Guide to Pan's Labyrinth

Sound

Historical Context

Aesthetics

Editing

Cinematography

Age Representation

Political Context

Mise - en - Scene

Social Context

Technological Context

Institutional Context

Nationality Representation

Gender Representation

Warm

Mystical/Magical

Cinematic

Dark

Mysterious

Pleasing/Beautiful

1936 - many working class Spaniards were killed Franco's troops as they advanced through Spain

1940s - Spain was so poor, people died of hunger

Ofelia's father, worker, he is killed

Two men at the beginning are believed to have stolen from Vidal

Remaining Republicans either fled to France or they hid in the forests/mountains

Mercedes' brother part of the Spanish Maquis - hiding in the forest

Surviving republicans were treated like second class citizens, compared to those who supported Franco

Someone suspected of being a 'rojo' (red) was executed without trial

Vidal killing the doctor, immeditely

Vidal kills two men in the beginning believed to have stolen. Were just rabbit hunters

Rationing, there was a food shortage

Vidal's banquet scene - rationing but there is a large amount of food

Catholic Church was supportive of Franco - he restored conservative values

Pale Man - religious representation (hands) also represents Vidal, these higher powers. The two are shown to be very similar, they have the same representation

Priests sit at the banquet with Vidal

Men -

Women -

Ofelia is caught up in the imagination of childhood (fairy tales)

The opening Ofelia is reading the books about fairy tales, she books the fairy tales into her real world

Controlling

Brave

Ofelia - she is the protagonist of the film and ventures into the different tasks by herself. She has no help

Adventurous - Ofelia wonders from the car to the stone statue, #

Mercedes - refuses to tell Vidal anything about the resistance - even though she could die. Cuts him with the knife. --> 'You won’t be the first pig I’ve gutted’

Rebellious/defiant

Ofelia - shaking Vidal’s hand incorrectly and refuses to call him by father 'He's not my father'

Mercedes - Supportive of the resistance (supplies them with medicine and aid) – brother is part of this

Powerful

Mercedes - After surviving Vidal, she decides his own fate (given power and control) – cutting him off ‘tell my son the time that his father died. Tell him…’ ‘No. He won’t even know your name.’

Ofelia - Refuses to kill her brother, takes power away from the faun. She is able to bring the fantasy world to life

Obedient

Ofelia - Following the tasks set by the fawn

Carmen - is told by Vidal to sort out Ofelia. And she does. Lives in a patriarchy

Carmen in general is seen as a necessity for the son to be born, but this is her only use (Vidal tells the doctor to at all costs make sure the baby survives)

Women were treated terribly in the post-war period #

Vidal - Treats Carmen horrifically at dinner table #

Vidal - Obsession over continuing his legacy through his son, even when he is going to die

The men are the ones viewed with power (Vidal and Faun) but it ends up going bad/corrupt

Vidal is called the Captain - gives himself power

Ruthless #

Adulthood

Carmen says ‘fairy tales? Your too old to be filling your head with such nonsense

Vidal does not believe in childhood – does not treat Ofelia any differently

Formal introduction and killing her, with no remorse

None of the adults can engage with the fantasy world (even Mercedes). There lies a lack of belief for the characters

Carmen speaking to Ofelia before burning the Mandrake

'You have to listen to your father. You have to stop all of this As you get older you see that life isn’t like your fairy tales. The world is a cruel place. Magic does not exist!’ #

Faun and the Pale Man, very visual and beautiful creatures #

Make-up and costume of the Pale Man and the Faun. Horrifying but yet beautiful

The Pale Man Scene

Dominant colour on the banquet table is red (the red jelly/red grapes) symbolises the bloodshed from the Pale Man, innocent children

The fireplace behind the Pale Man. - symbolic of Hell and the Pale Man being from hell.

Pale Man Scene - over the shoulder shot of Ofelia, contrast between the light of the fire place and the bad/awful Pale Man

Composition during this scene is similar to that of the Captain's banquet.

The Pale Man is there as a representation of Vidal (those in power who abuse their power) - this is later emphasised at the end when Vidal walks like the Pale Man does (both who chase after Ofelia)

The use of colour throughout the entirety of the film

Ofelia brings a bag with the fairies - used for protection, highlights her innocence as a character. Is brave for going in but needs protection

Innocence and naivety of children # #

Blue tints - help to express the coldness of reality and how uncomfortable it is

Warmer tones - used for the fantasy world, warmer, more pleasant environment

Lighting

Reality moments - very low key lighting, dark also a hint of blue in the lights #

Fantasy World - higher key lighting, specifically at the end of the film, gold colors, very light and bright. In contrast it feels over exposed to the rest of the film #

Key theme of Reality Vs Fantasy throughout the film

The lighting use and the colour use for the Fantasy world #

Children's shoes - the holocaust, children are very innocent. The Pale Man resembles figures of power (Hitler)

Sound motif - played in the opening and end.

Nursery rhyme - Ofelia is still a child. Allows for sympathy

Heavy breathing of Ofelia is heard

Circular narrative - start at the end, we see Ofelia dying

Voice over narration at the beginning - from the book, reading fuels her imagination

Cricket turns into a fairy - Reality Vs Fantasy

Element of her that drifts into her own world 'I saw a fairy' - bit a dreamer #

The Rebellious nature of Ofelia - refuses to call Vidal her father and not giving her brother to the Faun. Also eats food from Pale Man when she shouldn't

Guilermo Del Toro

The creatures help represent political power at the time

Deals closely with pain

He has a wide range of visual influences - Pale Man: