Pan's Labyrinth

[Cyrusbales]

i've preordered it from amazon. It's in March in the UK

[Flexo]

Today I found out that Pan's was showing at a theater only fourty minutes from where I live. (A big surprise that made my day.)

So, I hopped in my car, nabbed a friend and took off.

I don't have much to say, other than that the movie does not disapoint. It is astounding in every way; acting, story, special effects, score, direction, cinematagrophy.

Less gore was shown than what I was expecting, but what parts there were, were more gruesome than I anticipated.

The movie's sad, beautiful, creative, inspiring, the whole gamut.

To describe the movie in one word; masterful.

[cryptic name]

last night i showed up at my local regal to kill time and see what was playing, and was shocked to find Pan's Labyrinth playing. haunting, visceral film. i loved it.

[Edenbeast]

i've preordered it from amazon. It's in March in the UK

I have searched high and low and couldn't find anything close to preordering!!
got a link?

[Cyrusbales]

I have searched high and low and couldn't find anything close to preordering!!
got a link?


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pans-Labyrinth-Doug-Jones/dp/B000L42MUQ/sr=8-1/qid=1171222242/ref=pd_ka_1/202-0317798-9567852?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

comes out on march 12th

[Edenbeast]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pans-Labyrinth-Doug-Jones/dp/B000L42MUQ/sr=8-1/qid=1171222242/ref=pd_ka_1/202-0317798-9567852?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

comes out on march 12th

Cool cheers mate:yay:

p.s:I thought you were refering to amazon.com, thats why I turned the website inside out! hehe

[The Dark Defender]

Fauns make-up should get a ****in oscar

Not to mention the Pale Man.

[Flexo]

Not to mention the Pale Man.

Those skinny legs of his were freaky.

Probably even more so than the palm eyes.

[Cinemaman]

I bought it on DVD yesterday, great movie.

9 out of 10 :up:

[Warhammer]

DVD over there that early?

[PWN3R]

Everything about this film, everything, was superb. I wasn't disappointed. Very very similiar in theme with The Devil's Backbone, but I liked this movie's approach a lot better. Amazing film.

[Cinemaman]

DVD over there that early?

Yeah, in Russia there is one edittion, though it's so bad that I would wait for a better one, if I knew.

[War Party]

I decided to order the Region 3 Korean version:
http://us.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/code-c/section-videos/pid-1004627935/

http://i3.yesasia.com/assets/GalleryImage/r_g0000067398_0_01.jpg

http://i3.yesasia.com/assets/GalleryImage/r_g0000067398_12_01.JPG

I can't wait to get it. I mainly bought it for the packaging.

[tzarinna]

^Nice. :up:
I thought about seeing it again but I can't sit and watch that guy get his face smashed in again. :csad:
But would like to own it and watch when I'm felling extra *****y. :hq:

[War Party]

^Nice. :up:
I thought about seeing it again but I can't sit and watch that guy get his face smashed in again. :csad:
But would like to own it and watch when I'm felling extra *****y. :hq:

Yeah, I saw it and I just had to order it. I shouldn't of though, because I'm going to Scotland next week and I need money for the trip. But I just felt I had to order it now.

[tzarinna]

:hyper: OOOOOOoooooo,have fun in Scotland. :jealous: :cwink:

[War Party]

:hyper: OOOOOOoooooo,have fun in Scotland. :jealous: :cwink:

Thank you. Should be awesome, but I'm sure it's really cold.

[ゴジラ]

I looked every where I could think of for a DVD release date.The only release I could find is March 12th but I am not sure if that would be the same release date in the US..Any help is appreciated.

[green]

On dvd?
If so it's May 15.

[ゴジラ]

Thanks a lot

[Tojo]

Damn this film was brilliant

[Spider-Fan]

I was wondering that myself...thanks for the release date. Can't wait to pick it up!

[Hunter Rider]

That's odd,it's out Monday in the UK:huh:

[green]

That's odd,it's out Monday in the UK:huh:

When was it relesed there for it's theatrical run?
I know it opened up in some places long before the U.S. got it.

[Hunter Rider]

When was it relesed there for it's theatrical run?
I know it opened up in some places long before the U.S. got it.

We got it just after christmas

[green]

We got it just after christmas

really, darn. We got it right before.:csad:
You guys are ahead of us for once.:woot:

[Darth Elektra]

DVD:

http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/pans-labyrinth3.html

[Darth Elektra]

DVD for the states:

http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/pans-labyrinth3.html

[The Geek Vault]

Man, I saw this movie and I gotta say I liked it a lot. I know that the faun is based after Greek mythos. But where did the other's come from? I remember reading the Deltora Quest books and in the third book I believe there is a giant toad by the name of Gellick that reminded me a lot of the toad in the movie? Is this from some ancient Greek Legend also? I'm more interested though in the creature from the second task? What was that thing and could anyone direct me to some links on the mythology of the creature?
PS
The whole movie I thought the faun was going to trick her!

[The Dark Defender]

The Pale Man is from a painting called the Saturn.

[The Geek Vault]

Thank you,
Is there any other mythology behind this horrible creature? Anybody else reminded of the Gellick from Deltora's Quest with the Toad?

