ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Guillermo del Toro

Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio – How to love change.

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Guillermo Del Toro at Pinocchio’s BFI Premiere. The screening was the day after his mother’s passing. The film is dedicated to her.

If anything is to be said of the man who has claimed the title of visionary director its that he knows how to find the visuals of love. Director Guillermo Del Toro revels in the compassion and heartfelt connection between human beings and often creatures of flight and fantasy. Guillermo Del Toro?s Pinnochio sees him tackling a father-son relationship between an aging old man and his alcohol induced creation. A puppet made of the finest Italian pine named Pinocchio (Gregory Mann).

               The aging old man is a name you might recognize, Geppetto (David Bradely) a grieving widower who after losing his son to a bomb that was being discarded now sits waiting to get his boy back. The opening scenes of the film show how much Geppetto loved his son and brings us into the brilliantly made fairy-tale version of Italy Del Toro has crafted with co-director Mark Gustafson. In the wake of Pinocchio being sculpted, a Wood Spirte grants Pinocchio life to accompany the lonely Geppeto in his grief. What ensues is a beautiful story of acceptance, finding your place in the world and the beauty of having a childlike wonder about the world. A wonder we don?t see embraced often enough. Instead, we see how Pinocchio?s unique and energetic spirit will be manipulated by the greed of power and money. Most of you are probably familiar with the fox who tricks Pinocchio into joining his carnival to bring wealth to himself. Well in this movie Del Toro pushes aside the old trope of a greedy vicious animal and gives us a mischievous human con artist for a change.

Making the humans the monsters of his fables is a trend Del Toro has continued to use in his films. His scripts revel in reversing the role of the ?other? or monster into a sympathetic protagonist or side character while indicting the wicked pathos of mankind. Along with Pinocchio?s fall to greed we?re familiar with, this Pinocchio explores how the vile desire for power might indoctrinate young aspiring minds. Pinocchio?s adventure starts in the era of World War Two where Mussolini?s fascist government controls Italy. The toxic masculinity and glorification of war is embodied by The Podesta (Ron Perlman) who upon discovering Pinocchio cannot die tries to recruit him into the elite youth army camp. Simultaneously he is being tricked by the con artist who runs the carnival Count Volpe (Christoph Waltz) and Pinocchio signs a contract to perform for Volpe for eternity. Despite his singnautre being a smiley fac it seems to be legally binding and so Geppetto would have to pay 10 million lira to Count Volpe if Pinocchio doesn?t perform for him.

Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) following Geppetto (David Bradely) home.

However, it is the law that Pinocchio must go to army youth camp to serve his country. Geppetto?s spirt weakens as he is faced with sending his boy away to army camp and having to pay a giant debt to a scheming con artist. In his anger and sadness Geppetto calls Pinocchio a burden, a decision he?ll end up regretting. Pinocchio?s reference for being a burden is to be dead like Geppetto?s son Carlo?s death one and so Pinocchio decides he will no longer be a pain to Geppetto. ?He chooses to go where he has been accepted and loved, striking what he thinks is a fair deal with Volpe to tour the country with him. Geppetto wakes up to find Pinocchio gone and realizes his love for him should outweigh any burden he feels from Pinocchio. So starts his journey to find his wooden son and show him how much he values him.

Pinocchio is a wonderfully animated feature that demonstrates Del Toro?s to bring his stunning film tableaus seamlessly to the world of clay and cotton. The number of impressive locations created in the film certainly make it worthy of a production design nomination as the film creates stunning towns, cities, carnivals, and mountains each distinct in its creation and backgrounds. The cinematography also? isn?t restricted by the miniature world as Del Toro and his team pulled off some incredible long takes and angles that play with the perspective of real people while immersing us in this fairy-tale land. The music also drops us right into the emotions of these puppets as Alexandre Desplat?s loving melodies continue to show his collaborations with Del Toro are some of the best modern film scores to play the screen. It?s use in the opening and ending sequences which, I consider to be the best parts of the films stand out as the emotional focal point of the whole story. An Oscar nomination for Desplat?s work would certainly not be unfitting. His composition stands in for the heart these stop motion characters often struggle to portray thought in no fault to the animation. The detail of the humans is especially impressive with their designs emboldening their realistic features like hair, eyes and tears which flow from all whiles making them fit in this surreal world.

