# Pan's Labyrinth (2006)



## ravenus (Oct 22, 2006)

Has anyone here had the chance to see this Spanish film made by *Guillermo Del Toro*? It sounds interesting and the few screens I have seen of it look gob-smacking gorgeous. It has garnered generally glowing reviews and is being considered one of the best fantasy films of recent times. I'm quite eager to see it.







Link to IMDB's page on *Pan's Labyrinth*

Plot Summary from IMDB:
_"Pan's Labyrinth" is the story of a young girl that travels with her mother and adoptive father to a rural area up North in Spain, 1944. After Franco´s victory. The girl lives in an imaginary world of her own creation and faces the real world with much chagrin. Post-war Fascist repression is at its height in rural Spain and the girl must come to terms with that through a fable of her own._


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## Culhwch (Oct 22, 2006)

I saw the trailer for this some time ago, and it looks, as you say, quite stunning. God alone knows when we'll get it down here, however - and it'll probably be straight to video when we do get it...


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## j d worthington (Oct 22, 2006)

Not seen it, but when he's doing one of his own ideas, I've been quite impressed with his work; so this one I'll definitely be keeping a watch for. Thanks for the reminder!


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## Foxbat (Nov 23, 2006)

*Pan's Labyrinth*

This looks interesting.

Guillermo Del torro's latest film    Pan's Labyrinth | Official Movie Site | Picturehouse


It's getting very good reviews. Think I might have to make an effort to see this


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## Lucien21 (Nov 24, 2006)

Dying to see that one myself.

Unfortunatly i'm busy all weekend so will see it on Monday.


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## Winters_Sorrow (Nov 24, 2006)

Yes, I'm really looking forward to this one. Hoping to see it next week.
I'm desperately trying to avoid reviews and opinions on this as I want to see it fresh so I'll join in any discussions a bit later!


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## Nesacat (Nov 26, 2006)

The trailer and blurb do look intriguing. Shall keep my tail crossed that it will make it either to the cinemas here or to the pirates at least. Thank you Foxbat.


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## Foxbat (Nov 26, 2006)

I know W_S is trying to avoid opinions on this so...look away now  

It was reviewed on The Culture Show on Beeb 2 last night and they were raving about it, calling it the 'Citizen Kane of Fantasy Cinema'. There was also a small (but interesting) interview with Guillermo del Torro, where he shed some light on the inspiration behind this, his latest venture. 

All in all, just more reasons to go and see this movie


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## the_faery_queen (Nov 26, 2006)

i just saw a trailer on tv, well missed most of it, saw the end. then looked it up online. it gave me goosebumps. the music was lovely and it's eerie and goffy. im REALLY hopefuly this will be good! prestige was good, but not as amazing as i hoped. but this im hoping will be better.


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## McMurphy (Nov 27, 2006)

Oh, I have been admiring the trailer for this film, too.  To be honest, I was already ready to give it a go after seeing the poster.


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## Lucien21 (Nov 27, 2006)

Saw it this afternoon.*note - Spanish language film

*Pans Labyrinth* 

It's Spain 1944 and the Fascists have won the Civil War with only small pockets of resistance in the mountains. 

Into these mountains comes a little girl Ofelia and her pregnant mother (recently married to the fascist captain of the area) reading a bunch of fairy tale books. A meeting with a fairy takes her to a Labyrinth where a faun tells her she is a princess of the underworld and has to complete 3 tasks to return to her father the king. 

Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Devils Backbone) has woven a mesmerizing film that is part war movie and part fantasy (Reminded me of Mirrormask with echoes of Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz to name a few influences). Reality and fantasy collide in what is defiantly not a kids movie. There are some real world scenes of torture and violence mingled with some fantastic monsters (the creature with the eyes in his hands for instance) 

Superbly acted by all involved but especially the little girl and the Fascist captain (What a ******* he is). 

Is it all Reality or Fantasy? make up your own mind in what is IMO one of the best films of the year. 

A Gothic Masterpiece.