[The Dark Defender]

I'm not sure if the toad was inspired from source material, I know Del Toro's intention was for it to symbolize what a corrupt, power abusive leader does, the few leaching off the many.
The toad represented corruption within the government, and the Pale Man did the same within the Church.
Shortly after the Toad sequence they show the Captain and his cronys with priests at a dinner table enjoying a huge feast while talking about how all the families in the area would only be allowed a single ration card of food per month. The Toad sequence was the otherworldly equivelant.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Watched this movie 4 times in 7 days, great movie.

[Gonking]

I think almost all come from Del Toro's imagination

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^Well he certainly has a vivid imagination doesnt he? This can be seen in all of his movies.

Just look at the creature designs, not only in PL but in Blade II and Hellboy as well.

[Hunter Rider]

I just saw this and it was one of those rare occasions where a movie not only lives up to the hype but surpasses it.

The quality of the production was lush and high class with the beauty of the designs countered with the brutality of the actions and macabre nature of the tale.

the mix of war movie and fantasy blended seamlessly,the Ofelia story running alongside Mercedes was perfectly executed,the movie is so on point i find it hard to put into words,it just felt like watching something truly amazing come to life

Del Toro's knack for creature effects coupled with great visuals and lighting is something to behold

The acting was superb with Ivana Baquero conveying so much heart and emotion,she reminded me of Natalie Portman in Leon.

Maribel Verdú was so soulful and restrained in her performance that for me she was the way into the film,you felt her courage and dread.

Sergi López has IMO created the most menacing and intimidating screen villain of all time,you feared for everyone around him every time he stepped on screen and i love how the bastard got his just deserts in the end,the ultimate pain for him of his arrogant evil legacy not continuing,

Bravo Mercedes :up:

9/10

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Great review Hunter, but no mention for the Doctor? I thought he was excellent also.

[Cyrusbales]

Sergi López has IMO created the most menacing and intimidating screen villain of all time,you feared for everyone around him every time he stepped on screen and i love how the bastard got his just deserts in the end,the ultimate pain for him of his arrogant evil legacy not continuing,



This part of your review Hunter is rather spot on mon frere. Had Sergi Lopez praise in my siggy when it came out! lol.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Sergi López has IMO created the most menacing and intimidating screen villain of all time,you feared for everyone around him every time he stepped on screen and i love how the bastard got his just deserts in the end,the ultimate pain for him of his arrogant evil legacy not continuing,



This part of your review Hunter is rather spot on mon frere. Had Sergi Lopez praise in my siggy when it came out! lol.

He is superb in the movie, but i also enjoyed the performances of the Doctor and Mercedes.

[Hunter Rider]

Great review Hunter, but no mention for the Doctor? I thought he was excellent also.

He was indeed excellent,i think my emotions were with Mercedes and Vial after i watched it though that's why when i reviewed my head still there having just finished the movie.

[CyrusGrissom]

Brilliant movie, i saw this one last month at a Las Crusas theater after hearing so much good things about it. I believe it's last year's best movie and truly captured my imagination, a wonderful mixture of horror and fantasy thanks to Del Toro's direction.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

He was indeed excellent,i think my emotions were with Mercedes and Vial after i watched it though that's why when i reviewed my head still there having just finished the movie.

Yeah Vidal and Mercedes were great, but the scene were the Doctor dis-obey's Vidal and says "......to obey-just like that-for the sake of obeying, is only something people like you can do, Captain."

LOVE that scene.

[Hunter Rider]

Yeah Vidal and Mercedes were great, but the scene were the Doctor dis-obey's Vidal and says "......to obey-just like that-for the sake of obeying, is only something people like you can do, Captain."

LOVE that scene.

His death scene was very emotional,the way Del Toro drew it out,you knew it was coming but it was agonizing watching him get that extra few steps before Vidal shot him

[Gonking]

Yeah Vidal and Mercedes were great, but the scene were the Doctor dis-obey's Vidal and says "......to obey-just like that-for the sake of obeying, is only something people like you can do, Captain."

LOVE that scene.

that line was amazing and I totally agree with it

[french joker]

Sergi López has IMO created the most menacing and intimidating screen villain of all time,you feared for everyone around him every time he stepped on screen and i love how the bastard got his just deserts in the end,the ultimate pain for him of his arrogant evil legacy not continuing,
You should really see "Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien" (don't know the english name) :
http://imdb.com/title/tt0216800/
an hitchcock-style film where Sergi López plays a psychotic friend:ninja:

[Cyrusbales]

I actually have a copy in my Amazon basket, lol.

I've heard people complaining that Pan's is a little preachy about it's messages of freedom, which I do see, however the surrealist notion of reality is carried off nicely, not quite Gilliam, but damn fine stuff.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

His death scene was very emotional,the way Del Toro drew it out,you knew it was coming but it was agonizing watching him get that extra few steps before Vidal shot him

I know, i was thinking 'He's going to get away!' at first, but when Vidal drew his gun, i knew it was coming.

that line was amazing and I totally agree with it

Me too, amazing line and great scene.