The vocal performances elevate these mostly simple characters both human and creature as David Bradely as Geppetto uses his unique and mature voice to help us feel the sorrows of this old worn man. Gregory Mann as Pinocchio is very impressive as his voice is used to give Pinocchio this wonderous sense of childlike fascination with the world. His singing in some of this film?s songs are also very impressive. It is a bit of musical in case you didn?t know. The rest of the cast with Ron Perlman, Christoph Waltz, Finn Wolfhard does a great job with their voice roles with a special nod to Cate Blanchett in a non-speaking role as the monkey. Its especially good that Blanchett got to show off her skills in imitating a prime ape as without words she can give a performance that never falters to convey the proper emotions. Unfornately the way some of the dialogue is written fails the actors ability to be emotionally expressive in the film. Combined with some clunky plot points the film lacks the cohesive narrative that would make it the super entertaining ride the visual provide. Even with its lack of fluid writing the film manages to have a beautifully effecting, beginning and end. One which highlights Del Toro?s belief in love and humour. The script may shove some of those ideas in at points with margining success but by the end its worth it. The final scene is easily the most nuanced and mature part of the script and really highlights love in even its most challenging forms.

Guillermo Del Toro?s Pinocchio is available in theaters on November 18 and on Netflix December 9.

Nightmare Alley – Dark human nature

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?Take a look at yourself, sinner.?

That sign in a carnival funhouse should be a warning to viewers of Nightmare Alley, the latest film from Guillermo del Toro, that we may be judged by what we see here. We may think this is a distorted reflection, but perhaps it just shows our blemishes in new light.

Del Toro?s films (e.g., Pan?s Labyrinth, Hellboy, The Devil?s Backbone, The Shape of Water) make use of magical realism and fantasy to explore our dark parts of our nature, Nightmare Alley relies on the hyper-realism of noir. The film creates contrasting worlds that allow us to see good and evil, truth and lie in the life of a drifter whose ambition leads him to greatness?and to a great fall.

Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) comes across a traveling carnival, and having nothing, manages to become part of the group led by Clem (Willem Dafoe). While carnies are generally seen as lowlifes, we see this as a true community. The people care for one another. No one cares where you came from or what you look like, as long as you do your part. In spite of this sense of community, there is the constant presence of the ?geek?, an act that abuses an addicted man Clem forces to act a mindless beast, eating live chickens.

Stan first connects with Zora (Toni Collette), who is the carnival?s psychic act, and her husband Pete (David Strathairn), who used to do a mentalist act, but now spends too much time in the bottle. Stan begins to learn the tricks that go into reading people and the code that Pete and Zora used in the act.

Stan is attracted to Molly (Mara Rooney), another of the carnival people, and soon she buys into his dream of taking his own mentalist act on the road. This is when we first see Stan?s ambition begin to grow. He wants more than just a carny life.  In time they head off to the big time where Stan has a nightclub act. This is a very different world. This is the world of money and society. But we soon discover there are different kinds of freaks in this world. While they may look normal, they have their secrets and their anxieties.

Bradley Cooper in the film NIGHTMARE ALLEY. Photo by Kerry Hayes. ? 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

When he meets Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), a high society psychologist, he uses her to get access to some of the top society people so he can take advantage of their desires and fears. But Lilith can play this game at least as well as Stan. The chemistry may seem sexual between them, but the temptation is not so much carnal as it is spiritual. Their connection has a dark power that grows out of their times together. In time, Stan?s ambition, greed, and hubris will bring all of this crashing down.

The contrasting worlds that Stan moves through (with Molly loyally following) may reverse our thoughts of what is a good life, of what is true and honorable, of human nature. The role of geek is constantly in the background. When we hear Clem barking about that sideshow attraction, he poses the question of if he is man or beast. The real question is what are we? Clem tells Stan how you get someone to do that. (It?s not a pretty story.) We watch as Stan manipulates Molly, as Stan manipulates his marks, and as Lilith manipulates Stan. All of those are variations on training a geek. You get them addicted to something, and they will do anything to get it. And it will ultimately lead to degradation.

While this may be the most realistic of del Toro?s films, it is, like his others, very like a fairy tale. Those stories were not about entertainment alone. They also were meant to teach important lessons about our world and our nature. One of those tales that the Grimm Brothers recorded was ?The Fisherman and His Wife?. In it a magical fish grants the fisherman?s wife?s wishes that grow grander and grander, until she goes one step too far. We watch as Stan keeps grasping for more and more. And we know that in time, he will have to pay. And what a price it is.

