Pan's Labyrinth (BFI Film Classics)

Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the most thoughtful, interesting, and captivating movies I have seen so far in the 21st Century. If you are reading this, you have likely already seen it and know for yourself. No wonder BFI decided to dedicate one of these little books to the movie and fortunately, it meets the challenge of a worthwhile book for a movie this good.As the movie is set shortly after the Spanish Civil War, the author, Mar Diestro-Dópido, often uses that war and the regime of Francisco Franco that resulted from it, as the prism through which she views and analyzes the movie. It makes for an interesting read., contrasting the character of Captain Vidal as the embodiment of the reality of the time with Ofelia’s trials the faun puts her through as the struggle of the younger generation for a new reality.What makes the movie so incredible, and the author touches on this, is that the ‘real world’ of Captain Vidal, the rebels in the woods, and the house staff is completely separate and distinct from the ‘wonder world’ (I do not want to call it a ‘dream’ world) of Ofelia, and yet the movie has them completely side-by-side. They parallel each other so closely but never touch. So close to each other but a million miles away, totally incompatible with each other.Pan’s Labyrinth is a movie brimming with topics, issues, shades, and nuances to explore. This book may not cover all of them (it would take a pretty large book to do that), but it covers its own ground very well.

If you loved the film and want to take your understanding of it and it’s director and his intents to a deeper level, I recommend this book. Like all BFI publications, it approaches the film, its meanings, historical settings, and significance in film history in a scholarly manner.

Exactly as described! Would buy again!

If anyone wants to know where the dark, creepy fairy tales of old went, here's a hint: Guillermo del Toro is doing a pretty good job with the fairy tales for adults.This brings us to one of Del Toro's most brilliant works, the luminously gritty "Pan's Labyrinth" ("El Laberinto del Fauno"). This enchanted little film is a sequel of sorts to "The Devil's Backbone," a magical realism film about the Spanish Civil War -- but this movie takes us deeper into a world that is half real, half ominous fairy tale, with a unique and imaginative story and some really excellent acting. In short, Del Toro weaves a web of frightening magic all around the audience.Time and place: 1944, Spain, during the Spanish Civil War. A little girl named Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) and her very pregnant mother travel to meet her new stepfather, the brutal and murderous Captain Vidal (Sergi López). Unsurprisingly Ofelia loathes her new stepfather, but is transfixed by the eerie forests around them -- and one night she is visited by a fairy, and encounters a giant faun who tells her that she is Princess Moanna of the netherworld, and must return there.But to do so, he tells her that she must do three things. Ofelia manages first task, but is frightened out of her wits by the second task, which involves a hideous monster with eyes in its hands. And in the ordinary world, her mother's pregnancy is getting more dangerous, threatening the one tie she has to her family. As the guerillas and the fascists clash, Ofelia faces being trapped outside the netherworld forever... and being offered a terrible choice if she wants to get in.Fairy tales have become cleaned-up and cutesy over time, so that children can read them without nightmares (and adults can feel that they're actually doing something for the kids). But del Toro knows that the best fairy tales are the eerie, bizarre ones full of mystery and danger, especially the ones that are connected somehow to the real world. That is what makes "Pan's Labyrinth" so brilliantly dark and heartfelt: that blur between magic and danger, reality and fantasy.And Del Toro obviously crafted this with care, directing it in a dreamlike style that wraps you up in his visions, but never to the point of making his audience feel too comfortable with his magical world. The eerie atmosphere of Ofelia's wanderings -- the delicate yet menacing faun, the chalk doors, the monuments, the fairies, and the pasty nightmare with eyes in its palms -- is both a contrast and a parallel with the everyday world, which Ofelia hopes to escape. At first, it seems like the post-Civil War and fairy tale stories don't mesh, until you see that the "real world" story is Ofelia's motivation to escape from all the fear, pain and sorrow, and the bittersweetness of her story makes it more painfully real.But del Toro's biggest triumph is in the instant connection we feel to Ofelia, with her love of the fantastical and her desire to go somewhere "safe." Baquero is absolutely wonderful in this, as a girl who isn't entirely of this world -- in her heart, she belongs somewhere beyond, and is desperate to escape the terrible situation of her "real life" by going there. And López is the ideal villain -- you spend the whole movie wanting to see him gruesomely killed.Half "Mirrormask" and half gritty war story, "Pan's Labyrinth" is one of the best fantasy stories in years -- dark, passionate and beautifully made. Definitely a great movie.

The essay on Pan's Labyrinth is not long, but has some great insight into the film. If you are someone who simply wants to get as much from the film as possible and would enjoy a deep understanding of it, I recommend it.

I bought Pan's Labyrinth. It came with a previously viewed Hollywood video tag on the case. The DVD would not play. After several tries I tried starting the DVD from the scene selection menu to see if it would play that way. It finally played until about half way through the movie. It then froze up & stayed stuck so we couldn't even finish watching the movie. I'm very disappointed with this purchase & will not buy from here again. Also I just got a brand new dvd player so that's not the problem.

This was not what I expected. I should of read the details more clearly. I honestly that It was the actual book!

I thought it was the actual story of pan's labyrinth. It's worthless to me so I cut the pictures out of the book and made a collage.

Great read!

Beautiful book n interesting movie explanation! Price is actually worth looking at the bful print!

Bought this for my best(est) girl pal, Kelly. Came in a few days before here birthday so didn't open envelope as I know I'd have read it before passing it on as a "gift". She loved it and after reading it couldn't wait to re-watch movie and explain to here boyfriend, Bernie what the director was trying to put across in "this scene"!!?!?! Think it took them 8 hours to get from start to end of that viewing, Bernie didn't thank me for this gift??!?!

Pan's Labyrinth is one of my favourite films, so any book on it is always going to be a winner. Plenty of information and insights into the creation of this film.