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## Foxbat (Nov 27, 2006)

Thanks for that Lucien. You've just made me even more eager to see this


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## jenna (Nov 28, 2006)

WOW. This one is right up my alley! Can't wait to see it!


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## Brian G Turner (Nov 28, 2006)

Trailers here:
Apple - Trailers - PAN'S LABYRINTH


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## intheknow (Dec 8, 2006)

i can't wait


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## Talysia (Dec 9, 2006)

Not long seen the tv trailer for this myself (kept missing it, for some reason).  It looks very good!  Can't wait to see it, and I don't say that about many films.


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## PTeppic (Dec 9, 2006)

Been looking forward to this for several weeks; and I can't find anywhere local that's showing it! (Fylde coast, Lancashire, UK) Stupid multi-national profit-centred multi-plexes... (that I normally praise as having plenty of choice!)


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## williamjm (Dec 12, 2006)

Went to see it yesterday. A very good movie I thought, with some very memorable scenes, although now I'm trying to work out how much of it was 'real'.


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## Steffi (Dec 12, 2006)

Jonathan Ross reviewed the on Film 2006 recently, I would really like to see it.  I love anything like this, the music, effects and storyline sound intriguing.


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## the_faery_queen (Dec 12, 2006)

me too! it's just a shame it's so hard to find in cinemas


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## Steffi (Dec 13, 2006)

We only have an Arts Theatre near us, so we get the Films about a month later unless they're really big box office hits.  We won't get Pan's Labyrinth until the end of January


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## Saolta Oiche (Dec 26, 2006)

I saw it and loved it, absolutely wonderful, something that really inspires I thought.

I did not know it was sub-titled until I got in but that was no prob.

It too was not shown widely in my area, maybe to much of a 'specific crowd puller', not a dead cert to pull into the cash.

You gotta love the non-mainstream stuff, lol.


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## Nikitta (Dec 30, 2006)

Saolta Oiche said:


> I saw it and loved it, absolutely wonderful, something that really inspires I thought.
> 
> I did not know it was sub-titled until I got in but that was no prob.
> 
> It too was not shown widely in my area, maybe to much of a 'specific crowd puller', not a dead cert to pull into the cash.



We just saw it today and I loved it too. Beautiful, but not in the meaning that most people use the word in. Very strong.

It didn't show in the "regular" cinema, but there is a place which shows more "independent" things and they ran it.


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## Alurny (Dec 30, 2006)

I should be going to see it next week. I will let you know what I think. Looks fantastic though.


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## Saolta Oiche (Dec 31, 2006)

Trust us mate, it is! :-D


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## Foxbat (Jan 7, 2007)

For those interested - Pan's Labyrinth is due for release on DVD (region 2) on march 12th. I've already got my copy pre-ordered


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## Thadlerian (Jan 7, 2007)

I'm seeing it in a couple of hours. Looking forward to it. I'll tell you what I think.


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## Thadlerian (Jan 8, 2007)

Don't bring along your kids on this one, even though it at first might appear to be a robust family movie. I found some of the scenes very strong.

A beautiful but horrible movie.

The trailer is rather misleading, I think (just apart from that awful Trailer Voice). It's not a Fantasy movie, the fairy-tale plot sometimes falls completely into the shadow of the real-life plot. The trailer also failed to reflect the brutality found in very many scenes.

Still, a great movie, if you can stomach it.


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## Saolta Oiche (Jan 8, 2007)

Wow you thought that it was a brutal film? I would not have said so myself, just normal sort of violence, considerably less than what is mostly out there I thought.

What was certificate of it anyways?


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## Thadlerian (Jan 8, 2007)

Saolta Oiche said:


> Wow you thought that it was a brutal film? I would not have said so myself, just normal sort of violence, considerably less than what is mostly out there I thought.


I'd say the violence was rather different from what you'd see in mainstream movies. It was perhaps the same _amount_, but not the same _sort_
First, it was neither humorous, nor were its effects understated, as normally tends to be. Second, the context intensified it all greatly. Most of all because of the Capitan character and his frightening, cynical sadism, but also considering that the protagoist was only a little child.