Nightmare Alley is in general release.

Photos courtesy of 20th Century Studios.

Hellboy: The Beast With Burden

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Based on the Dark Horse comics by Mike Mignola, Hellboy sees the legendary half-demon superhero (David Harbour, Stranger Things)called to the English countryside to battle a trio of rampaging giants when he soon discovers that the ultimate evil, The Blood Queen Nimue (Milla Jovovich, Resident Evil), is returning to avenge her past. All of a sudden, Hellboy, caught between the worlds of the supernatural and human, battles an ancient sorceress bent on revenge with the hope that he doesn?t accidentally trigger the end of the world in the process.

Directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent), Hellbo serves as the return of the lovable half-demon caught between two worlds who we met previously in two cult favourite films from the mind of Guillermo Del Toro. With Del Toro struggling to get a third film in his planned trilogy made due differing visions, the production team opted for Hellboy?s resurrection to become a hard reboot.

And ?hard reboot? isn?t an exaggeration. Fans of Del Toro?s films should know that this incarnation of the hornless beast is definitely an R-rated take on the property, with all the blood and gore that comes with that. (While that?s not a shock by any stretch, it?s worth noting that given that Del Toro?s films were comfortable in PG-13 territory.) Marshall?s film has no problem unleashing the beast (so to speak) but keeps the Big Lug?s trademark humour in the process. David Harbour brings a humility and inner conflict to his character that brings him to life in a relatable way. Moreover, while Milla Jovovich?s Blood Queen doesn?t have the same emotional depth to her as our titular hero, she clearly relishes the chance to play the epitome of evil and attacks her role with a devilish glee.

In the midst of the blood and gore, there?s a charm to this vision of Hellboy that carries throughout the film. Burdened by a toxic relationship with his father (Ian McShane, John Wick), Hellboy is a man trapped between two worlds. Feeling that he doesn?t belong amongst the humans due to his demonic nature, he?s also committed to being a part of mankind. He wants to belong. Whether it?s shaving his horns down to the nubs or wearing a trenchcoat to blend in to the crowd, Hellboy wishes to break free from his demonic nature and live a peaceful life amongst those around him. Carrying the weight of his inner darkness around like a millstone around his neck, he yearns to be accepted but can?t seem to find where he belongs.

Though he is tempted to unleash his inner beast, Hellboy?s humanity is what draws him to do good. In some ways, one might consider this ironic given mankind?s tendency to do evil in the world as they serve their own interests. Still, in contrast to the devil inside Hellboy, his humanity is what has given him the desire to do the right thing. In the face of unimaginable evil, Hellboy wants to stand up for those who cannot. He?s broken? but he also wants to be better than the way that others view him. Better than how he views himself. For Hellboy, redemption is about owning the past and setting things right in the future. 

WhileHellboyisn?t for everyone, he has a following that will be excited about what Marshall brings to the table. Similar to his Dark Horse comic roots, this incarnation of the beastie balances humour with horror in a (bizarrely?) endearing manner. Still, the most appealing thing about the film isn?t the gore or the special effects. At its heart, Hellboyis really about one (half-)man?s desire to be more than the sum (or the sins) of his past.

Hellboy?unleashes in theatres on Friday, April 12th.???

To hear audio of our time with stars David Harbour and Milla Jovovich, click here.

The Shape of Water – Fable with Biblical Commentary

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?Decency is an export. We sell it because we don?t use it.?

Guillermo del Toro?s films are sometimes referred to as fairy tales, fables, or parables, but always much darker than we usually think of such things. Those characterizations are not just because of fantastic, mythical beings in the stories. It is also because these stories have a strong moral center that uses a fantasy world to challenge our understanding of our own world. All this is true of his newest film, The Shape of Water.

Sally Hawkins in the film THE SHAPE OF WATER. Photo by Kerry Hayes. ? 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

The film is set in the Cold War, a time that some saw as a great battle of good versus evil. (Of course, which side you were on would affect which side you viewed as good.) In a secret government facility, Elisa (Sally Hawkins), a mute janitor, discovers a strange creature (Doug Jones) being held captive. It is amphibian and resembles the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The creature is being held there by Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon), who brought the creature back from the Amazon because it might hold secrets to give the US an advantage over the Soviets in the space race. In time, Elisa secretly forms a relationship with the creature and enlists the help of a co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) and neighbor Giles (Richard Jenkins) to free the creature from the lab to save its life.

Because of the setting, the film allows reflection on those ?good old days? and how they may fall short of our golden memories of them. There are clear distinctions between classes, races, and men and women. But the story revolves around the differences between the marginalized and the entitled.

Michael Shannon in the film THE SHAPE OF WATER. Photo by Kerry Hayes. ? 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

Del Toro employs an interesting device to illuminate the issues: biblical stories. Strickland has a worldview that is informed by a particular understanding of scripture. That understanding revolves around power. He believes he can treat the creature as he does because humans are created in God?s image?and he sees himself more in God?s image than other people. When he learns Zelda?s middle name is Delilah, he brings up the story of Samson, which he also reads as a story about power and being the conduit of that power. As we watch we see that even though he knows scripture, he has a distorted view of its meaning.

But the key biblical story alluded to in the film is Ruth. Del Toro doesn?t tell us the story (as with Samson). He just gives us an allusion to the story and lets us find how to use that tool to read the film. Elisa lives above a movie theater that is currently showing The Story of Ruth. That biblical account is also about the marginalized. Ruth was a foreign widow (two forms of marginalization). Elisa has been abused as a child and is now mute. The creature is a prisoner and totally out of his element.

Doug Jones and Sally Hawkins in the film THE SHAPE OF WATER. Photo Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures. ? 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

In the story of Ruth, Ruth is rescued from her dire situation through finding a relationship with Boaz, a distant well-to-do relative. There is a bit of seduction in Ruth?s story, and in this one as well. But as l look at this story through the lens of the book of Ruth, I?m not sure which character is in the role of Ruth and which is in the role of Boaz. Certainly, Elisa rescues the creature from his imprisonment, but he also rescues her from her loneliness and pain. I have come to the conclusion that they each serve as Boaz to the other. They both bring a kind of salvation that give life to each other through their love.

It is good to remember that the biblical account of Ruth arose during a time of marginalizing those whose Jewish lineage was in question (even though the story is set much earlier). As we look at today?s world, we see many who are on the margins of society because of poverty, race, immigration status, sexual identity, and many other reasons. The Shape of Water provides a fable that calls us to act with decency (something that the powerful in this story see as unimportant) towards those around us. Today?s world still needs to live out that story of Boaz and Ruth.

Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer in the film THE SHAPE OF WATER. Photo Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures. ? 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

4.07 Diving into THE SHAPE OF WATER

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Guillermo Del Toro’s latest creation is garnering awards momentum with each passing week. While a romance film between woman and fish-man seems… unexpected… on paper, it carries a poignant message that seems timely and relevant. But why? This week, returnees Ben Dower and Andrew Eaton speak with Steve on the nature of love and repeating history.

Want to continue to conversation at home? ?Click the link below to download ?Fishing for More? ? some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

4.07 The Shape of Water

A special thanks to Ben and Andrew for joining us!

 

For those of you in Canada who are interested, you can donate to ScreenFish by clicking the link below and simply selecting ‘ScreenFish’ from the ‘Apply Your Donation…’ area.?

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/connect-city/

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Five Came Back – Hollywood Goes to War

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For those who enjoy film, the names John Ford, Frank Capra, George Stevens, William Wyler, and John Huston will be familiar. All are Oscar-winning directors (with a total of 14 Oscars between them). They were also part of the World War II war effort as military filmmakers. Five Came Back is a three-part documentary about these five directors and how they used their filmmaking expertise during the war. The series is streaming on Netflix.

When the U.S. entered World War II after Pearl Harbor, there were many people who left their worlds of safety and comfort to fight in this war. These five filmmakers knew they had talents that could be of import to the war effort. Each volunteered and spent the war in uniform making films for the military. Each had different approaches to the task. For some it took them directly into battle?on Midway and at D-Day, or flying on bombers on combat missions. Others made films that helped American understand why this war had to be fought. But each found a way to serve their nation with the skills they had developed entertaining people with film. Some of their work was essentially newsreel material, often with a good dose of propaganda included. It served to bring the war back to Americans in such a way to keep morale high.

There are some big name directors of today who relate the stories of these earlier filmmakers: Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Guillermo del Toro, Paul Greenglass, and Laurence Kasdan. They understand how difficult it is to make films under the best of circumstances. They relate the hardships and trials (which included pushing to make the films their way) faced by the early group.

