“Longinotto has said ‘I don’t think of films as documents or records of things. I try to make them as like the experience of watching a fiction film as possible, though, of course, nothing is ever set up.’ Her work is about finding characters that the audience will identify with — ‘you can make this jump into someone else’s experience’. Unlike Moore and Broomfield, Longinotto is invisible, with very little use of voice-over, formal interviews, captions or incidental music. As the ‘eyes’ of her audience, she doesn’t like to zoom or pan. She says she doesn’t want her films to have conclusions but to raise questions.”
Kim’s style:
Kim Longinotto is known for strictly adhering to an observatory style of filmmaking. This involves keeping herself outside the events of the film as much as possible, and documenting people from an objective stance that seeks to inform an audience on a particular topic, rather than influence their opinion. In the case of Kim Longinotto, she shows areas of life in foreign countries that are usually unknown to Western audiences, but sticks to overarching themes, such as divorce, as seen in Divorce Iranian Style(Kim Longinotto, 1998). Her films follow people, mostly women, belonging to cultures that have left them victim of some sort of discrimination or patriarchal system, as seen in Sisters In Law(Kim Longinotto, 2005), which focuses on a pair of women who have challenged and overcome a system that favours the men, a theme that Kim focuses on quite often in her films.
Kim’s techniques:
Longinotto’s main approach is to make the people in the film feel like it’s their film, and have complete control over her stories. This is a method of getting people to forget that a camera is recording them, which, as an observatory filmmaker, is necessary for documenting what people are actually like off camera. Kim is completely separated from events, just recording them so that she can get a full image of the subject matter. Her films follow people that she considers inspirational,”Rebellious people”, to celebrate them, but keeps an the film at objective stance on the subject matter so that the audience can come to their own opinions. She does, however, like for people to acknowledge her as the filmmaker because it allows for them to speak directly to the audience, and to not feel like speaking to the filmmaker is unnatural or uncomfortable. “for me that makes you feel like the filmmaker is a kind of non-feeling, non-present person who’s just observing in a cold way, there’s no other way to interpret that. And I think that a lot of early observational films people took that very much to heart, and so if people spoke to them they would get embarrassed, they wouldn’t meet people’s eyes and there was all of that kind of weird thing”.She chose to make films in an observatory way because, she claims, it creates a more naturalistic feel in the production process that captures the more real aspects of life, since the documented people and the filmmaker are separate.
So, she wishes for the people she documents to know that they are being filmed, but also keeps the filmmakers and them separate so as to not interfere in the subject matter at all. Her films are not edited in a way that influences the audiences opinion in any way, but does display the cruelties and inequalities of some legal systems or traditions towards women in some countries. She avoids edits, such as hard cuts, as much as possible to keep the audience immersed in the film and environment, which links into how she attempts to create a connection between the audience and characters so that their story’s are more impactful and meaningful. She makes people in foreign places and situations feel human and relatable by documenting many personal aspects of their lives, which she does through following them in observatory mode. She has said “I wouldn’t call it narration in the way its not telling you what to think. It’s giving you layers, so that everybody gives you their own layer, in a way”. She wishes to get a fully fleshed out and authentic depiction of a subject matter, and avoids filmmaker intervention to keep the events real and uninterrupted, but chooses stories that have impacts on the audience, and educate them on a relatively unknown subject.
Kim’s aims:
Kim Longinotto aims to change the mentality of Western cultures that see her films, and would like for their to be a change in mentality in the cultures she documents, clearly to reduce the inequalities and injustices that exist there. She does not seek to change the laws or traditions, but the mindset that causes such cruelty and injustice in some cultures and/or legal systems. She has said “I don’t like films where I’m told what to think” and “I try to make a film that I would like to watch”, which explains her objective and purely documentation approach to documentary filmmaking in observatory mode. Kim also believes that documentaries are not there to instruct us, but rather to teach us. She also says the job of a documentary filmmaker is to bring out our empathy for the characters, even if they are in an unfamiliar situation.
“How far do each of the films that you have studied represent key characters in ways that reinforce or challenge the audiences expectations?”
Plan:
Introduction – overview how men and women are reflected in how Romina and Ariel act, then describe how the way they act reinforces our expectations but goes on to challenge them later on.
1 – Describe how Ariel and the chef is represented in a way that reinforces our expectations.
2 – Describe how they are represented in ways that challenge our expectations.
3- Describe how Romina and Ariel’s mistress are represented in ways that reinforce expectations.
4 – Describe how they are represented in ways that challenge expectations.
Conclusion – Summarise previous points and explain, link to overall question.
Version 1:
Wild tales represents key characters, who are used to symbolise the groups of men and women, in ways that, at first, reinforce audience expectations. However, as the film goes on, these representations change in ways that communicate themes of revenge and taking power by challenging audience expectations.
As one theme of the wedding sequence is gender inequality, the key male characters in that scene, Ariel and the chef, are at first represented in ways that reinforce the audiences expectations. Through performance, Ariel is extremely happy and exited during the wedding, with a wide grin on his face and happily greeting his friends. He carries himself in a proud and confident demeanour, and we see him touch his mistress, which shows his audacity and belief that he can get away with anything. His power complex and smugness are emphasised by Romina’s hopeless and distraught expression, amplifying the psychological damage that his actions have had on her. His costume is also extremely straight and tidy, showing his obsession with his appearance, and he is never shown at eye-level when in frame with Romina, showing his how he has taken advantage of her and gotten away with it. The chef is different, and at first challenges the audiences expectations by being kind and comforting to Romina, as seen in how he is kept eye-level; with her when in frame together, but his seemingly sentimental attitude is shown to be a rouse when he is seen leaking his story to his co-workers. This representation reinforces audience expectations of the character as he is a male, and the lack of many other male characters in this scene and Ariel’s affair show that a clear theme of this story is negative masculinity and gender inequality.
As the story goes on though, Ariel begins to be represented in a way that challenges audience expectations. His proud and perfect demeanour fade away into panic as he pleads with Romina to remain happy until the end of the wedding, and his facade completely cracks and a terrified expression comes onto his face. He also leans down as he pleads with her. This reflects how she is already bringing him down to her level, and he is spiralling in his attempt to maintain his perfect appearance, and is willing to try and emotionally manipulate her, like the chef does, to make it seem like he has a perfect and happy marriage. By the end of the story, Ariel has completely lost all composure, letting go of his proud and independent masculine demeanour, being cradled and comforted by his mother. He is below Romina’s eye level here, his previously perfect uniform is disheveled and he is is in a mess of tears, showing that she has completely won over him and he no longer has any power over her, and she has taken revenge. This representation challenges audience expectations by contrasting how we expect Ariel to act from the way that he is built up as a proud and masculine figure, certain in himself and exploitative of his wife’s ignorance. So, seeing him represented as weak and fragile challenges our expectations.