SPOILER:
That said, the clear view of humanoid fairies having their heads bitten/torn off by the Pale Man didn't make anything better. Normal sort of violence? Not for me.


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## Saolta Oiche (Jan 8, 2007)

Such is reality and the brutality of true evil people.

I don't think any violence is humourous to be honest, mainstream or not. I personally saw the film as portraying it as a grim, and sadly possible, depiction of someone who sees only their goal and the merciless way of going about it. 

But then why should fairy tales be all charming and gentile.


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## Nikitta (Jan 9, 2007)

Saolta Oiche said:


> Wow you thought that it was a brutal film? I would not have said so myself, just normal sort of violence, considerably less than what is mostly out there I thought.


 
I thought that the scariest parts was rather what they didn't show, but had you imagine, if you see what I mean. Pretty effective and that's what makes it brutal.

I enjoyed the movie a lot. I was just very close to looking away a few times and I'm not normally overly sensitive to such things.


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## Saolta Oiche (Jan 9, 2007)

Lol, then you could say that is a compliment to the film maker.

No good hiding behind your hands if you were the horrific eyeless creature, he was great. lol

Best way possibly, leaving things to your imagination, helps you really live the film, not that you would want to, hmmm but maybe you would.


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## Nikitta (Jan 9, 2007)

Saolta Oiche said:


> Lol, then you could say that is a compliment to the film maker.


 
That it is and I meant it as such.


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## Nikitta (Jan 10, 2007)

Saolta Oiche said:


> I don't think any violence is humourous to be honest, mainstream or not.


 
You obviously haven't seen Braindead


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## Saolta Oiche (Jan 10, 2007)

Lol yeah but Braindad violence is different, lol.

That's cheating! 

Bad Taste aswell.


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## Winters_Sorrow (Jan 15, 2007)

Saw it over the weekend.
Agree with Thad's comments about the level of violence. 
To be honest, I found it as brutal as some of the fight scenes in Oldboy.
_Definitely_ not a kids film - easily a 15 and possibly and 18 for the squeamish.

Having said that, I found the story engaging and it was a fantastic watch. The Eyeless Man was very creepy and moved in a non-human way as well. Even the faun was very neutral and not at all like Mr Tumnus 

My only real criticism is that there was not much meat to the fairytale element story. It seemed very much a sideshow to the real world, which may be the point as the nurse admits that she no longer believes in fairies because of the harsh civil-war world she lives in. The little girl who played Ofelia was excellent as was (for very different reasons!) the man who played the Captain.
A good film for those looking for something other than the next Hollywood by-the-numbers 'blockbuster'.


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## McMurphy (Jan 22, 2007)

I had the pleasure of watching this film a couple weeks ago in the theater, and it was amazing.

It was like watching a Grimm Fairy Tale still interred with the fangs of its original verbal darkness.  

For those inclined, there is a brilliant film paper just waiting to happen after watching that film.


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## Thadlerian (Jan 22, 2007)

I think the faun talked and moved precisely like Zarathus (the dude on B4) from Babylon 5.


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## Jackolsman (Jan 22, 2007)

I am not sure if this has been out in my area or not.  It says it will come to more theatres on January 26th but I don't want to get my hopes up since some of you say you've seen it at nearly the beginning of December.


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## Foxbat (Jan 23, 2007)

This film has six Oscar nominations. Fingers crossed


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## Saolta Oiche (Jan 23, 2007)

It deserves em.


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## philoSCIFI (Feb 1, 2007)

I have yet to see it. When I first saw a poster advertising it, I really wanted to see it. Then I saw a trailer and though... okay. I still want to see it, but maybe not that much. Then I heard reviews and was even more indifferent.

At the moment, I'd like to see it... but I may wait on some more reviews or just wait until it comes out on DVD. Heck, maybe those awards will sway my decision.


