This volume guides the reader through a detailed analysis of the film, concentrating on the generation of meaning for the viewer. Above all else, guillermo del toro movies are known and beloved for their fantastical worlds. Log in get started home study guides movie pans labyrinth. Ofelia lives out her own dark fable as she confronts monsters both otherworldly and human. Pans labyrinth film 2006 study guide movie packet by. Pans labyrinth is a fantastic film for high school students and university students alike.
Resources film library pans labyrinth film education. Jonah waters film studies blog this is a local blog, for local people. In this case though we are going to explore the historical context which is the subject matter. But because of english and marketing, things got a little confusingso lets break it down. Set in 1944 in spain s postcivil war era, pan s labyrinth follows the story of a young girl named ofelia who, with her pregnant mother, moves to a rural area to live with her ruthless stepfather. Blending blending elements of fantasy and history, it tells the story of a young girl growing up in the aftermath of the.
Pans labyrinth british board of film classification. Pans labyrinth 2006 by director guillermo del toro, and it is a case of realfantastic cinema. The first page provides a cast and crew list and a background and int. The look, in particular, of the film helped bring to life perhaps the purest version of del toro s vision. Del toro presents that the political message that fascism is a danger and a threat to the citizens.
If any character in this film makes us want to follow peter pan s lead and never grow up, it s carmen. The introduction of the faun is a rich piece of film making on del toro s part. Pans labyrinth is a story of war told through the eyes of an elevenyearold girl who battles the evils of her fantasy worldeven as the rebels fight similar battles in the historical world of 1944 spain. Pan s labyrinth study guide contains a biography of director guillermo del toro, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Pans labyrinth is a 2006 spanishmexican dark fantasy drama horror film written and directed by guillermo del toro and starring ivana baquero, sergi lopez. This is, after all, a man who s most grounded films are pan s labyrinth and crimson peak. Pans labyrinth study guide pans labyrinth is a mexicanspanish fantasy film from 2006, written and directed by guillermo del toro. Doc pans labyrinth a case study lea c weller ba pgcert. Pan s labyrinth is a film of both extraordinary technical accomplishment and intense emotional impact. This also foreshadows the blood s significance at the end of the film, when it is used to unlock the portal to the underworld. Pan s labyrinth and analyzing the roles that the characters play in each scene to develop the film s theme. Pan s labyrinth 2006 is a film of extraordinary technical achievement and intense emotional impact, garnering acclaim from both critics and audiences alike. Pan s labyrinth is a contemporary film suitable for discussion in relation to media language, narrative and genre or as the focus for critical research independent study. Ending scene of pans labyrinth film studies a level.
It won acclaim from both critics and audiences alike. Pans labyrinth can be studied in relation to the research project in fs4, film. In that sense there may be two sets of historical contexts. It stars sergi lopez, maribel verdu, ivana baquero, doug jones, and ariadna gil. Pans labyrinthblurs the line between right and wrong. The concept of the motion picturemovie study guide used here is taken. Pan s labyrinth 2006 by director guillermo del toro, and it is a case of realfantastic cinema. The 2001 gothic horror film was set in spain, in 1939, and the picture, which del toro. Posted on dec 12, 2018 by maximusgilhespysfilmstudies. Miseenscene creating the appropriate set and designing costumes, models and props are all an essential part of the story on film. Life and death life and death are central themes in pans labyrinth. We realize that this might sound like kind of scary, ominous, uptonogood girl, but shes really just young and curious. As early as as early as the first shot were told a lot about ofelia and her nature as a character due to the. Or does the movie reveal fascism as a terrible fairy tale brought to life.
Powerless and lonely in a place of unfathomable cruelty. Because carmen s life makes the world of adults look totally draband also totally. Pan s labyrinth is a fantasydrama film set in 1944 spain and follows ofelia and her mother as they arrive at a military outpost. Pans labyrinth science fiction and fantasy films the guardian. Such a rich cinematic text deserves close scrutiny and comprehensive study. Powerless and lonely in a place of unfathomable cruelty, ofelia lives out her own dark fable as she confronts monsters both otherworldly and human. Pans labyrinth is one of the greatest of all fantasy films, even though it is anchored so firmly in the reality of war. Pans labyrinth is a political film through del toros representation of fascism. Pans labyrinth has a political message due to its context of being set during the era of fascism after the spanish civil war has concluded early 40s. The films political dimension is never quite as lavishly or as.