[Le Diable Blanc]

Pretty cool movie. I felt sorry if people came with kids thinking it was a fairy tale though lol

[Darth Elektra]

Menu screens
http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/pans-labyrinth3.html

[CAH]

I really cannot wait to buy this DVD...and see it for the first time...I have heard NOTHING BUT positive reviews for it, and it looks exactly like a film I would like...

...so, yeah, pretty excited to get it.

CAH

[SWAT]

Not how I thought it was, but it was pretty damn good anyway... :p

[WorthyStevens]

I really love this movie. A perfect 10/10 from me.


Maribel Verdú was so soulful and restrained in her performance that for me she was the way into the film,you felt her courage and dread.
9/10

Spot on hunter. I've never felt for a character more than I have in this movie, especially when Mercedes was surrounded by Vidal's troops after she bravely stabbed him.

She was a great character. :up:

[Advanced Dark]

Hey guys I went to Dark Delacacies last night in Burbank, California to meet with Doug Jones before he flies off to Hungary to shoot Hellboy 2. Just me and two friends and we waited in line from probably about 6:30 PM till just before 7:00 PM when Doug Jones pulled up in his Limo, waved to the crowd, and walked inside. He was there to promote the release of the Pan's Labyrinth DVD. Finally around 7:30 or so we got in through the front door as the crowd seemed much larger than the last time I was there. We all picked up our DVD's to be signed and eventually made our way to the front of the line. I immediately said hi to John Zander who had called me a couple hours before the event to thank me for coming out and how they were looking forward to seeing us all. Then I walked up to Doug and had a few words with him about the signing, Pan's, and FF2....which was soon followed by me and my friends Bob (Visioneer on Myspace), and Richard getting our DVD's signed...and of course the famous Dougie Hugs. LOL Now my friend Bob aka Visioneer is a professional photographer/videographer and had brough his massive $5,000 TV/Professional camera, headset, & mic gear with him. He had wanted to do a little video or interview before we left since Doug was gonna be out of the Country for 6 months....so of course he asked Doug. Doug instantly said yes, Zander was cool with it, and the store owner (Del) was cool as well. We just had to be very very fast. Doug had to leave for Hungary in the morning and it was now after 9:00 PM. We ran back out to my car grabbed the gear and went back to the back of the line so we could do the video after everyone else had a chance to meet Doug. That's when I became real nervous. LOL Not because of Doug because I'm real comfortable around him...but because I suddenly became the person with the microphone in front of the camera to start off the video. That's not what I do...and I had about 20 minutes to figure out what to say. If you would have saw me you would have been laughing your asses off...oh but you will in about a week when I put the video in this thread. In the end it was all cool. We first filmed a brief intro with "Del" the owner of Dark Delacacies, we have lots of footage of Doug signing posters, DVD's, giving hugs, we filmed the line outside, inside, and the whole store. After it was all done I had about 20-30 or so people left inside who all wanted to go home I'm sure but they all stayed to watch "Advanced Dark" unprofessional reporter in action. I then introduced Doug and asked him to say a few words to the fans before he left. You'll have to wait to see what he says. :) The video is being edited by Visioneer and he should be finished in about a week. I wasn't really looking for an interview or to get spoilers out of him...just wanted to have him give a shout out to the fans! Here's a few pics for now:

The video is right here at:

http://www.visioneeringunlimited.com/Movies/dougjones_f.wmv

Here's Doug & Visioneer:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8496/dscn2148is9.jpg

Here's Doug and my buddy Richard: (pointed to stain on shirt)

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/125/dscn2149qu8.jpg

Here's Doug and yours truly squinting my eyes as he pokes me in the face with those deadly fingers!!! Also I forgot to remove my sunglasses from on top of my head! WTF!!!

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/571/dscn2150xa3.jpg

Here's Doug signing Visioneer's DVD and at the same time asking him if he'll let us do the video. John's keeping an eye on Visoneer. LOL It was soon after this I found out "I" was doing the talking. Nooooooooooooooo!

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/6457/dscn2151aq8.jpg

Here's my DVD he signed!

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/1984/dscn2158yx9.jpg

Video is now up above!

In the meantime if you're reading this...thanks again Doug for all of this, and thank you very much John for giving us the opportunity. :) It was all fun.

[Lightning Strykez!]

That's awesome AD! :eek::up:

[Advanced Dark]

Thanks. He does mention FF2 in the video and also I have video of him signing FF2 posters so that's why I put it here.

[TheShadowCat]

You do realize that Hellmistress is going to want to post these on Doug's website, right? Can't wait to see the video.

>^^<

[Advanced Dark]

HM can do whatever she wants with those pics and the video. I'll have Visioneer send her the code so she can embed it on her site when it's ready.

[highguard]

^^ Cool AD

[Bastila]

I just got round to watching it and I really liked it great film, better then what I thought, and the Capt oh I hated him, he was so nasty!!
Loved the Yarn thing, the girl was sweet but the ending I was chocked up a bit, so sad my mum she watched it, she cried, but she didn't die die in a way, but just an amazing film worth seeing :up:

[Hellmistress]

HM can do whatever she wants with those pics and the video. I'll have Visioneer send her the code so she can embed it on her site when it's ready.