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## philoSCIFI (Feb 1, 2007)

I've posted my thoughts in the other Pan's Labyrinth thread as there seems to be more posts there.


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## williamjm (Feb 2, 2007)

philoSCIFI said:


> I have yet to see it. When I first saw a poster advertising it, I really wanted to see it. Then I saw a trailer and though... okay. I still want to see it, but maybe not that much. Then I heard reviews and was even more indifferent.
> 
> At the moment, I'd like to see it... but I may wait on some more reviews or just wait until it comes out on DVD. Heck, maybe those awards will sway my decision.



I've heard from a lot of people who have been to see it (both in 'real life' and on the Internet) who have been to see it, and so far _everyone_ has liked it, it is pretty to rare for opinion to be so unanimous.


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## Foxbat (Feb 2, 2007)

You'll find my review here:   http://www.chronicles-network.com/forum/34318-pans-labyrinth.html


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## ravenus (Feb 4, 2007)

OK here's Ravenus' take on this film:

*PAN'S LABYRINTH – Guillermo Del Toro* 

If there's anything about _Pan's Labyrinth_ that disappoints me, it is only that when the DVD comes out it'll be advertised as being made by the same guy who made _Blade II_ and _Hellboy_, two examples of half-cooked SFX wankery coated with comic-book fanboy drool. _Pan's Labyrinth_ is everything those films aren't: It has a story that actually interests, it has visual FX that are built entirely to tell its wondrous tale and don't look like generic “sci-fi meets kung fu” tech demos and it's not afraid to make you feel depressed about cruel things that happen to characters you grow to like. 

Set in WW2 era Spain where the Fascist military is doing its best to suppress the rebellion, the film centers around Ofelia (a bravura performance by *Ivana Baquero*), an imaginative child who with her re-married and pregnant mother comes to stay with her step-father, the iron-handed Captain Vidal. Shying from the general air of militarism and brutality around her, Ofelia slips into a fantasy plane where she meets a faun who tells her that she must complete 3 tasks for her to reclaim her legacy as the princess of a magical realm. The plot goes travels between the real and fantasy worlds of Ofelia, and scenes of civic unrest and fascist oppression alternate with magical quests that involve giant frogs and creatures with (removable) eyes on their palms. Even the climax has 2 parts, one in the real world and one in the magic world. 

Under Del Toro's guidance the story moves seamlessly between the 2 worlds and he does not discount the existence of either of them. Some may pick nits about the somewhat one-sided characterization of the military as dedicated sadists but the thing to remember is that this is a film told essentially from a child's POV and reflects the simplicity of that perspective. Of course it is not to be taken as a film for children, because it does not flinch from graphic violence when needed and even the ending has a moving tragic air to it. 

In the end, this is a modern day classic that needs to be seen and savored by teenage/adult audiences that look for something beyond merchandise-oriented studio crap. And move over Tim Burton, there's a new prince to claim the mature fairy tale fantasy crown that you've been wearing so far. His name is Guillermo Del Toro and by the looks of it, he has kicked your ass by a long mile.


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## ravenus (Feb 4, 2007)

*Addendum:* Merged the 2 *Pan's Labyrinth* threads


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## elvet (Feb 5, 2007)

I saw it this weekend. I can take violence in a fantasy setting, but dislike it otherwise. This movie was tough for me, I had to close my eyes a few times. Other than that, I thought it was one of the best movies I've seen in the past year. For those of us who read fantasys, it's easy to imagine the worlds blending as it did for Ofelia.


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## Nesacat (Feb 6, 2007)

I just picked a copy up from the pirates and will try and watch it tonight. I wish it had made it to the cinemas but I'm glad I managed to get a copy. Have been looking forward to this for quite some time, especially since I saw Cronos over the weekend.


