Guillermo Del Torois one of thebest fantasy directorsworking today, and his award-winning 2006 dark fantasy war film,Pans Labyrinth, still stands as his magnum opus.
Set shortly after the Spanish Civil War in the early years of the Francoist dictatorship,Pans Labyrinthdraws from fairy tales and is, in part, a twisted take onAlice in Wonderland, combiningfantasy with the brutality of war.
AfterPans Labyrinth, he went on to direct a number of other dark fantasy films, likeCrimson Peakand the Best Picture winnerThe Shape of Water, but no scene epitomizes the best of Del Toros work quite like Ofelias (Ivana Baquero) introduction to the Pale Man (Doug Jones) inPans Labyrinth, which evenmadeStephen Kingsquirm.
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Just over five minutes long, thePale Man scenehighlights the films similarities toAlice in Wonderland, but Ofelias journey down the rabbit hole is downright horrifying and introduces us to one of the mosticonic movie monstersof all time.
‘Pans Labyrinth’ Is an R-Rated Fairy Tale Set Against the Backdrop of World War II
Pans Labyrinthis structured like atypical heros journeythrough the eyes of 10-year-old Ofelia, whose belief in magicbleeds over into real lifewhen she encounters the Faun (also played by Doug Jones), who believes her to be the reincarnation of Princess Moanna of the Underworld.
While her mother suffers through a painful pregnancy and her new stepfather, Captain Vidal (Sergi Lopez), treats her as a nuisance, Ofelia spends her days attempting to complete the three tasks the Faun assigns her so that she can earn immortality.
Image via Warner Bros.
Set in the summer of 1944, the film takes place against the backdrop ofWorld War II, when Spain had already been taken over by dictator Francisco Franco, whose ideology is upheld by Captain Vidal.
Explorations of fascism arecommon in Del Toros work, andPans Labyrinthshows how human beings can be far scarier than fictional monsters, using its fantastical narrative as a parable that emphasizes theimportance of questioning authorityand standing up for whats right, even in the face of danger.
The Pale Man Scene in ‘Pans Labyrinth’ Is Peak Guillermo Del Toro
ThoughPans Labyrinthdraws inspiration fromseveral different works, from fairy tales to the art of Francisco Goya,the films most iconic scene begins quite similarly to a famous scene fromAlice in Wonderland.
In the Falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.
To complete the second task given to her by the Faun, Ofelia uses a magic piece of chalk to draw a door that opens into the Pale Mans lair, instructed to retrieve a dagger that the Faun uses later on in the film.
Unsure of what she will find there, when Ofelia descends into the cellar, she sees a long table full of delicious-looking food, but instead of the Mad Hatter, the Pale Man is seated motionless at the head of the table.
Del Toro first uses silence to build suspense, with the filmshaunting score, composed byJavier Navarrete, fading away as Ofelia explores the cellar, andthe sounds of her breath and the crackling fire are heightened.Creepy illustrations and a pile of discarded shoes establish the Pale Man as a child-eating monster, and Ofelia is careful not to disturb him as she searches for the dagger.
On her way out, however, she cant resist the sight of the juicy grapes glistening on the table, and, despite being explicitly told not to, she takes a bite, immediately awakening the Pale Man.
The greatDoug Jones, a frequent collaborator of Del Toros, plays both the Faun and the Pale Man, and his transformation, thanks to some jaw-dropping (and Oscar-winning) special effects make-up, is a sight to behold.
Its chilling to watch the Pale Man come alive, placing his red eyes into the palms of his hands, stumbling around the cellar, and violently ripping the heads off of the fairies who were guiding Ofelia.
Serving as a major turning point in the film,this five-minute scene is peak Del Toro, and Jones isutterly terrifying as the Pale Man,who became the lasting image of the film despite appearing for such a short amount of time.
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In the Falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.
