El laberinto del fauno (2006)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writer:

Guillermo del Toro (written by)

Release Date:

19 January 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

What happens when make-believe believes it's real?

Plot:

In the fascist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.

Plot Keywords:

Spain | Fairy | Princess | Faun | Task

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 68 wins & 58 nominations

Cast

Ivana Baquero	...	Ofelia
Sergi López	...	Captain Vidal
Maribel Verdú	...	Mercedes
Doug Jones	...	Fauno / Pale Man
Ariadna Gil	...	Carmen Vidal
Álex Angulo	...	Doctor
Manolo Solo	...	Garcés
César Vea	...	Serrano
Roger Casamajor	...	Pedro
Ivan Massagué	...	El Tarta
Gonzalo Uriarte	...	Francés
Eusebio Lázaro	...	Padre
Francisco Vidal	...	Sacerdote (as Paco Vidal)
Juanjo Cucalón	...	Alcalde
Lina Mira	...	Esposa del alcalde

Also Known As:

Pan's Labyrinth (International: English title)
The Labyrinth of the Faun (International: English title) (informal literal title)

MPAA:

Rated R for graphic violence and some language.

Runtime:

UK:119 min | Finland:120 min | Canada:112 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Spain | Mexico | USA

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R | UK:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:16 (theatrical rating) | Italy:VM14 | France:-12 | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:R21 | Norway:15 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KNT | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Taiwan:R-12 | Germany:16 | Argentina:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Spain:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | New Zealand:R16 | Malaysia:18PL | Netherlands:16 | Mexico:C | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:16 | Japan:PG-12 | Iceland:12 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | Ireland:18 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Belchite, Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain

Company:

Tequila Gang

Trivia:

Mexico's entry to the Academy Awards, in the category of Best Film in a Foreign Language (2006).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Ofelia picks up her little brother to take him with her, the baby is crying and making noise but when she turns around you can see the baby is a doll and is not animated in any way.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Pan: A long time ago, in the underground realm, where there are no lies or pain, there lived a Princess who dreamed of the human world. She dreamed of blue skies, soft breeze, and sunshine. One day, eluding her keepers, the Princess escaped. Once outside...

Movie Connections:

References Mimic (1997)

Soundtrack:

Three Trials (Las Tres Pruebas)

Innocence and brutality

I saw the movie yesterday in the Spanish premiere and I confirm: it's one of the best Guillermo del Toro's films (if not the best ever). Innocence and brutality, fantasy and reality, together in a wonderful fairy tale about the power of magic in dark times. The performances are great, mainly from Sergi López, Maribel Verdú and the big revelation of the film: the 12 years girl Ivana Baquero. Del Toro repeats the context of the film "El Espinazo del Diablo" ("The Devil's Backbone"), the Spanish Post-Civil War, with the same philosophy: the supernatural invading the daily life in a depressive environment and the innocence of children trapped between both world. But "El Laberinto del Fauno" is most compact, most mature and best done in very aspects, and perhaps it's the most personal movie from Del Toro.