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## the_faery_queen (Feb 8, 2007)

i saw it tonight. i did cringe and feel uncomfortable with the violence and i usually love that. i guess it's cos it was realistic, while horror violence is ott and a bit silly.

other than hiding behind my hands for those bits, i thought it was bleeping amazing  it was beautiful. i barely noticed the subtitles after a while. i loved the gothic ness of it, i really want a faun of my own now (statue thing) i loved the pale man mosnter thing. and the little faeries and jsut everything. it was lovely.


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## The Ace (Feb 10, 2007)

Thank God for subtitles. this film showed me just how bad my spanish is.  Absolutely wonderful, though.


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## Foxbat (Feb 12, 2007)

3 BAFTAs awarded (Best Foreign Film, Best Makeup and Best Costume Design). It deserved every one of them. Let's hope that it does well at the Oscars and that it boosts DVD sales. Del Toro deserves a major success with this one


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## Nikitta (Feb 23, 2007)

I just found it available to preorder from amazon.co.uk with some "art cards" included. Obviously I preordered it.


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## Foxbat (Feb 26, 2007)

3 Oscars for best make up, art and cinematography. Not a bad haul, although I still think it should have won best foreign film as well


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## kyektulu (Feb 26, 2007)

*I want to see this film so much, I missed it at the cinemas but looking forward to buying it on dvd... it looks fantastic and I have heard nothing but good reviews from mates. *


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## Thadlerian (Feb 27, 2007)

Foxbat said:


> 3 Oscars for best make up, art and cinematography. Not a bad haul, although I still think it should have won best foreign film as well


As well as best soundtrack...


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## Foxbat (Feb 28, 2007)

Thadlerian said:


> As well as best soundtrack...


 
Agreed


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## ravenus (Mar 2, 2007)

Foxbat said:


> 3 Oscars for best make up, art and cinematography. Not a bad haul, although I still think it should have won best foreign film as well


Then you have seen *The Lives of Others*?


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## Foxbat (Mar 2, 2007)

ravenus said:


> Then you have seen *The Lives of Others*?


 
No. I was just being flippant


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## Kanazaka (Mar 16, 2007)

I saw this earlier this year and liked it a lot.  It deserved all of the Oscars it won, though it should have also won Best Original Screenplay  .  However, I did think that some elements of the plot resembled Season Five of *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*  (especially the sacrificial offering at the portal).


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## Sathai (May 2, 2007)

Just a couple of more weeks and it will be out on DVD. I'm really looking forward to seeing this one.


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## Ice fyre (May 18, 2007)

Just watched this, what a haunting disturbing film. 

The ending was amazing powerful and so very sad, had a tear in my eye. 

Beautifully directed filmed, you know I just can't fault this film.


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## Annie (May 18, 2007)

I'm hoping to watch this one, tomorrow night. I can't wait!


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## The Pelagic Argosy (May 19, 2007)

Spoilers....










Thadlerian said:


> The trailer is rather misleading, I think (just apart from that awful Trailer Voice). It's not a Fantasy movie, the fairy-tale plot sometimes falls completely into the shadow of the real-life plot. The trailer also failed to reflect the brutality found in very many scenes.



I saw it on DVD last night.  It's a superb film that deserves all the praise it's gotten, of course.

My only gripe echo's Thadlerian's comments.  The ratio of this film is 80% disturbing fascist Spain stuff, 20% cool fantasy stuff.  The advertising and reviews I read led to me to believe it would be the other way around.  I, personally, try to avoid disturbing _realistic _war movies, which is mostly what this was.  (I'm glad they ended the leg-cutting scene when they did!)  

I did like, though, how the theme of questioning authority was mirrored in both the realistic and fantasy parts.  

It was also interesting that my mom saw this as a movie with a happy ending where the girl succeeded and went on to live as a princess.  I saw it more cynically as a story where everything good that happened to this little girl was just in her imagination, and she died tragically.  I guess I'm a pessimist.


