Status: In The Can GDT's Role: Writer, Director, Producer
Summary A young girl, Ofelia, goes to live with her new stepfather, a captain in 1944 fascist Spain. There she meets a faun who challenges her with three tasks. Fantasy blends with the horrors of war as Ofelia encounters strange creatures on her quest - but who is the true monster in this tale?
Pan .... Doug Jones
Ofelia .... Ivana Baquero
Captain Vidal .... Sergi Lopes
Carmen .... Ariadna Gil
Mercedes .... Maribel Verdú
Doctor .... Álex Angulo
The Pale Man .... Doug Jones
What GDT Had To Say
Update from GDT, 1/2/2004 Pan´s labyrinth is the story of a young girl that travels with her mother and adoptive father to a rural area up North in Spain, 1944. After Franco´s victory. The girl lives in an imaginary world of her own creation and faces the real world with much chagrin. Post-war Fascist repression is at its height in rural Spain and the girl must come to terms with that through a fable of her own.
From The Hellboy Board, 9-2-2004 "Pan´s is an original story. Some of my favorite writers (Borges, Blackwood, Machen, Dunsany) have explored the figure of the God Pan and the symbol of the labyrinth. These are things that I find very compelling (´member the labyrinth (s) image (s) on HELLBOY??) and I am trying to mix them and play with them.
Don´t get me wrong. I am not trying to compare my meager intellect with the aforementioned giants but just trying to have a go at these rich symbols that hold such a hold on me.
Involved as designers are Carlos Gimenez (Devil´s Backbone) and Bill Stout (Return of the living Dead) and as DoP Guillermo Navarro. Its a co-production between Tequila Gang (my Mexican Company) and my compadre Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban).
Sewers, catacombs, etc, they are all labyrinthian, sure, but the TRUE Labyrinth holds in itself much secret knowledge and symbols. I consider CRONOS and DEVIL´S BACKBONE to be tales rich in symbols and Hermetic readings.
The tradition of the Labyrinth is an ancient one and it belongs to all cultures. This is only my riff on it. Its very much a Fairy Tale, but a very dark one, set against the background of Fascist Spain in 1944.
DelToroFilms message board, 6/6/2005
"It has been a VERY difficult prep but I am seeing some great creature stuff -we invented a new “leg system” for Pan that - to my knowledge- has never been tried before. The cast is now complete: Sergi Lopes (WITH A FRIEND LIKE HARRY), Maribel Verdú (Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN), Doug Jones (You know him) Alex Angulo (DAY OF THE BEAST), Ariadna Gil (Belle Epoque) and Ivana Baquero (ROMASANTA)."
DelToroFilms message board, 1/9/2006 I love the Pale Man. Originally it was going to just be a creepy old man but I came up with the Faceless look while watchinga stingray documentary and then I asked my wife "Should he have hollow eyes or eyes on the palms??" -ah, lovely marital talk- and thought it more surreal that way (plus the stigmata was coherent) and it reminded me of a more graphic, bold type of design, very much like a Polish film poster art piece or something. On the DVD, I´ll include the evolving photo/sketches emails between DDT and myself that lead to this creature.
I hope either WETA or SIDESHOW will do some commemorative statues in a very limited run, much like the "Santi and the bomb" piece.
Pan indeed "evolves" as the movie progresses- but it´s subtle
(horns, eyes, coloring of face, hair, etc and the state of "disrepair" of his body. The design is done by SANDOVAL, the guy that designed Kroenen´s masks... Stouts designs were done way early and were not used at the end of the process. Carlos Gimenez (DEVIL´S BACKBONE and PARACUELLOS and HOM comic books) did a chunk and -in good ole HELLBOY tradition- two or three young designers took their first feature jobs in designing the movie.
DelToroFilms message board, 1/11/2006 Pan´s design/concept was totally based on the aesthetic of Arthur Rackham- and so are the fairies, the giant tree trunk and a giant frog etc.
Stout´s interpretation was far more benign. I wanted Pan to be more ambiguous- edgier- he is a character that has been linked to nature both in its most violent and most vital aspects. His body and legs are Rackham-esque his forehead markings are Celtic in origin.
Most people ignore the Iberian passage of the Celtic culture, but said culture is firmly rooted in the Northern cultures in Spain.
Notes
GDT: "The reason for the push back (on the release date, from May to Sept/Oct) is that we are sure that the movie SHOULD open in Spain first than anywhere else in the world and we are held by the release that will suit it best there. The summer is not only crowded but not that -traditionally- strong in movie going... people rather favor the beach. So, there it is... We will still TOUR with the movie starting AUGUST and we´ll screen, PICTUREHOUSE willing- in LA, NY, CHICAGO, SEATTLE; ATLANTA and AUSTIN."
30-May-2007 - ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ THX-Certification Sign of Things to Come? Electronic House (submitted by Parker) The European HD DVD release of the Oscar-winning "Pan's Labyrinth" is the first live-action HD DVD to be THX certified, raising the question of when similarly spectacular releases will be in the U.S.
24-May-2007 - "Labyrinth" tops DVD sales, rental charts Hollywood Reporter (submitted by Robogeek) "Pan's Labyrinth" took the top spot last week on both the national DVD sales and rental charts during its first week in stores.
11-May-2007 - Pan's Labyrinth wins two Saturn Awards Variety (submitted by Parker) Winner for Best International Film and Best Performance by a Younger Actor - Ivana Baquero
05-Mar-2007 - THE CULTUREPULP Q&A: 'Pan's Labyrinth' director Guillermo del Toro CulturePulp: Writings and Comics by Mike Russell (submitted by Juno Reactor) This interview provides great insights into the many rich symbols and themes of 'Pan's Labyrinth.' There's even a summary of the interview in comic book form!
05-Mar-2007 - Oscar Nominee Guillermo Del Toro National Public Radio (submitted by Juno Reactor) This lengthy radio interview with GDT is well worth a listen!
05-Mar-2007 - Del Toro on Best Foreign Film Loss Daily News (submitted by Parker) "I'd be an ingrate if I weren't very pleased with three Academy Awards and over $32 million at the U.S. box office," said del Toro, whose Gothic adult fairy tale was recently screened at the White House.