That would be adorable, thankin' you kindly! Did you get to meet the awesome Laurie? Sweetest lady ever. :D

HM

[Advanced Dark]

If that's who I think it is HM then I just briefly talked to her on my way out. Just a few words. I didn't realize who she was till after I left. My buddy Richard talked to her for sometime. I wish I would have known I would have said hi. From what I saw...yeah she seemed extremely friendly and talkative. I did get a cool pic of Doug, Laurie, John, and everyone all together. Actually that's in the video but I'm gonna run that by them to see if they want that part edited out or not. That part might be something they'll want for their private viewing. Who knows. I'll let everyone know when it's done.

[uchiha_itachi]

doug should play the vison if theres a real avangers movie..

cool pics man :D

[Fantastic-Boy]

Cool!

[Advanced Dark]

If he was black he could play a live action version of Samuel Jackson's character in The Incredibles for sure. I guess he could still do it and they'd dub his voice over it. LOL Sorry Doug.

[Mr. Socko]

Lol


Very cool! Cant wait to see the video


Infact I just bought my SE of Pan's today as well! yipee, I'm gonna watch it tomorrow

[the a1ant]

Very cool, AD! Sounds fun :up:

[Advanced Dark]

Ok the video is up. Now remember...I didn't know I was gonna be doing this **** till I got there and was handed the mic by my friend known as Visioneer. LOL Uncomfortable is the only way to describe it. Thanks to Visioneer for kindly editing out my darting eyes and awkward moments. LOL

http://www.myspace.com/visioneer

Just click on the above link and scroll down to the first video and it will automatically start playing. I warned you. LOL

[TheShadowCat]

Ok the video is up. Now remember...I didn't know I was gonna be doing this **** till I got there and was handed the mic by my friend known as Visioneer. LOL Uncomfortable is the only way to describe it. Thanks to Visioneer for kindly editing out my darting eyes and awkward moments. LOL

http://www.myspace.com/visioneer

Just click on the above link and scroll down to the first video and it will automatically start playing. I warned you. LOL
I've scanned all up and down that page (not fun with a laptop) and I couldn't find that video for love nor money. Can this be posted someplace where it'll be easier to find? Or better yet, can this be put on Doug's website?

>^^<

[Hellmistress]

I've scanned all up and down that page (not fun with a laptop) and I couldn't find that video for love nor money. Can this be posted someplace where it'll be easier to find? Or better yet, can this be put on Doug's website?

>^^<

It's a cool video and interview, especially as Del's in it too! And you did a great job, AD!! Happy to put a link on Dougie's site, but a lot of folks can't see it on myspace - any chance of putting it on YouTube and then I can slap up a link and announce it on the site?

HM

[Advanced Dark]

Ask Visioneer HM. Just go to my page and you'll see him on my top friends list. send him a message and he'll send you the code or ask him to upload it to a format for you. He's cool.

[Advanced Dark]

I've scanned all up and down that page (not fun with a laptop) and I couldn't find that video for love nor money. Can this be posted someplace where it'll be easier to find? Or better yet, can this be put on Doug's website?

>^^<

It's the first video you come to. It starts playing by itself. he's going to be re-compressing it so it looks better later. It's still up though...I think.

[MattC]

This may sound really bizarre, but he reminded me so much of Christopher Reeves in that video.

[Advanced Dark]

^ His voice did a bit didn't it. I know exactly what you're talking about when he said "You guys go on out there and go buy tickets" or something like that.

[MattC]

Not just the voice for me, he really kinda looked like him. Not sure what exactly it was, but something about his facial features.

[Advanced Dark]

Updated Link:

http://www.visioneeringunlimited.com/Movies/dougjones_f.wmv

[Carp Man]

Wow. :wow: Awsome video. :woot: He sounds like suscess has not gone to his head. Bet he's a great guy, and thanks for sharing. You can't hide now. We know what ya look like. :ninja: I like that, fill up the theathers for FF 2. I think it will be the suprise of the summer. I think many will underestmate it.

[Dew k. Mosi]

This really would get more hits in Misc Films, so I am putting it there.

[TheShadowCat]

Ok, I've downloaded the video and watched it. Pretty nice.

>^^<

[Kelly]

It is a cool video....very well done.

[strikezone89]

i love doug. he's actually a very polite guy in real person

[Warhammer]

Ok. Doug Jones is uber cool.
Kudos to him for being so nice to us, fans.
Also, kudos to Advanced Dark for that great video. Thank you for the effort. :up:

Btw, that seals the deal for me.
In the FF2 trailer, it was definitely his voice.

[uchiha_itachi]

sounded like fishburne to me :D

[Warhammer]

^Lol.

All I care about is that the Surfer sounds like the trailer voice.

[iceberg325]

I love pans!! classic

[Mr. Wooden Alligator]

I feel like a square-I just saw the movie. Absolutely wonderful. Some of the best female performances I've ever seen. And the young lady who played Ofelia did very well, being a child and all.

I just wish Mr. Del Toro would adapt a Lovecraft story-maybe the Call of Cthulhu. That would be one of the tougher ones, imo.

