• It is eerily similar to The Shape of Water– the mark of an auteur- tragically sad, a meditation on escapism
  • The performances are great—Maribel Verdu from Y Tu Mama Tambien– Sergi Lopez as Vidal “You may think I’m a monster”— He’s Michael Shannon in Shape– — and to me the top prize goes to Ivana Baquero as the young Ofella- so genuine
  • Ebert called it “one of the all-time great fantasy films” while rallying for and praising the Mexican new wave auteurs like del Toro, Cuaron and Inarritu
  • Jaded adults and realism (with some unspeakable evils)—del toro does lessen the blow of the finale with the escapism finish—it’s just like shape of water finale
  • a baroque melding of worlds- black-heavy mise-en-scene- lots of greens on Ofelia as well but it isn’t quite as painterly (especially the non-labyrinth scenes) as Shape of Water. I think the narrative is stronger though
  • fable and fairy table—Alice is clearly an influence, surrealism of David Lynch, Night of the Hunter with the point of view of the children to a wildly sadistic killer—I see Fanny and Alexander with the evil step father and there’s Cinderella of course there as well.
  • mise en scene brilliance throughout but particularly in the cave of the Pale Man- immaculate
  • it’s dark- both in visual shading and mood—clearly defined good and evil
  • begins with flashback reverse photography then prologue opening of fable
  • fascism—political just like shape of water– Escapism- She reads books, reads them to her little brother in the womb (who she sacrifices for)
  • the labyrinth is gorgeous and the singularly most brilliant image is Ophelia entering that tree
  • MS/MP border- I’m stepping it down from full MP- it’s wonderful but it’s not unapproachable by Shape of Water or other 2006 films like the Fountain