Pan's Labyrinth

[Dr Zaius]

Did anyone else see Pan's Labyrinth? If so, what did you think?

Pan's Labyrinth | Official Movie Site | Picturehouse

 

[Scott Tortorice]

I think this is the first I heard of it....

 

[JD Sullivan]

Good/Almost Great movie. I suspect that the setting could be done anywhere (1944 Fascist Spain here) as the principal motivations of the characters are pretty universal and would translate cross culturally quite easily. I would not be surprised to see this remade by Hollywood.

Very richly designed and a major feast for the eyes. If you like fairy tale movies, then you should see this one.

 

[Dr Zaius]

The movie won 2 Academy Awards this year.

 

[JD Sullivan]

Well, it was far better than that insulting piece of sh!t Scorcese put out.
People get shot and beat to death in far more imaginative ways too, guys!

 

[Dr Zaius]

I liked that guy with eyes in his hands. That part was really creepy!

 

[Scott Tortorice]

What is the movie about?

 

[Dr Zaius]

I stand corrected, it won 3 Academy Awards.

What is the movie about?

It's kind of difficult to describe, actually. I'll try, but I don't want to give out any spoilers.

Pan's Labyrinth is a kind of violent "fairy tale" for adults. The move is set in Spain during WWII, and most of the story is a form of allegory on the abuses of fascism and tyranny. Spain is a terrible place during this period and there is much suffering among the ordinary people.

Among this suffering a young girl is drawn into a fairytale world of mythical creatures, fantastic settings, and terrible monsters. I really can't say a whole lot more without ruining part of the story for you. Suffice it to say it is a highly unusual and imaginitive story that goes a lot deeper than some B-rated thriller. It's difficult to describe it, largely because I can't think of anything to compare it to.

Just be advised it is in Spanish, but after about five minutes you completely forget about the subtitles. The whole movie is very well done.

[YOUTUBE]Q5d4f1nyLgg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Scott Tortorice]

I must admit, it looks interesting. I'll have to find it at the video store.

 

[Blackcloud6]

I thought it was an interestingly bizarre movie. The premise was good with a harsh reality going on with with an underlying fanatsy theme. The two themes running together was clever. I do think though, that the harsh Spanish Commander was bit too cliche and his character could have been made more complex.

 

[Dr Zaius]

I will admit, though, that I really didn't expect it to end like that. I don't know what I was expecting.

 

[CPangracs]

I saw a great deal of Christian significance, or more specifically, monotheistic significance.

I watched it with my 11yo son, and we had a good discussion about it afterwards. We came to the conclusion that the entire thing was an escape in the girls mind that was constructed through her religious upbringing and a need to turn from the brutal realities of the war around her. The final straw was losing her mother, knowing that a brutal and heartless man was going to envelope her and her brother.

I can kind of commiserate, as when my mother passed, there was no buffer between my abusive stepfather and me, and the abuse only escalated until we ran as far as we could. My brother and I were able to do it literally...she had to do it in her mind.

But then again, I did LSD in my teens, so what the heck do I know...

 

[Karri]

I liked it, good movie. The ending was indeed unexpected.