Hellboy 2 is in good hands! :up:

[Tron Bonne]

Yeah, it was a great movie, almost all the elements were perfect, the story and acting was great and the movie just had an overall fantasy/fairy tale feel to it.

[Gonking]

best movie ever

[Advanced Dark]

http://www.visioneeringunlimited.com/Movies/dougjones_f.wmv

Better version of the video.

[TwilightPro101]

For some reason, everytime I see this movie title I think of Bobby Lee on MadTV in his action movie with the eyes on his hands.

[War Party]

I feel like a square-I just saw the movie. Absolutely wonderful. Some of the best female performances I've ever seen. And the young lady who played Ofelia did very well, being a child and all.

I just wish Mr. Del Toro would adapt a Lovecraft story-maybe the Call of Cthulhu. That would be one of the tougher ones, imo.

Hellboy 2 is in good hands! :up:

Del Toro is adapting "At The Mountains of Madness." There's a script review at Latino Review.

[L.A.]

I avoided this movie for quite some time. The trailer didnt look that great and from what people told me about the story, it was simply not my cup of tea. So out of boredom, I rented the movie today. And was I blown away!!! This movie is a masterpiece!!! I cant believe the director of BladeII and Hellboy can much such an awesome movie!!! My only regret is not seeing this movie sooner!!! Now on to buying this movie!!!

[Halcohol]

I avoided this movie for quite some time. The trailer didnt look that great and from what people told me about the story, it was simply not my cup of tea. So out of boredom, I rented the movie today. And was I blown away!!! This movie is a masterpiece!!! I cant believe the director of BladeII and Hellboy can much such an awesome movie!!! My only regret is not seeing this movie sooner!!! Now on to buying this movie!!!
I KNOW! I can't believe I hadn't seen this before, either, but it was definitely worth the wait. I just saw it for the first time yesterday, and I thought it was spectacular. A tad brutal with regards to the rabbit-hunting farmers, but that's my only complaint...

[Sandman138]

I avoided this movie for quite some time. The trailer didnt look that great and from what people told me about the story, it was simply not my cup of tea. So out of boredom, I rented the movie today. And was I blown away!!! This movie is a masterpiece!!! I cant believe the director of BladeII and Hellboy can much such an awesome movie!!! My only regret is not seeing this movie sooner!!! Now on to buying this movie!!!

Somebody has never seen The Devil's Backbone.

[L.A.]

Somebody has never seen The Devil's Backbone.
whats that?

[Gonking]

another great movie of Del Toro.

[Cyrusbales]

Cronos is better, though, a wonderous piece of film. And Hellboy, whilst not his normal style, was very impressive in a different manner, however definately not one for the mainstream audiences, too subtle for a comic book film's general audience.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I cant believe there are still people discovering this wonderful film, hope you guys enjoy your 2nd viewings of PL as much, i know i did!

[Bastila]

I want to see it again, might buy it.

I have to say it was better then I thought, great stroy and characters really liked it a lot.

[WorthyStevens]

HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs are announced for December 26th. Kick ass.

http://thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

[bullets]

when he threw the wood creature into the fire that really crept me out .

[Reptile]

Hd Boner

[imaperson2]

when he threw the wood creature into the fire that really crept me out .
I'm pretty sure it was a root :woot:

[Mr. Socko]

Magnificent film! I have the special edition on DVD and thought it was really well done. My only gripe is that there's not a good English dub. Especially on a visual film like this, I'm too busy paying attention to the little yellow subtitles on the bottom of the screen when I could be admiring the visual details Del Toro has put together.

[Infinity9999x]

I just saw this film for the first time and I thought it was amazing. I actually wished it had been a bit longer, I wanted to see more of the fantasy world.

At the end though I did wonder did Ofelia really deal with magic, or was that vision she saw at the end just a hallucination before she died? I ended up thinking that it was actually happening, because some of the things that happened to her, like getting out of that room to get her brother, even though she was being guarded, couldn't have worked had the magic not been real

[Watson]

I just saw this film for the first time and I thought it was amazing. I actually wished it had been a bit longer, I wanted to see more of the fantasy world.

At the end though I did wonder did Ofelia really deal with magic, or was that vision she saw at the end just a hallucination before she died? I ended up thinking that it was actually happening, because some of the things that happened to her, like getting out of that room to get her brother, even though she was being guarded, couldn't have worked had the magic not been real

That's a hard question I like to think the magic is real, but I think the reality of the film is that it is something she invented in order to escape the truly dire situation she was in. But, I really think it is up to each viewer to decide. I think I personally feel that way because the side story of the guerilla warriors and the end when they take the child was so much more moving and was real magic in a way. They beat extraordianry circumstances.

The whole film was just amazing and intense though. I have only ever cried twice in a movie theatre because of a film, and this was one of them.

[chaseter]

It was a great film and I think the magic was real (curing her mother, escaping the room, etc...) I think those circumstances brought out the world she was imagining and she made it real.

[Bubonic]

Magnificent film! I have the special edition on DVD and thought it was really well done. My only gripe is that there's not a good English dub. Especially on a visual film like this, I'm too busy paying attention to the little yellow subtitles on the bottom of the screen when I could be admiring the visual details Del Toro has put together.

