Postal Stamps, Labels, Envelopes, Postcards, and whatever else that can give us an excellent opportunity to examine the conflict through contemporary items in the participant's daily lives. I am not a partisan of either side of the conflict, but just a curious neophyte.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno “The Labyrinth of the Faun') (2006)

Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro.
During the Summer of 1944 just five years after the end of the war Ofelia, a young girl whose mother is married to a Falangist officer, floats between the real word and a mythical one in which The Faun assigns her several missions that he says are to make sure she reigns over her kingdom.
Ofelia’s stepfather is hunting down the local resistance and since I haven’t watched any movies that address the fighting after the war between the Spanish government and Falangist and the resistance. I thought this was fascinating and look forward to seeing more movies on this subject.
The aforementioned Ofelia is lead by the Faun through his labyrinth garden on these special missions. During which she encounters several magical beings, fairies, giant toads, and a creature with eyes in his hands. As a fan of the TV show Faceoff I really enjoyed the make up and effects. Doug Jones who has been a guest judge in the show plays the Faun.
No Stranger to allegorical and fairy tale movies about the Spanish Civil War. This is Del Torros’ second film on the subject, the first being The Devil’s Backbone (2001). Del Torro says that Pan’s is the spiritual successor to The Devil’s Backbone.
Ofelia, the Faun tells her, is Princess Moanna whose father is the king of the underworld and that there were several portals in which her spirit was sent and at which he built his labyrinths waiting for her to return. These tasks are designed to bring her to her rightful throne. Not going to give you any spoilers-but I will say there is enough sadness to go around.

There is intrigue, violence, sadness, and magic. I really enjoyed the film, I wasn’t sure I would because I am no fan of fantasy films.

What a beautiful film, the special effects, the cinematography, and the story.

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