Romina, a key character, is a reflection of women who are exploited by un-faithful husbands, which creates the expectation of her being timid and weak. She is at first represented in a way that reinforces the audiences expectation through cinematography and performance. At the beginning of the scene, Romina is extremely exited and has an almost plastic grin plastered onto her face. This obviously exaggerated emotion portrays her as ignorant and perhaps even gullible, which we would expect from how Ariel also acts like a stereotypical male. She is also represented as hopeless and emotionally devastated when she realises that her husband has had an affair, as she is shown in an extreme close up, with an panicked expression and everything else other than her face out of focus, reflecting her feeling of isolation and helplessness in that moment. This represents Romina as a weak and fragile character, and continues as she flees the party in a desperate panic attack, crying and breaking down as she runs away. This makes us sympathise with her as she is obviously distraught, but also reinforces our expectations, as so far she has been represented as naive, so an emotional shock like ethics would have such an expected impact on her.
However, Romina is also presented in ways that challenge the audiences expectations, to a large extent too. As Romina threatens to ruin Ariel’s life on the roof, her sadness transforms into anger and fuelled obsession as she screams with hate, and looks down her nose at him. Here, Ariel is also shown to be panicked and terrified by her outburst, showing that she is growing to stand up for herself, surprising the audience as it is such a sudden change in the couples power dynamic. As the wedding sequence continues, Romina assumes more influence over Ariel, which challenges audience expectations to a large extent. She is kept above his eye-level, reflecting her new-found power over him, and her previously beautiful and white dress is now spattered with blood and her make-up ruined by tears. This change in her previously perfectly organ used demeanour and appearance reflects her change in personality and sudden obsession with revenge, abandoning public image in favour of ruining Ariel’s life as he ruined hers. This sudden seizure of power and independence is a drastic change from the giddy and over the top performance and perfect appearance of Romina at the start of the story challenges the audiences expectations of how Romina acted as a character.
Wild Tales represents key characters in ways that initially reinforce audience expectations, but as power dynamics change and the themes of the story become more clear, our expectations are challenged to a far extent. Characters fit or stray from audience expectations through cinematography, performance and mise-en-scen, and these reflect the changes in their character from how they were introduced at the beginning of their arcs, and from that they are represented in ways that heavily reinforce audience expectations and ways that suddenly challenge them as a character progresses and changes.
“Discuss how aesthetics are used to communicate themes in Wild Tales. Make detailed reference to particular sequences in your answer”.
Essay Plan:
Introduction – Each story has its own aesthetic. Mention this then talk about how each one communicates the theme intended in each story.
Middle – Talk about wedding sequence. Talk extensively about the techniques used, how they communicate themes, what said themes are. After two paragraphs move onto diner sequence, and talk about how aesthetic differs from previous one, and repeat process.
Conclusion- Explain how both sequences use their individual aesthetics communicate their individual themes.
Version 1:
Each individual story in wild tales has its own specific aesthetics that are used to communicate the themes of each story, which differ form the others. Cinematography, mise-en-scen, performance and sound all combine to create the aesthetic, and through these the themes of each story can be inferred.
The wedding story has a clear aesthetic that sets it apart from the other story’s. The sequence begins with an extremely large and filled wedding party, adorned with expensive furniture and decorations. The mise-en-scen here gives the scene a clear opulent aesthetic, communicating the story’s theme of wealth. When the newly-weds enter the scene, the camera pushes in on them and keeps them centre frame to symbolise that they are the centre of attention and events, as is also shown through the lavish red carpet they walk in on, and the crescendo in the diegetic compiled score. When they reach their family and friends, the couple immediately separate and talk to their individual groups. We see, through performance, the couple seem extremely happy, and they have almost plastic seeming smiles on and act in stereotypical ways, perhaps as they would be expected to act at a wedding. The bride screams in joy as she runs up to her friends, and the groom shakes hands and laughs with his friends. The characters act as if their movements and expressions are completely scripted, which gives the scene an aesthetic where the characters do not act as themselves. The couples obvious separation is also shown from the shot-reverse shots between the bride and groom, whose backs are facing each other. This communicates the theme of superficiality in the story, but more specifically the couple’s fake affection for each other, which is apparent in how they never speak to each other with actual respect or adoration throughout the entire scene.
The entire ballroom is filled with flashing lights and bright and dark costumes. The contrast in the mise-en-scen and cinematography is extremely sharp, symbolising the differences between how the men and women act in this story, communicating the theme of gender inequality. This is also shown through how Romina, the bride, is kept at eye level throughout the scene, whilst her husband, Ariel, whenever in frame with her, is shown as above her via low-angle shots. This represents his expectation of being a stronger figure than his wife, playing into the theme of gender inequality. Romina’s inability to stand up to the actions of her husband are also shown when she calls his mistress, which is shown through a shot where Romina is stood in the backdrop of the shot, whilst the woman is at the front, far from her, symbolising Romina’s weakness and helplessness. This is shown to have changed at the end of the story when Ariel begins to break down, letting go of his happy and perfect facade, crying and curling up into a ball on the floor. He is then shown as beneath Romina, as the camera looks up at her from a low-angle shot, showing how she now stands over him, communicating the theme of overcoming gender stereotypes and taking power, the story arch that Romina goes through.
The theme of superficiality is also shown through the scenes tense and uncomfortable aesthetic, which is accomplished through sound as-well as performance. This is seen at the end of the scene when Romina re-enters the ballroom and the music stops playing. All of the guests and Ariel have concerned expressions on their faces as they watch on at the scene Romina is making, and this sharp contrast from their previous joy emphasises the seriousness of the moment, and communicates the theme of superficiality, combined with the lack of music that symbolised the attempt at hiding the couples obvious disdain for each other. The couple lavished their wedding in expensive jewellery and furniture and loud music and happy faces, a combination of sound, performance and mise-en-scen, as when these all take a sharp contrast to make the scene feel more serious, it communicates the theme of superficiality being broken by revenge and obsession.
The theme of revenge is communicated through mise-en-scen and performance and cinematography, which give the scene a violent and brutal aesthetic. At the beginning of the scene, Ariel towers over his wife, grinning madly knowing that he has gotten away with cheating on her. As Romina becomes aware of his actions and exposes him, she becomes more loud, clumsy and out-going, whilst Ariel beds down to be eye-level with her, and his voice becomes evidently uncomfortable and panicked. At the end of the scene, Romina stands above her husband, staring down at him, and is shown to have won over him through the low-angle shot of her looking at him. Her dress is also covered in blood, symbolising how her wedding, and chance at a perfect, happy, if pretend, life has been ruined by her obsession with revenge. Ariel’s costume also becomes rugged and messy here, symbolising him letting go of his facade of happiness in his panic and desperation to keep Romina quiet and submissive to him. When Romina spins around with Ariel’s mistress, she and her are kept in focus, whilst everything else is kept out of focus. This represents Romina’s obsession with getting revenge on the woman who ruined her marriage, and nothing else matters to her in that moment.
The themes of superficiality, revenge, obsession and gender inequality are communicated through the wedding sequences aesthetic. The aesthetic has a sharp contrast which reflects the differences between men and women in the story, and the way that the characters performances and costumes change throughout the scene reflects the theme of superficiality. Mise-en-scen, cinematography, and performance and sound create the scenes aesthetic, and therefore communicate the themes intended in the wedding sequence.
Key tip: consider and name this sequence a shirt film, and split this short film up into sequences within itself, such as the rooftop sequence, etc.
Cinematography:
The scene begins with a frame within a frame, where a picture of Romina as a child is kept-centre frame to bring our attention to it. The camera pulls out to reveal that it is part of a slideshow and being showed at a party. The camera then crabs to the right to show off all the guests and the scale of the wedding party. We then cut to a shot from even further back to reveal the full-scale of the party. A handheld camera shot immerses us in the scene, as it is being filmed by a cameraman, making it feel more real. The frame is repositioned to have the archway centre-frame to signify the importance of the people coming through it. The camera pulls back to follow the couple, almost making it a tracking shot to show us how important they are. As they begin to dance the camera follows them to keep our attention on them. The camera also glides around to show them from different angles, and they are shown to be facing away from one another in parallel edited cuts. This also implies that the couple are married more so for the sake of appearances, rather than actual love.
Another wide shot of the whole room displays the expense and glamour of it all. The handheld camera shows that they know they are being recorded, hence, putting on a false face of happiness. The camera pushes forward to keep the couple centre frame bring our attention to their false happiness. The next shot of people sat at a table is framed like a photograph, showing that Romina feels observed and recorded. After she realises what has happened to her, she is left alone in the shot, showing her feelings of isolation and fear. The camera tracks her alone, signifying that she is the only character of importance at that moment, and comes to rest on a short of her looking in the mirror to symbolise self-reflection. This also allows the woman Romina calls have room in frame, showing her importance but also Romina’s concentration on her, and desire to keep herself hidden from her. We then see Romina’s reaction as we push in to focus on her face. The camera then arcs around into an over the shoulder shot to show what Romina is focusing her anger on, and the look on her face.
We then have our attention shifted from Romina to the girl by a focus pull, and the second phone call is shot with Romina in the background to show what the woman’s perspective is like, how she does not notice Romina but Romina has not stopped looking at her. It also shows her grieving process. As Romina walks away from the dance, a canted angle shot symbolises how her world has fallen apart. We then see a POV shot from her perspective to emphasise how observed and frightened she feels. We see her calming down when the camera is at eye-level and more steady, but when shots are more frantic is shows the breaking down of this perfect facade the couple has created. This communicates the themes of superficiality, power and obsession.
A birds-eye-view shot tracks her and leads to the audience thinking that she is about to commit suicide, raising the tension of the moment, and also emphasises the sheer size of the building, and thus, the danger of the fall. A shallow depth of field keeps Romina in focus and everything else out of focus, showing that she is the only thing of importance in this moment, and is very deep in thought/grief. This also reflects how things look when you are crying. The camera stops moving around and the editing slows down as the chef consoles Romina, showing how he is sensible, wise, and how his words are calming Romina. After Romina storms back into the hall, the camera is shaky, reflecting her anger and broken facade. We see a shot of the chef in the kitchen, centre frame to bring our attention to him, and how he is laughing at the encounter he had. We then see a reaction shot of how humiliated and distraught Romina is. The dancing is shown as more chaotic by the camera staying on Romina and the woman she hates, showing her obsession with her and her desire for revenge, and how everything else is out of focus for her. It also makes the audience feel dizzy and match the feeling of Romina and the woman she is spinning with.
Lots of canted angle shots emphasise the mayhem of the scene and the escalation of events. The camera moves unsteadily around the scene to match Romina’s drunken haze, and a series of two shots of Romina and her husband show their faces close together, that they no longer love each other, and are desperate. This communicates the themes of gender inequality and barriers, more specifically those set up by male power complex’s, being overcome/destroyed.
Sound:
The upbeat and popular song titanium plays in the diegetic, compiled score. This matches the couples apparent happiness, but also links to the theme of Romina standing up to her terrible husband later on. The song also enters the pre-chorus’s as the couple enter to build suspense and signify their importance. As the song builds up to a crescendo, the pace of the editing speeds up to match/reflect it. After a temporal cut, the more music is more classical and traditional, to symbolise the grand and expensive nature of the wedding. It is quietened after a temporal cut to let us hear the dialogue. As Romina looks on at her husbands mistress, we can hear their conversation, though we know that she cannot, showing that she is probably fearing what is being said. The diegetic sound of her breathing rises in the diegetic score to bring attention to her state of panic.
The next diegetic complied music played is very light and airy, but the volume increases as she touches hands to signify the importance of this moment. Her quavering voice is also contrasted by the romantic music playing, making the scene feel more ironic and grim. The diegetic sound of the door closing matches the end of the song, making way for complete silence on the roof. Our attention is brought to her conversation with the chef by the silence, the only sound other than the two characters the sounds of the cars below, immersing us in this environment on the roof, reflecting the isolation and safety there. Little music is played when Romina begins causing chaos in the ballroom, making the events seem much more serious and embarrassing, adding emphasis to to them. It also makes the diegetic sound of the bottle popping more shocking, and also makes it seem more like a gun shot has happened, similar to earlier when we were tricked into thinking that Romina has jumped off the roof.