Pan s labyrinth can be studied in relation to the research project in fs4, film. He uses gothic romance to tell stories of love and hope within the aesthetic conventions of the horror genre. Pans labyrinth is a hybrid of multiple genres, horror, fantasy and historical drama representing ongoing strife after the civil war ended. Film study guide for asalevel spanish english and spanish edition spanish paperback illustrated, april 21, 2017 by guillermo del toro author, jose a. Check out the fauns character analysis for more info. The study guide can be used for study in an english or film studies class. Each of ofelias choices is a step on her journey to reclaim her innocence. Pans labyrinth is meant to be the spiritual successor to del toros earlier film, the devils backbone. View all posts by abigail armstrong s film studies blog published december 30, 2018 february 6, 2019. The film itself might also be a response to a specific historical event as in pans labyrinth. Film education resources film library pans labyrinth. All my complicated chaining of heraldic symbology and film and historical references to alliances going back to outremer, months of study and. Critical approach characteristics of a postmodern text that can be seen within pan s labyrinth. There are the good guys and the bad guysand each choice ofelia is faced with is a choice between right and wrong.
A level film studies focus film factsheet he who acts as ofelia s guide and proppian dispatcherdonor. Pan s labyrinth quiz and discussion questions film study. Directors influence on pans labyrinth guillermo del toro s films have a distinct style and approach to filmmaking. To cope with the stress and change in her life ofelia creates a fantasy world to use as a coping mechanism to deal with the burdens of the real world. A level film studies focus film factsheet pans labyrinth. Pans labyrinth unfolds through the eyes of ofelia, a dreamy little girl who is uprooted to a rural military outpost in fascistruled spain, commanded by her new stepfather, the captain.
He tells ofelia that she is in fact, princess moanna, daughter of the king and queen of the underworld. Hayao miyazaki s spirited away 2001, japan and guillermo del toro s pan s labyrinth 2006, spain are both feature length films which delve into the journey of a young female character experiencing their own personal journeys to achieve different goals. Intertextuality the referencing of other cultural texts. Pans labyrinth is a beautiful and engaging film that has appeal to. But the vidal in pan s labyrinth is anything but lifeaffirming. Del toro conveys that fascism is violent and oppressive and del toros political representation is a reflection of del toros negative views on political institutions and authoritarianism which emphasises why pans labyrinth has a significantly heavy negative tone towards fascism throughout the film.
I have taught it many times and the students love it. Pans labyrinth is a contemporary film suitable for discussion in relation to media language, narrative and genre or as the focus for critical research independent study. Pan s labyrinth is a complex film, unflinchingly exploring the depth of human cruelty as well as goodness. The brilliance of pans labyrinth is that its current of imaginative energy. Pan s labyrinth is a fantastic film for high school students and university students alike. Like del toros 2001 picture the devils backbone, pans labyrinth is about the. Tenser music plays as vidal is chasing ofelia through the labyrinth, this is an example of parallel sound, the sound we are hearing is parallel to what we are seeing happen. It incorporates animatronics and cgi as a way of building its uncanny and fantastical visual world, and was critically acclaimed upon its release. Film studies thursday, october 3, 2019 pans labyrinth scene analysis the introduction of the faun is a rich piece of film making on del toros part. These films share similar settings, protagonists and themes with the 1973 spanish film the spirit of the beehive. The following 6page document is a study guide movie packet to guide a viewers analysis of the 2006 film pans labyrinth directed by guillermo del toro. The 2006 historical fantasy is loaded with the mexican filmmaker s pet themes, and includes creatures and designs personally conjured up by del toro and bearing his signature style. Though its themes may seem uncomfortably dark at times, we believe that adolescents are ready to encounter the challenges and. The labyrinth is the last remaining portal between that kingdom and her current reality.
I follow a principle that i got from studying theatrical design. Synopsis pans labyrinth unfolds through the eyes of ofelia, a dreamy little girl who is uprooted to a rural military outpost in fascistruled spain commanded by her new stepfather, the captain. The part of ofelia was first written as an eight or nineyearold girl. In pan s labyrinth this is particularly important as it helps the audience to believe in the world that we are seeing. Film education is not responsible for the content of external sites. With pans labyrinth, however, writerdirector guillermo del toro has built on his proven skills in fantasy hellboy in 2004 and spanish history the devil s backbone from 2001 to produce a work that is at once a logical development of his artistic trajectory and a wholly unexpected masterpiece from a director identified with such lowstatus genres. While the latter was a boys movie the former is meant to be its sister parallel, a female heroine fighting against patriarchal authoritarianism. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in. Pans labyrinth cert 15, 119 mins pans labyrinth unfolds through the eyes of ofelia, a dreamy little girl who is uprooted to a rural military outpost in fascistruled spain, commanded by her new stepfather, the captain. Pans labyrinth is a mexicanspanish fantasy film from 2006, written and directed by guillermo del toro.
Pans labyrinth aesthetics revision cards in a level. The film itself might also be a response to a specific historical event as in pan s labyrinth. Such a rich cinematic text demands close scrutiny and comprehensive study. The following 6page document is a study guide movie packet to guide a viewer s analysis of the 2006 film pan s labyrinth directed by guillermo del toro. In this case though we are going to explore the historical context which is the subject matter of the film, the spanish civil war and it s aftermath.