The series introduces us to their work before the war, but the bulk of the film focuses on their wartime work. It also shows us how this experience changed them. For example, George Stevens (who filmed D-Day and, eventually, the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp) was known mostly as a director of comedies before the war; after the war he never made another comedy (but some marvelous serious films).

This is an excellent piece of film history, plus a nice bit of the history of the Second World War as seen by these filmmakers. Netflix is also streaming some of the wartime films so that viewers can not only learn the story of these men, but also the stories they brought back with them. Among the ones I?ve added to my list on Netflix are: The Memphis Belle (Wyler), The Battle of Midway (Ford), The Negro Soldier (Capra), Know Your Enemy—Japan (Capra), and Let There Be Light (Huston).

29 Aug 1943, London, England, UK — Image by ? Bettmann/CORBIS

Colossal Undertaking – An Interview with director Nacho Vigalondo

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When it finally receives its wide release, Colossal will surprise everyone. Given that it will most likely be marketed based on its supernatural elements, the film may seem like a simple monster mash-up.

But don?t tell that to the film?s writer and director, Nacho Vigalondo.

?It?s a mix,? he explains. ?50% comes from my love towards monster movies and kaiju eigas. The initial premise is my way to approach those genres from a funny and, at the same time, accessible approach to me as filmmaker. The other 50% is my life, all my shades and bright moments.?

Written and directed by Vigalondo, Colossal tells the story of Gloria (Anne Hathaway), a woman who is dominated by her addiction to alcohol. After her boyfriend (Dan Stevens) ends their relationship and throws her out of his house, she returns to her family home in an attempt to find herself once again. While the Earth deals with a catastrophic kaiju crisis across the globe, Gloria takes a job in a local tavern and re-establishes relations with it?s owner (Jason Sudeikis), a childhood friend with whom she?d lost touch. As the two begin to reminisce and rebuild, Gloria soon realizes that she has a strange connection with the events taking place on the other side of the world.

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For Vigalondo, having the opportunity to work with stars like Oscar-winner Hathaway and comedy veteran Sudeikis was amazingly fortunate, especially considering that their names were brought to him.

?Those were the first names offered and today I can?t think of a better casting for this roles,? he muses. ?They are talented, clever, and both surprising.?

What?s more, in an interesting twist on the kaiju genre, Colossal shifts the monster mayhem to Seoul, Korea, as oppose to the more traditional Japanese setting. For Vigalondo, however, the setting actually speaks more about the way American culture grapples with disasters that take place around the globe that do not affect them directly.

?Seoul represents [the] ?not-USA?,? he begins. ?[It?s] a nation struggling with a disaster that American people within the comfort of their houses contemplate, try to understand, and make jokes about.?

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With this in mind, one setting that is important to the film is the local tavern where the friends congregate each night. Gathering together until the early hours of the morning for drinking and storytelling, this location seems to take on the role of sanctuary for the characters. Nonetheless, Vigalondo also believes that the bar carries with it an element of danger as well.

?Not just the bar, but [more] specifically the “men cave” beyond the Country and Western side?the place where they drink after 2 am. That?s the place that works as the ultimate shelter for these characters, but it?s a trap. I?ve been there.?

What sets Colossal apart from other monster films (other than, arguably, the kaiju films developed overseas) is its ability to balance both character-focused drama with city-crushing monsters. (No offence?Guillermo, but Pacific Rim hardly contained intimate personal issues.) Vigalondo admits that the film serves as metaphor for one woman?s struggle with addiction.

?The movie disguises itself as a cautionary tale about alcohol and addiction,? he explains, ?but reveals [itself to be] something else as the story unfolds. The monster initially feels like a projection of Gloria?s (Anne Hathaway) troubles but later we see it?s just her.?

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Of course, any film is better off with Anne Hathaway leading the cast. With Hathaway?s incredible talent and range, she is able to portray Gloria as a woman in pain yet gradually discovering strength and hope. When asked where that hope comes from, Vigalondo explains that he believes true power comes when we?re forced to make changes in our lives.

?That was one of the most tricky parts while writing the script. How can I make this character survive this situation while saving as much lives as possible? As in real life, in order to change, you need to experience a breaking point and, after that, you need to think about yourself in new terms. Out of the box. That what she does, it?s not about being more strong, but to change the nature of your strength.?

With Colossal, Nacho Vigalondo has created something truly unique and captivating. By it?s unique blend of character-driven indie and kaiju film, Vigalondo manages to explore the damage that can be done to our souls by others while still offering sci-fi elements and humour. Both fun and serious, the film will truly give you something you?ve never seen before.