Mise-en-scen:
The background of the image of Romina as a child symbolises anger and danger, a foreshadow to her later outburst. The couple sat at the table are completely surrounded by food, wine, expensive times that show how rich and elaborate this wedding is, and the expectations placed on the couple. The party lights are flashy and bright, showing excitement and reflecting feelings of joy and ecstasy. The party smoke and beautiful chandeliers show that a lot has been spent on making the wedding seem nice, which reflects the couples fake joy together. Their entrance is also made more theatrical by the red carpet, making them look like royalty, almost. Romina’s dress looks expensive, intricate, beautiful, and so does her husbands, showing their want to look happy and successful as a couple.
The colour palette is very light and blue, filled with cold colours that foreshadow bad events. In the new setting of the roof the palette becomes filled with more orange colours to signify a change in atmosphere. The ball room is filled with cameras to show how Romina feels observed and without privacy, and how much expectation is on the new couple. As Romina becomes more frustrated, hair makeup is drained away by her tears, and her dress and hair becomes ragged and dirty, where it was once so delicate and elegant. This symbolises her spiral and descent from a false face of happiness to her real emotions of grief and frustration. Communicates themes of superficiality, or rather the destruction of it.
There always seems to be a camera on screen, showing that this entire wedding is almost just for show. As her husband walks up the stairs, the colour palette is made green by the lighting there, symbolising envy and jealousy, the negative qualities of his character. As Romina delivers her monologue, lighting strikes to symbolise her rage, an example of pathetic fallacy. The white dress and chef’s uniforms match, showing a similarity between the bride and him, and also implying honesty, which makes the chef’s later telling of the story all the more crushing for Romina.
When the groom’s mistress is thrown into a mirror, the entire room is specked with glass to emphasise the severity of the moment, as-well as how much blood the woman is covered in when we next see her. The entire ballroom is in a state of disrepair by now, with tables toppled over and food littering the floor, emphasising how everything has fallen apart, and the facade has been shattered, also symbolised by the mirror breaking. As Romina rips out her hair extension it symbolises that she is completely done with her facade of happiness, and is at the final stage of her descent into disarray. An example of expressive costume that communicated the theme of superficiality.
Editing:
The camera cuts from a shot of the slideshow to a happy couple at a table to show how fond people are of the newly married pair. There are various cuts to people laughing and having fun to create a happy and up-beat atmosphere. This cutting also shows off the glamour of the wedding, and fits the pacing of the song. There is also one long shot of the couple entering to signify their I’m portable in this scene, over everyone else there. The scene is parallel edoted as the camera cuts between both of the newly weds in their separate friend groups to show that they are not as close as it would seem. A shot of the couple kissing has a camera interface edited over it to make it look like its from the perspective of a camera, putting the audience in the position of bystander to these awful events, forced to watch but not interfere, much like the on-lookers at the party. Shot-reverse shots do not show who is talking exactly all of the time to also show other peoples reaction to what is being said. This is seen on the roof when Romina and the chef talk to show that she is taking in all that he is saying.
As the scene progresses, the camera focuses more on Romina than her husband, which puts us in her position and makes us sympathise for her more. The separate movements of Romina and her husband are parallel edited to keep them separate, showing their secret desire to stay away from each other, which manifests as their physical distance now that the wedding is ruined. There is a glance-object of the shoe on the floor to show it’s importance as a symbol of false public appearance being dropped. After the woman is thrown into the mirror, a temporal cut slows the pace of the scene and gives the moment more gravity, and the atmosphere a more tense and thick feeling. It also serves as a cut to a new time period. The scene does not cut at all towards the send, making the audience look on at what is happening, immersing them in the moment.
Performance:
Everyone in the scene seems happy, almost to an ecstatic extent. As the couple walk through, they do not talk to each other at all, which implies that they are only doing this for public appearance, not actual love. They don’t even look at each other, and immediately separate when they have the chance. Everyone around them is so happy that it almost looks fake and put on like the couple themselves. The couples friends are also acting in stereotypical ways, with the men begging up their mate and the women ecstatically screaming in excitement. They are almost acting the way that they are supposed to as friends at a wedding. Romina’s husband, Ariel looks straight at the camera, implying his obsession with how he looks and acts when being watched.
The smiles for the camera look fake, acted. This is seen in how Romina smiles at people talking to her. Romina also try’s to walk away but is forcefully dragged back, which shows that she is not really choosing to be there. Her frequent mentions of Facebook also represent her artificiality and attention to appearance. We only see her joyful expression change as she sees someone she doesn’t recognise, which signifies that what she has noticed is of importance. We see Ariel lean over and touch the woman, which makes it clear that something has occurred between them. We also see this in how she turns around to grin after he has left. She also acts suspiciously as she quickly begins talking to someone else after accidentally making eye contact with Romina. For the first time, Romina does not look happy at all, emphasising just how concerned she is, and how important this moment is.
Even after being exposed by Romina, Ariel plastically smiles in front of everyone to keep his image happy and perfect. His eyes also frantically dart around to show that he is trying to see how other people are viewing him. Even though he has been caught cheating on his wife, he is still more concerned with maintaining his perfect image. Romina’s voice trembles after her fear is confirmed, and she stumbles and staggers around to show that she is disoriented and confused, shocked. She is visibly broken out of this hazy stupor when someone tries talking to her, showing how distracted she was.
After cheating on Ariel, Romina has a sudden newfound confidence which come out as she has her monologue, but there are also notes of sadness and grief in her voice, showing that she is doing this in self-defence. Ariel looks scared and mortified by his wife standing up to him, and at the threat of his perfect image being ruined, he cannot handle it, so breaks down and cries, completely ruining his image. Romina clearly enjoys this chaos she has caused, where Ariel does not, showing that she believes she has nothing left to lose. Her joy is clearly bittersweet though, as she revels in the madness, but obviously misses the pace she had before, and the happiness, whether real or not. Ariel is clearly beneath Romina as he is cared and consoled by his friends and family, whilst she does not care and walks around alone, done with her fake identity. She seems to take a certain peace after the mirror incident, accepting the chaos of her life, and the tatters of her image and marriage. She mocks her husband and the wedding itself, which she now admits was a facade, as she goes through the usual wedding traditions like cutting the cake and throwing the bouquet. Ariel is clearly resentful of her for ruining his life, and no longer cares to look happy and perfect for the cameras. As the couple makes up, they seem to take excitement and eagerness to repair their lives, or simply live them, now that they can take peace in the fact that they can’t fix it.
