Michael Lampasona

In class we continued to watch the film, ‘Pan's Labyrinth.’ First, we listened to the commentary of the director, Guillermo del Toro. He explained how the movie takes place in Spain in 1944 after the Spanish Civil War. He talks about how he directed a film in 2001 as well which took place in 1939. Pan's Labyrinth takes place in 1944 and was directed in 2006. He said the change in the time periods of 1939-1944 and 2001-2006 mirror each other because of the major world events which were taking place including September 11th, World War II, and the Spanish Civil War.

Del Toro goes on to explain how Pan’s Labyrinth is marked by the themes of choice and obedience. He also talks about how the movie is not about a girl dying, but about a girl giving birth to who she wants to be. He emphasizes how the film intends to juxtapose fantasy, war, and violence. Del Toro also mentions how he tried to express his belief through the movie that we should not spend our whole focus on educating children, but that we should also learn from them.

The director talks about how important the camera angles are in the movie. The angles tell a story about different characters or situations. He discusses how the camera emphasizes the insect’s role in leading the girl into the labyrinth. The camera’s perspective also allows the magical world to transition from a cold, dark one, to a characteristically warm one. At the same time, reality is portrayed as a never-changing cold and grim one.

Del Toro uses the civil war as a comparative symbol for the conflict in the family. This particular theme is also shown through perspective. The Captain is the main antagonist as he lacks sympathy and carries himself with a callous demeanor. His rigor is shown through the portrayal of his facial features in the magnifying glass. It demonstrates his attention to unnecessary detail rather than the broader importance of life.

Furthermore, Del Toro expresses the significance of storytelling through means other than spoken or written language. This is an exemplary notation as every moment captivates the pure heartedness of Ofelia and her desire to escape reality. The labyrinth was a strong symbol of an emotional hiding place as well as a fantasy world that tested her strengths and weaknesses as a human being, a child and perhaps even of her own perceptions.