Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Pan's Labyrinth

Tonight I saw Pan's Labyrinth, starring Ivana Baquero.

Click here to listen to our Cinebanter episode discussing it, which was released on February 3.

3 comments:

chris morrell said...

..I loved it.
Didnt really have any questions about the "timescale" "Dream or not Dream"..the first scene IS also the last,didnt doubt that Ofelia DID save the baby , and the Captain got his "come-uppance" after shooting her... showing himself to be the BIGGEST monster in the film...that first display of sadistic violence is SO horrific
the killing of the Farmer and son..
i DID anticipate it, but to see the pulping of a face like that was absolutely gut-wrenching... i wanted "the Captain " dead from that moment on!
Ofelias' monsters , the Frog and the "eyeless Child Eater" , i found gruesomely comic.. i loved the eyes in the palms of the hands, so to see he has to make the "Boogey man Rams Horns" ...
I loved the way "the Captains'" mutilation is previewed in his shaving with a "cut-throat", and you think of the damage he could inflict with it..but it doesnt form part of his "Torture Kit" ..
Whereas, each time we see Mercedes cutting vegetables , she rolls the short-bladed knife into her belt..so we know she always carries it, and only wish that she had killed the Bastard!...at that point i thought SHE was going to run into "the Labyrinth" , but no, it becomes Ofelias' refuge...
The final scenes i found to be genuinely uplifting..how else would "Heaven" look to this little girl, other than her Mum and Dad on thrones in a Gold Palace ,with all her imaginary friends reunited..My Heart was literally "Lifted"...
This was "flagged up" quite a while ago for me by my favourite British critic, Mark Kermode...i think you need a professional "Arthouse"critic as a reference point , someone you trust and agree on certain things with,and can proceed from there... such as:
" Mulholland Drive " is Lynchs' best film (and my all time favourite, up there with "Vertigo"), and that "Punch Drunk love" is Adam Sandlers' ONLY decent film "Pirates of the Caribbean" is total SHITE...
that sort of thing..he has been raving about this for months,had set it up perfectly as a"must see" for me,and i was NOT dissapointed!
Cheers Chris Morrell

chris morrell said...

Forgot my "last five"
"Pans' Labyrinth" (apostrophe in the right place)
"Jarhead"..strangely incosequential "non-political" (first) Gulf War film...
"V for Vendetta"..usually have no time for "Graphic Novel" adaptations, but this IS political,
and also has a great design , especially the main characters' look...Natalie Portman IS the new Wynona...and he manages what Guy Fawkes couldnt, blows up Parliament!
"Glastonbury" great piece of social documentary of a uniquely English event, great interactivity on the DVD, with various performances available to switch between
"Life on Mars" BBC series which you may get in the 'States/Canada(?)
John Simm ("24 hour party people", "Human Traffic "crime and punishment" on T.V.) is a policeman,knocked down ,in a coma..we see his dream world, put together from 70s' T.V. (Brit) cop shows, like "the Sweeney" ("sweeney Todd" "flying squad" ) and "Z Cars" "Minder",with some influence from "Kojak" and "Starsky and Hutch" thrown in, 'cept the car they do hand brake turns in is a Ford "cortina" 2000E "subcompact"...So he's a modern Cop working in 1973 ,with all the flares,kipper ties and "mutton chops" ,all the police are corrupt,and drink on duty...and the sexISM is rampant "two sugars Love"!
Every now and then, the "real world"breaks through and he gets reminders that is in intensive care
with his family at his bedside,this being factored into the DreamWorld in some way ..it's written by a guy called Matthew Graham, he has also written some of the new Doctor WHO stuff, which i guess the BBC might tout around also...i missed it first time round and am just catching the first series as the second is about to start..
All the Best Chris Morrell

Tassoula said...

Thanks for the comments, Chris! We'll definitely be responding to them in an upcoming show.

Take care,
Tassoula