This low-angle shot of Ariel shows Romina’s new found power over him.
“Copy the text below into a new post. Research and answer the questions. Augment your post with whatever you see fit — pictures, videos, stills, or anything else that might be helpful.”
“1.Define a portmanteau film. What are other notable examples from recent years?”
A portmanteau film is a film that combines two or more stories in the manner of a portmanteau(a blend of words). Some notable recent portmanteau films are The French Dispatch(Wes Anderson, 2021) and Ghost Stories(Andy Nyman, Jeremy Dyson, 2017).
“2.Give a brief synopsis of each of the stories in the film. Which are the most effective? Why do you think these stories have been chosen?”
The first story involves multiple people on a flight realisation through conversation that they are all related to one person, who is responsible for them being on the plane, revealing that the story is his revenge story, as he crashes the plane, killing himself and everyone on board. The second story is of a woman who realises that her most recent restaurant customer is a loan shark responsible for her fathers suicide, and she is tempted by the chef to take her revenge on him. The plot to murder him is complicated as the waitress becomes conflicted as to what she should do, and eventually the chef takes matters into her own hands by murdering the man herself. The third story is of a man who insults a reckless driver on an isolated road, and is forced to confront him after breaking down. The story evolves in a brief saga of revenge and obsession between the two men, who end up killing each other when their cars blow up. The fourth story is of a demolitions expert who’s life crumbles when he is fired, publicity humiliated, loses custody of his daughter, and frequently/unfairly fined. He eventually takes matters into his own hands by detonating a bomb in a tow company car. Park, and ends up being revered as a hero in prison, who stood up to a corrupt system, and is appropriately nicknamed “dynamite”. In the fifth, a wealthy man hires his groundskeeper to take the fall for a hit-and-run committed by his son, but events begin to spiral out of his control as his lawyer, prosecutor and groundskeeper all demand higher compensation. The story ends with a deal being arranged, but is made pointless when the groundskeeper is, presumably, murdered by the drive-by’s grieving husband as he is escorted out of the house. In the sixth and final story a bride discovers, at her wedding, that she has been cheated on by her new husband. This sends her into a drunken spiral fuelled by obsession and revenge, which ends by ruining the entire wedding and mentally breaking herself and her husband. The car and dynamite stories are the most effective, since they do not last too long or little time, and also use their time effectively to build subtle character arch’s and get across their themes, and also build suspense to satisfying yet unexpected endings. The stories have been chosen since they involve themes of violence and revenge, building suspense through their character development and the actions that they take, often through unpredictable routes.
“3.The literal translation of the title is Savage Tales. How is this a more appropriate title and how well does it apply to each of the stories in the film?”
This is more appropriate since the actions that the characters often take are outright or more implicitly savage, for the effects that they have on the people around them. It applies well to each story in the film since all stories follow characters who lose their innocence and even sanity in the face of unfortunate events, often leading to acts of incredible violence and savagery.
“4.Explain the title sequence — how is it an appropriate choice for the tone, message and aesthetics of the film?”
The title sequence shows clips of wild animals. This is appropriate since may of the story’s portray certain characters as prey and others as predators, which adds an interesting theme to the classic revenge formula, by making the method of revenge and questions about morality lend depth and seriousness to the simple plot of revenge.
“5.What does the viewer learn about Argentine society from watching the film? Does this accurately reflect the political and social reality?”
Some of the stories deal with social issues of sexism, the poverty and wealth divide, and government incompetence. These social issues are mostly focused on in the dynamite story, in which the protagonist takes on a powerful tow truck company, and the wedding episode, where a grieving bride takes revenge on her husband who takes advantage of her, and the hit-and-run story where a wealthy man tries to entice a poor man into taking the fall for a horrific crime with the promise of money. This is accurate, as reflected by the most wealthy 3% of Argentinian society, and the issue of corrupt politics is reflected in the restaurant story, in which a loan shark runs for mayor.
“6.Are there aesthetic differences between each of the stories? How do the aesthetics support the story being told?”
The aesthetics are gritty and violent, reinforcing the themes of brutality in the film through blood, dirt and uncleanliness. This portrays the loss of innocence, as seen with the blood soaked wedding dress, or dirty and blood stained suit. It symbolises the loss of civility and rationality through corrupted versions of neat clothing and appearances.
“7.Are there any notable similarities or differences in the representations of men and women, rich and poor?”
Yes! Women are depicted as powerful but often underestimated by men, who are portrayed as obsessive and power-driven. Some of the stories in this film explore themes such as women standing up to men who attempt to undermine them, and how men can get into conflict when their pride is damaged or challenged.
Wild tales was directed by Damien Szifron in 2014, and tells multiple unique stories of violence, love and revenge. The film holds an important place in the portmanteau/anthology genre because it is a relatively recent and low budget($3.3-4.5 million) film that made substantial success in the box office($30.6-44.1 million) and includes many differing and un-flinching stories that do not stray from the genre to make it more accessible to audiences.
The film switches at unexpected intervals to new stories that follow different characters in usually intense dilemmas that involve themes of morality and violence, revenge and conflict with other people or inner-conflict. The narrative is structured in a unique way, following an anthology of stories that are connected in no ways. The characters it follows have somewhat small amounts of time to play out their arch’s, but the film uses it as time effectively to create audience investment in the characters and their story plots, and also raise suspense and get across the themes and messages intended by each story.
The film is important as it is one of the most famous Argentinian films outside of the country, proving that the film is respected on a global scale, and also that the anthology genre can be executed in a successful way that can be entertaining and engaging for international audiences.
I personally loved Wild Tales! I felt that the method of storytelling was pulled of perfectly and the transitions were done seamlessly. The characters and plots were memorable and the film had some deeper meanings that were portrayed in otherwise entertaining and exiting sequences. I personally found the broken down car sequence the most exiting due to its unrelenting intensity and horror aspects, but the dynamite story was my favourite for its genius character development and fascinating portrayal of morality and revenge on society. My only critique is that the last two stories in the film were rather confusing and less entertains, also containing less meaningful and understandable themes, and uncomfortable scenes that made it hard to get invested in the plot or characters. Other than that, the film proves that a seemingly complicated genre/form of film can be made to work in a way that makes it more entertaining than many other films. I respect it for its success in gaining audience engagement in its short stories, and the memorable moments in the film.