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Colossal, which made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, is currently touring the festival circuit but is expected to receive a wide release early in 2017.

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) Criterion Collection: Fight the Dark #TBT

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Pan’s Labyrinth?or?El Laberinto del Fauno is the best Spanish film that I have ever seen. Okay, let’s be honest: it’s the only Spanish film – and one of a handful of foreign language films – that I have ever seen. But thanks to the name recognition of director Guillermo del Toro, I remember sitting in the darkened theater in 2006, afraid to take my eyes off of the action onscreen to read the subtitles. And the beautifully rendered, strangely depicted, artistic world of creative collision between the Spanish War of 1944 and the dream world of one girl’s mind took my breath away.

While it had been a decade since I saw the film, the beauty and spectacle of the film still justifies a watch sans subtitles – even if you don’t speak a word of Spanish. Here, the winner of three Academy Awards for?Best Art Direction,?Best Cinematography, and?Best Makeup, paints a picture that is worth more than all of the words spoken thanks to Guillermo Navarro’s stirring cinematography and the beautifully nuanced performance of the precocious twelve-year-old Ivana Baquero, who was handpicked by del Toro to be the center of the film’s attention.

pans5While?Pan’s Labyrinth?could well be considered a fairy tale, fable, or even parable, it is located within the history of post-Civil War Spain when the little Ofelia (Baquero) is forced to meet the new husband of her sickly mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil). This new stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez), is a Fascist, assigned to track down (and kill) rebels against the new regime in Spain. He obsessed with two things – his unborn child inside of Carmen and annihilating anyone who gets in his way on any level. This is the?real?danger?to Ophelia – her stepfather’s violence – but there’s a greater context involved, too.

In a parallel world that intersects with Ofelia’s, the princess of the underworld suffers amnesia when traveling to the human world, becomes mortal, and dies. But her father establishes a series of mazes – a labyrinth – to allow her spirit to return to the underworld when the time comes. The intersection of these two worlds occurs when a large stick insect leads Ofelia to the faun (one of the roles played by CGI expert Doug Jones), who sends her on a series of tests.

 

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While the visuals here are amazing and powerful, the beauty of the story can’t be ignored either. We see the beauty, frailty, and innocence of childhood up against the vulgarity, violence, and ugliness of adulthood; we see the frustration of shattered dreams and abandoned hopes against the boundless energy of what could be; we see the imagination and power of children as a coping mechanism for dealing with the dangers of surviving in the world of adults. We see Ofelia as hero, as scared little girl, as victim, as Christ figure – questing for herself, and for her sibling – in a battle between good and evil for the fate of souls. All of this plays as the portrait against the backdrop of the del Toro/Jones experience – where sometimes a creature’s eyes are in its hands, and sometimes, what happens in the ‘real world’ has a mirrored echo in the world of the spirit.

In 2006, I was still beginning to see, understand, and explore how film related to my own spiritual understanding of faith and the universe. Sure, I’d seen some spiritual images, and experienced a few films that moved me. But in 2006,?Pan’s Labyrinth?declared quite loudly that the spirit and physical worlds?are?interrelated, are the same and not separate. In fact, the film seemed to suggest that while we might not understand how they both work, or understand their correlation to each other, that they are in fact?the same?as viewed from different points of view or experience. Which begs the question: would we behave or live differently if we knew that the way we saw the world was merely dim, or that there was more?absolutely guaranteed?to the spirit world around us?

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In I Corinthians 13:11-12, often used (and misused) at weddings, the apostle Paul writes, ” When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” In?Pan’s Labyrinth, del Toro invites us to look into the mirror – or the labyrinth – and ask ourselves, what do we really know? What do we really believe? What drives us, motivates us, moves us to be who we are supposed to be?

In the end, it’s often like a test we must pass, only to find ourselves facing a deeper question, a heavier set of examinations, as we descend further into the labyrinth, seeking that place where the physical and spiritual worlds collide.

The Criterion Collection?brings Del Toro’s film on a new 2K digital master, with an additional interview of the director by writer Cornelia Funke about fantasy and the film itself. Fans of Jones’ will also find a new interview included, as well as the 2007 version of four making-of featurettes about themes, characters, music, and special effects. Backer’s audition footage makes the cut here, as well as some animated prequel stories. And, as usual for a Criterion collection, there’s a written essay by critic Michael Atkinson.?