I'm hoping by the end of this semester that my Spanish will be tight enough to attempt the film without subtitles.
Because as you said, with such a visual masterpiece, you lose a lot checking out the subtitles.
But I find you can lose even more when you rob the movie of its original language altogether.
Some things are lost in translation, but I agree that too truly immerse yourself it be better to just be able to sit back, watch and listen.

[Rac]

We Finns don't have that problem. We've been reading subs since we were little kids, so we can concentrate on the text and picture at the same time.

[protocida]

Such a awesome movie.

Did you think it's was real magic or only her imagination?

[X-Maniac]

The scene where Ofelia is seen talking to nothing implies it was in her imagination. I didn't like that part, it ruined the mystery.

And, yet, how did she get out of the room? That implies something magical.

Perhaps her imagination was strong enough to create magic?

The movie is a rite of passage. The tree resembles a woman's fallopian tubes, there is symbolism about a young woman growing up and discovering herself.

[The Chris]

The scene where Ofelia is seen talking to nothing implies it was in her imagination. I didn't like that part, it ruined the mystery.

And, yet, how did she get out of the room? That implies something magical.

Perhaps her imagination was strong enough to create magic?

The movie is a rite of passage. The tree resembles a woman's fallopian tubes, there is symbolism about a young woman growing up and discovering herself.

I always thought the captain just didn't see anything. That he didn't have it in him to see.

[Raiden]

Was the ending sad or uplifting to you guys? If Ofelia's fantasy world was real, then she has a happy ending. I watched PL with my wife and in-laws and they didn't really get the movie, but I thought the movie was good but the movie turned out a bit different then what we initially assumed.

[Figs]

Was the ending sad or uplifting to you guys? If Ofelia's fantasy world was real, then she has a happy ending. I watched PL with my wife and in-laws and they didn't really get the movie, but I thought the movie was good but the movie turned out a bit different then what we initially assumed.


The ending was both for me.

I found it uplifting that she was reunited with her parents in their kingdom and whatnot.

At the same time though, that's what also made me sad. I was hoping for the Faun to be evil and tricking her the whole time. I mean his maneurisms, voice and face didn't give me the impression that he was friendly or nice, basically if I saw the guy/thing I wouldn't have trusted him.

I loved the movie but the ending was a 50/50 kind of thing for me.

[chaseter]

^ I thought the Faun would betray her too. I really liked this movie though.

[X-Maniac]

I don't think the Faun would betray her. Symbolically, it represents a part of her - her darker, more adult, more primal/elemental impulses. She can't be betrayed by herself. She can only choose to listen to that side of herself, or not.

[Figs]

I don't think the Faun would betray her. Symbolically, it represents a part of her - her darker, more adult, more primal/elemental impulses. She can't be betrayed by herself. She can only choose to listen to that side of herself, or not.


I understand some of the subtext in the film but when it comes to a character that isn't made up inside her head I thought the Faun was who he was.

I didn't see it as a different side to her since he was his own character.

[chaseter]

If the Faun was her, then everything she experienced was her...and that isn't right.

[Cyrusbales]

The notion of what's real or not is very Gilliam-esque, basically we define our own reality is the main message here. Obviously a margin of ambiguity has to be there. Most of the better films tend to not be cut and dry.

[X-Maniac]

I thought the Faun represented the darker voice in her head, it made her do things out of impulse and instinct. As Del Toro says on the DVD, the tree represents womanhood (it is shaped like fallopian tubes, as are the horns of the Faun). Ofelia is growing up, she is becoming a woman, there is blood all over the pages of the book after she has been beneath the tree, she is conscious of sexuality and sex, she does things because of emotions and impulses rather than her childhood innocence. But the Faun's desire to kill the child is too much. She doesn't give in to that darker impulse.

[Watson]

I took the faun as the trickster figure that is present in a lot of these fantasy/fairy tales that influenced Del Toro. He seduces her, wants her to do bad things almost so that in the end she can prove herself as a good person.

[Infinity9999x]

Not only that, Del Torro misleads you with the Faun a bit. He has the nanny (I forget the name) say "my mother always told me to be wary of Fauns."

That right there set me to thinking that the Faun would turn out to be a bad guy.

[chaseter]

I took the faun as the trickster figure that is present in a lot of these fantasy/fairy tales that influenced Del Toro. He seduces her, wants her to do bad things almost so that in the end she can prove herself as a good person.
They even say in the movie that Faun's are tricky:o

^n/m Infinity got it.

[X-Maniac]

I took the faun as the trickster figure that is present in a lot of these fantasy/fairy tales that influenced Del Toro. He seduces her, wants her to do bad things almost so that in the end she can prove herself as a good person.

Absolutely! The faun is like the Loki of North myths or the Puck of English folklore, or the coyote of the Native American stories. In the end Ofelia refuses to do what's asked. The fact that the faun is implied to be imaginary, in that she is seen talking to nothing, is what i meant when i said it seemed like a dark spirit within her, a darker and more elemental part of herself.... which emerges during adolescence and the journey to womanhood as she sheds her innocence.

A very good movie, though not for the mainstream.