“How far do each of the films you have studied represent key characters in ways that reinforce or challenge the audiences expectations?”
Vidal (left) is made to represent that evil fascist regime of the Civil War. Ofelia (right) represents that good in the film, and thus a direct contrast to Vidal and his faction.
Essay Plan:
– Vidal represents the fascist regime in the war so I will focus on an analysis of his faction instead of him specifically.
– I will do the same for Ofelia as she represents the moral and good forces in the film, so I will avoid specific analysis of her and more so the faction she stands for.
– The soldiers are shown to be evil primarily through performance and mise-en-scen, but Vidal is made to be a dominant and intimidating presence via cinematography also.
The good faction directly contrasts the evil via mise-en-scen and performance, but specific characters like Ofelia and Mercedes are shown as good people via cinematography, like Vidal, also.
Version 1:
Cinematography, sound, editing, mise-en-scen and performance are all very important in creating representations that reinforce the audiences expectations. Characters that represent the good and evil factions are represented as such via the fundamental aspects of film form that make the audience see them in a certain way.
In the fig tree sequence, Vidal and his men are established as cunning and ruthless members of a fascist regime through mise-en-scen, sound and cinematography. As he and his men take off on horse-back, the non-diegetic composed score quickly picks up into a dramatic and intense mixture of trumpets and drums, signifying a grand entrance. This symbolises the patriotism and pride he and his troops have, and also makes them seem like a more intimidating and imposing presence, reinforcing the audience expectation of them as evil fascists, likely due to the context of the Spanish Civil War. He and his men are also represented as evil via mise-en-scene, as their uniforms are extremely neat and tidy, organised and decorated. They show great patriotism amongst the army, and also serve as a direct contrast to the clothes worn by the good characters in the film. They symbolise the wealth and strict protocol of the army, while the more ragged and dark-coloured clothes of the protagonist show that they are poor, and more honest and kind. Performance is also used to build an imposing and obsessed representation of the antagonist forces in the film. This is seen in how Vidal seems completely concentrated on the abandoned campsite once he reaches it, and stares intently off into the woods in search for the rebels.
In this same sequence, the forces of good are shown as a direct contrast to the forces of evil, represented through mise-en-scen and sound to portray them as moral and just characters. When the scene cuts from the Captain and his men to Ofelia leaving the mill, the non-diegetic composed score picks up into a fast-paced mix of horn instruments that give the scene a light and happy feel, reflecting Ofelia’s feelings of excitement and adventure. This gives her character a more welcoming demeanour, as opposed to the intense music that plays as Vidal and the troops leaves the camp. Ofelia’s outfit is also much more quaint and simple than Vidal’s, made up of much lighter and warmer colours that fit into the scenery of the woods more. This represents the difference between her and Vidal, as she is represented as a person less obsessed with her appearance and removing rebels, but instead going on a fantastic quest. She does not move with aggression or intensity, like Vidal, but a calm and peaceful pace, with a content yet curious look on her face, a direct contrast to the intensity with which Vidal and his men search for rebels. This is how the key characters are represented in ways that reinforce the audiences expectations, but it also challenges them by representing the rebels in a way that puts them into a positive light. From contextual knowledge, the rebels that the fascist nationalists were hunting were communist, and used guerrilla style combat methods to fight the nationalists. When they are showed at the end of Vidal’s side of the scene, they are dressed in dark and brown clothes that let them blend more into the environment, and these more simple and humble uniforms make them seem more kind and less boastful than the soldiers. The non-diegetic composed score picks up in the mix at their reveal, and has a light yet dramatic tone, that is less dark and foreboding than that what plays when the soldiers ride away, and so portrays the rebels as forces of good who directly oppose the forces of evil. Therefore, the film uses mise-en-scen and sound and performance to create representations of key characters that challenge and reinforce the audiences expectations.
In the first shaving sequence, mise-en-scen, performance and cinematography are all used to represent Vidal, who represents the forces of evil, in a way that reinforces the audiences expectations of a fascist Captain. As he shaves, the various items scattered around his room symbolise his wealth, such as the gramophone, razor, and cigarette, which also provides smoke that gives him an intimidating appearance. These all show his control over resources and rations, and is also shown by the fully stocked log shelves and large fireplace, mug, and table in the dining room. The Captain also seems completely focused as he shaves, looking intently in the mirror and taking great care as he prepares for and then shaves himself. This, combined with the diegetic music playing from the gramophone, which has a classical and traditional tone, implies that Vidal sees himself as a sort of patriotic hero, and views this shaving as a ritual of masculinity, basking in his authority. This reinforces the audiences expectations of how fascist soldiers of high ranking likely viewed themselves during the civil war.
We also see the difference in uniform and representation of Vidal through cinematography as ways that the audience’s expectations are reinforced. When Vidal is in the dining room, he polishes a very clean and expensive looking boot, symbolising his wealth and attention to detail when crafting his appearance. Hid uniform is blue, which matches the colour palette at night, symbolising his control over the environment. Even as he polishes this boot, he seems extremely intent, as if it was the most important thing to him in that moment, showing his obsession with how he presents himself as a Captain. When Mercedes enters, her uniform is almost not a uniform, as it is of simple brown and green colours, similarly to the rebels and Ofelia, showing where her true allegiance stands, but also representing her as a more humble and hipness character than Vidal. It also shows the difference between the traditional roles of women and men in the film, which from context, we know were very prejudiced and often put women in lower roles whereas men had higher roles of authority and power which is shown through cinematography in this scene. When Vidal stands, there is an over the shoulder shot from behind Mercedes of him putting his hand on her shoulder. This keeps Mercedes at eye level but is a low angle shot facing up at Vidal, showing how much taller and intimidating he is than her. This also represents his authority, obsession with maintaining control through fear, and authority over Mercedes as a Captain. However, this traditional expectation of the characters is challenged when Mercedes stands up to Vidal, when she says that the rabbits are too young to be cooked. This does not sound like much, but no one else in the film, even the doctor, has shown defiance to the Captain, instead saying what he wants them to say and following his lead. However, the Captain is shown more in this scene, and so he is represented as more powerful and intimidating than Mercedes, who represents the good in this scene.