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## the_faery_queen (May 19, 2007)

ah, but as my friend pointed out (and i can't remember if i said this here) her soul was that of the princess, reborn. not her body. she had to die to leave it behind. so tho she did die, she did also go to this other world. i think there were too many factors in it, like the way she got out of her room when it was locked, to say that it was totally in her mind.

i loved it. i did think it would be more fantasy, but i think the fantasy that they did have stood out so much more clearly because of the dark fascist contrast to it. i think that if it had been more like labyrinth teh fantasy would have lost it's edge, the end wouldn't have meant as much. either way, that girl kinda won. her world was dark and horrible, and in death she was free. either as a princess, or just because she got away from that awful messed up world (granted that was kinda over as her step-father was dead, but still. it wasn't a nice place generally)


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## Aniri (Oct 2, 2007)

I really enjoyed this film.  I do wish it had more fantasy to it, but what it did have was great.


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## Brigitte (Oct 2, 2007)

I saw Pan's Labyrinth on Pay-Per-View.  At first, I got really sick of it (Spanish subtitles making it ever so difficult to follow along, as I found myself trying to translate the words in my head).  However, it got pretty good toward the end.  What a sad story!  I don't know if the Spanish Civil War necessarily needed to play in there, but it was a good background story.


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## tangaloomababe (Oct 3, 2007)

I loved this movie, saw it again only recently.  Its just a beautiful film and although somewhat violent at times, which I am not to keen on, the movie was very moving.  I couln't decide if I was sad or happy at the ending, because I like to believe that the young girl was a princess after all.

Have to rate as one of my favorites.


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## Spade (Oct 3, 2007)

This movie is definitely in my top 5 of all time. I really, really enjoyed every minute of it. Can't wait to see it again.


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## SidMarl (Oct 5, 2007)

I absolutely loved this movie .. it was so dark, yet retained the whole fairytale mood at the same time


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## elfdragonlord (Apr 17, 2010)

one of my favourite movies.

I love the way the real world and the fantasy world echo each other (the toad who has grown fat and bloated=the fascist dictator, the prominent presence of a key in both storylines, the twin themes of defying authority to do what is morally right)

I also love the sinister, fairy-tale like portrayal of fantasy.  Such a refreshing change from Tolkien-esque 'elves and magic' fantasy.

Love it, love it, love it


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## Karn Maeshalanadae (Apr 17, 2010)

One of my favorite movies, even if it was just in Spanish and subtitles had to be read throughout.

I found that handeye creature to be rather weird. (Forgot what it was called in the movie.) It certainly was original, though.


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## ktabic (Apr 17, 2010)

This films great. I saw it originally in a English cinema in Spain.
Think the handyeyed creature was called the Pale Man,


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## Karn Maeshalanadae (Apr 17, 2010)

Yeah, just looked it up, it was called The Pale Man.


Still, I felt he could've used a better name than that.....


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## Rosemary (May 26, 2010)

I saw a film years ago which I thought was called Pan's Labyrinth.  I'm sure David Bowie was in it.

Is this the same film, only I don't recall any violence in it?


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## Karn Maeshalanadae (May 26, 2010)

It was not, Rosemary. That movie you're thinking of was simply entitled "Labyrinth". It starred David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. And had some Muppet characters.


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## Rosemary (May 26, 2010)

Oh thanks Karn, for clarifying that up for me 

Pan's Labryinth was on the television some months ago but I didn't watch it because I thought I had already seen it


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## Moonbat (May 26, 2010)

Totally different films 

Pan's labyrith has Guillermo Del Toro's distinctive style of mixing fantasy with reality.

Personally I found the devil's backbone to be a better film, but PL is certainly worth watching, with a truly poignant ending.


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## Karn Maeshalanadae (May 26, 2010)

The only thing about Pan's Labyrinth, RM, is that it is actually in Spanish with subtitles. (At least, that's how it was when I rented the DVD.)


But it is really a very good movie, especially for Guillermo del Toro in my opinion, and it has a nice story tied into it. The only thing is, I felt it got a little rushed at the end.




And should I provide kudos or not for GdT for making Pan look so creepy?


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## Rosemary (May 26, 2010)

Well next time it comes round, I'll have a look!  Thank you both


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