[Warhammer]

*peaks in*

I just thought that the Faun was merely Ofelia's guide. When it wanted her to kill her brother, it was merely a test to prove her love for him and will to do the right thing. If I'm not mistaken, that would be the only "bad" task that the faun wanted Ofelia to carry out. I don't see why he is viewed as a trickster, when all it is doing is testing her.

[X-Maniac]

*peaks in*

I just thought that the Faun was merely Ofelia's guide. When it wanted her to kill her brother, it was merely a test to prove her love for him and will to do the right thing. If I'm not mistaken, that would be the only "bad" task that the faun wanted Ofelia to carry out. I don't see why he is viewed as a trickster, when all it is doing is testing her.

I think there's an element of the guide/mentor figure in the faun as well. You're right that the only bad task is wanting her baby brother's blood to open the portal to the underworld... although he did do things that got her into a crisis. She was put into the path of temptation with the Pale Man, and was in fact tempted to eat some of the food.

And she had to get that key from the toad, which left her clean clothes a total mess. Although that key was put into a lock in the Pale Man's lair, it seems to coincide also with the fact of the food store being miraculously unlocked.

There are layers of meaning, and deliberately so.

(I wish I liked his Hellboy a bit better, some of it didn't quite work for me).

[The Dark Defender]

The scene where Ofelia is seen talking to nothing implies it was in her imagination. I didn't like that part, it ruined the mystery.

And, yet, how did she get out of the room? That implies something magical.

Perhaps her imagination was strong enough to create magic?

The movie is a rite of passage. The tree resembles a woman's fallopian tubes, there is symbolism about a young woman growing up and discovering herself.

You should look at the tag line of the movie, "innocence ha a power evil cannot imagine," the Captain not seeing it did not mean that it wasn't there.

[Warhammer]

I think there's an element of the guide/mentor figure in the faun as well. You're right that the only bad task is wanting her baby brother's blood to open the portal to the underworld... although he did do things that got her into a crisis. She was put into the path of temptation with the Pale Man, and was in fact tempted to eat some of the food.

And she had to get that key from the toad, which left her clean clothes a total mess. Although that key was put into a lock in the Pale Man's lair, it seems to coincide also with the fact of the food store being miraculously unlocked.

There are layers of meaning, and deliberately so.

(I wish I liked his Hellboy a bit better, some of it didn't quite work for me).

I don't know. I don't blame the faun for putting her into crisis. The Pale Man, for example. The faun specifically instructed Ofelia not to eat the fruit. She did not overcome her temptation, and almost got herself killed. With the toad and her clothes, her clothes being dirty wasn't exactly drastic to the plot.

Also, food store? Which scene are you discussing?

You should look at the tag line of the movie, "innocence ha a power evil cannot imagine," the Captain not seeing it did not mean that it wasn't there.

I looked at it like this. Everything that happened was there, and real. It just so happens that the faun could not be seen by anyone but Ofelia, because it did not want itsself to be seen.

[Mr. Socko]

On the DVD commentary Del Toro says no one is capable of seeing the Faun except Ofelia as he's there to help her along her quest, no one else.

[Infinity9999x]

That makes sense, especially since some of the things that happen to Ofelia couldn't have happened without the aid of magic.

The most prominent being Ofelia escaping the room when she's being guarded by soldiers. There was no way she would have been able to get out of there alive without the magic

*peaks in*

I just thought that the Faun was merely Ofelia's guide. When it wanted her to kill her brother, it was merely a test to prove her love for him and will to do the right thing. If I'm not mistaken, that would be the only "bad" task that the faun wanted Ofelia to carry out. I don't see why he is viewed as a trickster, when all it is doing is testing her.

I don't think the faun wanted her to killer her baby brother he said only a drop of blood was needed, no more. Ofelia was unwilling to let the Faun to anything to him even scratch him, which showed how pure was was

[Ice-man]

Ive seen the movie a few times but it still confuses me, Ofelia in a sense is dead, during the end when she was talking to herself couldn't it imply she was just imagining it? it seemed she was hallucinating twords the end when she got shot, and she invisiond a kind of heaven for herself, the baby brother got taken away and i think the faun said it had to go with her.

i think she was just a very imaginative person and nothing more.

[Warhammer]

^Gotcha, Infinity.

Ive seen the movie a few times but it still confuses me, Ofelia in a sense is dead, during the end when she was talking to herself couldn't it imply she was just imagining it? it seemed she was hallucinating twords the end when she got shot, and she invisiond a kind of heaven for herself, the baby brother got taken away and i think the faun said it had to go with her.

i think she was just a very imaginative person and nothing more.

If all of it was a hallucination, then you have to explain the mandrake root. How did it make Ofelia's mother feel better? How did Captain Vidal see it? I look at it this way. Everything that happened was real, but the faun was not seen because it was not supposed to be seen by anyone but Ofelia.

[Cyrusbales]

Both notions are designed to be believable, so the audience can take away what they want. You won't find a definate answer of reality or magical, as both are possible. The only thing that matters however, is that it seemed real for Ofelia.

[Ice-man]

^Gotcha, Infinity.



