really liked about it was the way the fae world clashed with the real world -- the way she couldn't save her mother, the mandarake baby shrivelling in the fire, the scene where she disobeys and eats the food and a faery dies for her sake. And then the end, where she has to die in order to reenter the fae world. I thought it was because she could only exist in one world, that she couldn't be princess and human both, but she could take the lessons she'd learned as a human girl and apply those to the faery world.

All in all, I didn't find it that dark personally, but then that might be because I tend to read much darker fairy tales? ^^;; The ending seemed a bit too happy to me, it feels a bit like a hollywood ending, a bit discordant with the dimness of the rest of the story.

[winterspel]

For me, the darkness wasn't in Ofelia's fantasies - it was in the reality of Captain Vidal's brutality. The fact that del Toro did not shift the camera from some of the horrific moments was really tough to watch - and you realize it almost immediately when he beats the peasant to death in front of his father with only a few swift blows to the face - only to find out that they were telling the truth, they really were just rabbit hunting, and he has absolutely no remorse for making a mistake and killing a man

[bunengshuode]

For me, I guess I've always seen reality as a bleak sort of place, so the Captain's cruelty wasn't that surprising. But when fantasy worlds turn brutal, they always do so in ways that are different and somehow worse than reality.

Ah, but is there always a reward at the end of a fairy tale? If you look at the Grimm Tales, and other Myths, a lot of those are meant to serve as warnings, and with Mercede's note about not trusting fawns, I sort of thought that was setting up for a desolate kind of ending.

^^;; Ah, well. There isn't really any place around here playing it anyways.

[kitsune714]

[winterspel]

Sadly, I haven't seen Volver yet, but friends have told me that it is very good. My three next must-see films are Letters from Iwo Jim, The Painted Veil and Last King of Scotland. I hope I get to Volver before it leaves the theaters around here! :D

In any case, I agree with you, though, that most films I've seen by Latin American (and Spanish) directors are usually beautifully filmed - City of God is a good example of a dark-themed film that is just gorgeously filmed and tells such an amazing, visceral and haunting story.

And regarding the fic - of course! For you, I'm happy to help out! I'm at gmail by this name, so feel free to send along. Right now I'm a bit frantic trying to finish up my massive WIP before I go to Holland (we'll see if this actually happens - the fic finishing before I leave, I mean), but I'm glad to brainstorm/whatever with you, especially for a 'verse that I love so much! :D

[kitsune714]

[winterspel]

That's right, I'm embarking on Kurosagi spy!fic.

I'm very excited now!

And god, the fact that I'm even considering doing this is making my brain melt.

Heee, I understand completely! You know what's crazy for me? I'm writing this epic fic, and I already have AU ficlets/fics in mind for the 'verse. And I'm trying to save them until this is done, but man, that's haaaard. And I feel like a total loon to even consider writing AU to my own AU 'verse. How weird is that? So, I'm impressed and glad that you are considering doing what you're doing. :)

[equustel]

This may be my favorite film of 2006... I can't quite make up my mind between it and The Fountain. Bah - why am I trying to decide? The more fantastic movies in a year, the better. ;)

Yes, it is harsh - I felt like a masochist for going back to see it again, but I just could not get the film out of my head the days following my first viewing. I haven't had a movie experience this visceral in a long time - it stirred up every kind of emotion in me (including a fierce, fierce hatred for Vidal), and the themes resonated with me more personally than I expected. I loved Ofelia - the young actress who played her delivered such a nuanced and believable performance. What a talent.

Speaking of things I can't get out of my head - that lullaby that Mercedes sings, and the way it is woven throughout the rest of the score, slays me. Must learn on piano!

[winterspel]

I agree - it was incredibly haunting, and that's one reason why it took me until today to post a review! I just didn't know what to say that could possibly do it justice, and I still feel that way - I know I failed in conveying it's terrible beauty.

And I'm totally with you on the lullaby too! I wonder if it's on the soundtrack (Mercedes' version)?

[lesbiassparrow]

This film did traumatize me a bit partially because of the violence and partially because I lived in constant fear that even Mercedes wouldn't make it - and when the torture scene with her started I thought I would have to hide.

But I loved it; the Doctor was one of my favourite characters: you know he knows they're all beaten and this is going to end badly but he still does what he can, and then that last line to the Captain about obedience, which the Captain just can never understand.

[winterspel]

partially because I lived in constant fear that even Mercedes wouldn't make it - and when the torture scene with her started I thought I would have to hide.

YES! I agree - I'm not a fan of scorched earth films so I am SO glad that there were a few rays of light by the end.

It was a great movie, in my opinion - that it had such understated yet marvelous characters like Doctor Ferreira, and also, I remember when Mercedes said she was a coward for cooking and cleaning for such a monster and the doctor soothed her by reminding her that they all do whatever they can do. Guuh. Normal, everday people who never imagined they would have to contend with such horrors - the way that a person can rise above such darkness and be something better, purer, even if it is only in small ways, small rebellions...these are the things that tell us the quality of humanity.

[zoeycleybourne]

I can't WAIT too see this. My parents went the other day, and my mother made a point to call and rave to me about it. It looks just amazing.

[winterspel]

Oh, it is very amazing - just also very brutal. Captain Vidal is one of the most horrible amoral, cruel characters.