If all of it was a hallucination, then you have to explain the mandrake root. How did it make Ofelia's mother feel better? How did Captain Vidal see it? I look at it this way. Everything that happened was real, but the faun was not seen because it was not supposed to be seen by anyone but Ofelia.


Yea there is that, and there is also the idea how she can navigate her way threw the maze, but it just seems like at points we're supposed to think, maybe it was all in her mind.

if they didnt make the ending the way it was i would believe that she did see all of it, but the fact that shes talking to the faun iin her own fantasy world, while shes dying in the same place she was shot, just doesn't make sense.

[Infinity9999x]

Yea there is that, and there is also the idea how she can navigate her way threw the maze, but it just seems like at points we're supposed to think, maybe it was all in her mind.

if they didnt make the ending the way it was i would believe that she did see all of it, but the fact that shes talking to the faun iin her own fantasy world, while shes dying in the same place she was shot, just doesn't make sense.

Well, that would be the magic of it. The biggest supporting fact for the "magic is real" evidence would have to be at the end when she escapes the room to steal her brother away.

There were armed guards at the only door in that room. The door was locked, and even if it wasn't the guards had orders to kill her if she tried to escape or if anyone tried to get to her. I doubt she could have picked the lock without them noticing and then somehow opened the door without them noticing, and snuck by, or picked the lock and overpower them in some way.

That to me was "proof" the magic was real. The only way she could have gotten out of there was if she had drawn a door.

[WallCrawl]

Well, that would be the magic of it. The biggest supporting fact for the "magic is real" evidence would have to be at the end when she escapes the room to steal her brother away.

There were armed guards at the only door in that room. The door was locked, and even if it wasn't the guards had orders to kill her if she tried to escape or if anyone tried to get to her. I doubt she could have picked the lock without them noticing and then somehow opened the door without them noticing, and snuck by, or picked the lock and overpower them in some way.

That to me was "proof" the magic was real. The only way she could have gotten out of there was if she had drawn a door.

Been listening to the director's commentary, haven't we? :oldrazz:

[Infinity9999x]

Been listening to the director's commentary, haven't we? :oldrazz:

Actually I haven't. That was just my own observation of the movie. I don't usually like commentaries, because if I want to re-watch the movie, I want to watch the movie, not watch the movie while listening to other people talk about it.

[Ice-man]

I wonder if hell do a sequel or spinoff or a new movie but with something similar, i did like the movie but something about it threw me off.

cant wait to see hellboy 2.

[Figs]

Well, that would be the magic of it. The biggest supporting fact for the "magic is real" evidence would have to be at the end when she escapes the room to steal her brother away.

There were armed guards at the only door in that room. The door was locked, and even if it wasn't the guards had orders to kill her if she tried to escape or if anyone tried to get to her. I doubt she could have picked the lock without them noticing and then somehow opened the door without them noticing, and snuck by, or picked the lock and overpower them in some way.

That to me was "proof" the magic was real. The only way she could have gotten out of there was if she had drawn a door.


I'm of the opinion that the 'magic is real' idea. Not just because the root under the mother's bed was helping her get better till it was thrown in the fire but the whole scene with the temptation of the food.

She was told with importance to NOT touch the food. Yet what does she do? She grabs the food.

Now at first I was thinking "What a stupid *****!", then realized the she seemed to be in a trance when staring at the food. Like the creature in the room had a spell on it as part of his trap. He sits their in some kind of 'sleep' mode while waiting for some child to touch any of his food.

Not to mention the whole fact that she appeared in some secret hall from her bedroom with a 'fairytale' kind of monster at the end of it. I don't think she was "seeing things" lol.

[lime]

Has any one watched the brilliant masterpiece El Laberinto del Fauno, aka Pan's Labyrinth?
Guillermo del Toro has made both story and vision masterpiece.

You're opinion?

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/7061/slabyrinth5.th.jpg (http://img705.imageshack.us/i/slabyrinth5.jpg/)
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/8433/slabyrinth1.th.jpg (http://img842.imageshack.us/i/slabyrinth1.jpg/)
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/2764/slabyrinth2.th.jpg (http://img25.imageshack.us/i/slabyrinth2.jpg/)
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/958/slabyrinth3.th.jpg (http://img28.imageshack.us/i/slabyrinth3.jpg/)
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/4455/slabyrinth4.th.jpg (http://img375.imageshack.us/i/slabyrinth4.jpg/)

[Morg]

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=214055

should bumped that thread

[Spider-Who?]

i really enjoyed this movie. though i must admit, it wasn't like anything i was expecting (or the trailers let on), so that causes some lost points in my book (i was really excited for an all out dark fantasy), but its still a great film.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Fantastic movie, havent watched it for a while but its simply superb, with one of the best bad guys in movie history.

[Carmine Falcone]

I was astounded by the boldness of the ending of this film. Great creautures too :D :up:

[The Sage]

Beautiful film.

[Doctor Jones]

This is a great film. Del Toro's best easily. Will At The Mountains of Madness top it? It'll be hard, because, yeah this is his masterpiece.

[AndThePickles]

http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=214055

should bumped that thread

Can we get a merge? :huh:

[Happy Jack]

Definitely one of the best movies of the last decade. Del Toro's made some solid films, but nothing as great as this.