To a large extent, Pan’s Labyrinth uses cinematography, sound, and mise-en scen and performance to represent key characters in ways that reinforce and occasionally challenge the audiences expectations. The audience is made to view characters in certain ways that may differ from or, mostly, confirm their pre-conceptions of them through the tone of the non-diegetic composed score, cinematography that frames them in ways to convey their character traits, performances that convey emotion and psychology, and mise-en-scen that contrasts key characters and the forces they represent.
“Discuss how aesthetics are used to communicate themes in your two chosen films. Make detailed reference to particular themes in your answer.”
Essay plan:
– Guillermo Del Toro uses many different unique methods of filmmaking to create a dark and fantastical aesthetic in pan’s labyrinth. – For this essay on aesthetics in pan’s labyrinth I will discuss the key elements of film form in certain key sequences from the film, and how these are combined to create an aesthetic. – Specifically the first shaving sequence and first bedtime sequence, and for these I will go into detail about how cinematography, sound, editing, mise-en-scen and performance are used to combine and create an aesthetic, and from there how this communicates themes. after these two sequences are done I will expand onto an overview on the whole film. – Here I will simplify how Del Toro uses film form to create aesthetic, using what I discussed in detail in the sequences as evidence for how the entire film is given an aesthetic, and from here how this is used to communicate themes. (The essay question is on pan’s labyrinth and wild tales but I am only discussing pan’s labyrinth)
Essay: Version 1.
In Pan’s Labyrinth, the film has a dark and mystical aesthetic that creates and emphasises themes of the supernatural, mystically, fantasy and violence. They are predominantly created via the films unique mise-en-scen and cinematography, but all fundamentals of film form are used by the director, Guillermo Del Toro, to communicate these themes.
For the first bedtime sequence, Del Toro mostly uses cinematography and editing to give the scene a fantasy aesthetic that evolves into a dark and intense tone. The scene begins in Ofelia’s mothers’ room. This is shown by a tracking shot of Ofelia that pan’s to the right to reveal the room. The room is made to look dark and gloomy via the silvery and blue-tinted colour pallet used in the film at night. This creates a dark and still environment, and also symbolises the Captain’s control on the setting, as his uniform is blue as-well. The scene is given a slow and calm pace to immerse the audience in the dialogue by keeping the camera on Ofelia and her mother and not cutting. The camera leaves this shot via a hidden cut when it pedestals down into the darkness in the sheets. When it reemerges it is showing the inside of Ofelia’s mothers womb. This makes the movement through the scene feel fluid and constant, creating a dream-like feeling and fantastical aesthetic. This communicates the themes of imagination, and the conflict between fiction and reality in the film.
The camera continues this smooth and gliding movement pattern as Ofelia tells a fairy-tale, as seen when it pans to the right, exiting Ofelia’s mothers’ womb and entering the mountain-top setting. This makes the audience feel like they are in a dream, symbolising Ofelia’s undying imagination and the fairy-tales that she believes in, helping us to understand how she imagines these stories. The hidden transition is also made more smooth by the red colour of the womb matching that of the sky in the mountain shot, making the audience not even realise a cut had been made, reinforcing the dream-like quality of the sequence, and also giving the environment a dark and sinister aesthetic with the deep colour of blood. The colour palette once again changes to a dark and silvery-blue as the camera pedestals down from the mountain top, making the transition back into the real world all the less noticeable, creating a dark and gloomy aesthetic that makes it hard to differentiate the story from the reality in the film, communicating the theme of Ofelia not knowing the difference between reality and fiction.
Mise-en-scen is also used to create aesthetic in the bedtime sequence. For example, Vidal’s uniform is pristine and organised , decorated and clean. This gives him a sinister and cruel aesthetic, showing the themes of his obsession with appearance, expanded on more in the first shaving sequence, and his dedication to patriotism for the fascist regime he serves under. The performance by him and his soldiers emphasises this, since his posture is upright and assertive, dominant, whilst his men closely follow him, staying behind him and completing his commands immediately. This shows his authority and ranking above everyone else. The theme of Vidal’s violence is also enforced further when his men look on in visible disgust at the murder of the farmers, emphasising the effect he has on people, and his lack of empathy. This gives Vidal a grim and cruel aesthetic as a character. When the doctor is talking to Vidal, Vidal is shown through low-angle shots which show the height contrast between him and the doctor, making the Captain seem like a much more imposing and intimidating figure. The gears and mechanisms shown in the backdrop of the basement give the scene an almost steampunk aesthetic, which emulates the cold heartless and robotic nature of Vidal, communicating the theme of cruelty and un-caring tyranny of Vidal.
When Vidal confronts the farmers, the camera stays on an over-the shoulder shot of them looking at him. This shows off their concerned expressions and postures, Vidal’s height compared to theirs, and also builds suspense as we see him searching their bags. This adds to Vidal’s powerful but evil and imposing aesthetic, showing the theme of his violence and indifference to innocence. The camera cuts between a close high-angle shot and a close low-angle shot as Vidal beats the farmer’s son to death. This rapid editing makes the scene more intense, amplifying the shock of Vidal’s violence. The camera angles place us in the position of Vidal to bring the audiences attention to the brutality, and the farmer’s son to show Vidal’s calm and collected expression as he commits this act. This distressing and memorable scene adds to Vidal’s aesthetic, making him a cruel and sadistic character as-well as a collected and cunning commander. This communicates the theme of Vidal’s two-sided character, who is both calm and authoritative, yet has the capacity to be extremely violent and is prone to outbursts of rage.
The first shaving sequence uses mise-en-scen and performance to create the aesthetic of Vidal’s character and portray the themes involving him and the relationship he has with other characters, such as the wealth divide. As Vidal looks into his mirror, we see how intent and concentrated he is, as-well as the way that he confidently strolls around his room and carefully prepares his shaving equipment. The lack of hair on his face, combined with the immense care with which he is going about such a simple task as of shaving, give the character a sinister and powerful aesthetic, which reflects the themes of Vidal’s pride and self-obsession
As Vidal sits in the dining room, mise-en-scen is used to represent his control over the wealth and rations of this part of Spain, and his attentiveness to his presentation. He sits, polishing his boots with full attention, reflecting his obsession with his appearance, and his tidy and decorated uniform represent his patriotism as a Captain, and also his careful attention to his presentation. When Vidal stands and places his hand on Mercedes’s shoulder, an over-the-shoulder shot shows how much taller he is than her, making him a more intimidating and imposing presence to the audience, giving him a threatening aesthetic and communicating the theme of his power over the environment and those in it. The kitchen is also designed to reflect his power, as seen in the completely stocked space for the fireplace, which is very large, and the very long dining table. These represent the Captain’s wealth and power over rationing, and also effects the pale-man’s dining room. His large coffee mug also contributes to the Captain’s powerful but corrupt aesthetic as a character which delivers the theme of the wealth divide between the peasantry and nobility/government in Spain during the Civil War. The theme of Vidal’s dominance and authority is also shown through low-angle shots that face up at him. This makes him seem like a much more giant and physically imposing figure than those like Ofelia or Mercedes, who are kept art eye-level.
In Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo Del Toro uses aesthetics to communicate certain themes, mostly via mise-en-scen and cinematography.. The first bedtime sequence is best for analysing how he can give a certain scene and environment an aesthetic, and the first shaving sequence shows how he can give characters aesthetic and can deliver themes through them and their surroundings. These aesthetics deliver certain themes such as wealth divides, the supernatural and the line between reality and fiction. This is done through cinematography that makes the audience see a character in a certain way, editing that creates a sense of fluid movement through a scene, and mise-en-scen that reflects themes and symbolises messages to the audience.
The scene begin’s with an arching wide-shot to show where the scene is taking place, what characters are involved, and establish the environment. It also show’s that Ofelia is alone in this moment. We then cut to a close-up of what’s in her book, signifying its importance, and the camera follows the images hat match up with the narration, creating a visual link between the story of fiction and the reality playing outer in front us. When Ofelia beings drawing on the wall, a close-up shows the shape that she is outlining, eluding to its significance later on in the scene, and also the effect that the chalk then has on the wall.
The camera cuts to the other side of the door to give the audience an un-obstructed view of the new environment. It also shows the scale of the hallway compared to Ofelia in a wide-shot. It also makes room for the contrast between the real and fantasy world, emphasising the nightmarish nature of the fantasy world. The wide-shot also shows how long the hallway is, which will be important as Ofelia fells from the pale-man, and also the alien architecture of the room.A close-up shows the hourglass and its importance, signifying that time may run out.
There is a wide-shot from over Ofelia’s shoulder to reveal the wide scale of the pale-mans room. The camera also stays near Ofelia to immerse us in her position, and make the audience feel like they are part of the scene. The camera crabs from left to right to follow Ofelia, keeping her centre frame and therefore the centre of the scene’s attention, but the camera is also placed on the other side of the table, allowing for us to seen all of the food placed on the table and her reaction to it.
This shot stops abruptly and rises to a slightly high-angle shot facing down at Ofelia. The stop makes the reveal of the pale man more surprising and shocking, and the camera pedestal makes him seem more imposing and also display the scale of the creature compared to Ofelia. It also rests for a moment on the pale-man to bring its horrific features to the audiences attention, allowing for them to become fearful of the monster, as they understand what it looks like.
This wide-shot brings the audience’s attention to the grotesque form of the pale man.
After picking up the Petri dish, a close-up signifies that it is important, and an over-the-shoulder shot brings the lack of eye sockets on the pale man to our attention, making us question why there are eyes on the plate and where they fit into his character. A close-up of Ofelia shows that she is looking up, and so when we see the arching shot of the tapestries we, the audience, understand where they are in the room, and the camera movement shows all of the tapestries, showing the pale-mans history without audibly explaining it.
The low angle-shot of the shoes rises to make it seem like a very tall and intimidating pile, and the camera switches focus to show Ofelia’s reaction to the shoe’s. Letting the audience know that she is realising the danger of the situation. A wide-shot shows all the key-holes, and therefore establishes the risk of this moment. A close-up of the key signifies its importance, and a close-up of it being put into the lock raises suspense as we wonder whether it will work or not.
The camera is inside the hole as Ofelia reaches for the dagger, which makes us fear for what is inside the hole and how much danger she is in by putting her arm in there, and the silhouette in the bottom right corner makes us wonder what that is, increasing the tension of the moment. A close-up of the blade shows its importance.
The pale man is kept out of focus in this shot to show that Ofelia is oblivious to him. It also keeps him in frame though to show how close he is to her, and also how she has not noticed him, and is instead focused on the food.
As Ofelia leaves, another shot lingers on the pale-man, since now we are wondering whether he will move or not. As she walks away, a close-up shows that she has come to a realisation, and the camera pans to the right to show what her attention has been caught by. A close-up of the grape brings to attention how enticing it is, and how delicious it looks. As Ofelia eats it the camera pedestals and pushes forwards, swapping focus to the pale-man to bring our attention to him and emphasise that he is about to do something, building suspense. The close-up of his hands shows the disgusting look of his fingers, and also pedestals up to show him coming to life and breathing for the first time. The next close-up shows his hands and him putting the eyes into them, answering the question posed by why the eyes were on a plate if he had no eye sockets.
The camera stays on Ofelia and keeps the pale-man out of focus to show that she is oblivious to him, and also raise tension as he approaches her. When Ofelia finally see’s him, the camera switches focus and remains eye-level with Ofelia to show how much taller and imposing he is compared to her, and install fear of the pale man in the audience. The closeup of the pale-man shows the gore when he devours the fairies, showing what he is capable of. As Ofelia turns and runs, the pale-man is kept in frame to show him wiping his mouth, and that he is ready to chase Ofelia.
The camera rapidly pans to the left to show that Ofelia is running back home, keeping her centre frame and therefore the centre of attention, and the fast movement of the camera creates tension and a frantic moment. The camera cuts back to the pale man to show that he is now in pursuit of Ofelia. The shaky camera used as she is running creates tension and reflects her panic. The shot of the other side of the wall slowly pushes out/dolly’s backwards, implying that there is no hope left. The pale-man is also shown entering the hallway and holding up his arm to let the audience know that he can see her, and is going to approach her.
As the pale-man walks down the hallway the camera follows his feet by quickly crabbing to the left, showing that he is heading towards Ofelia and also showing the speed with which he is moving, raising the tension of the scene. A close-up shows the chalk dropping, showing where it landed and how Ofelia can’t retrieve it, the chair legs wobbling, showing how close it is to toppling Oliver and therefore raising the risk and tension of the moment, and Ofelia’s horrified reaction to the pale man. The camera also quickly cuts back and forth between her and the pale man to emphasise how quickly he is catching up to her. When Ofelia climbs out of the doorway, there is a close-up of her hands on the floor to show how desperate and close to safety, and the camera quickly cuts between her feet and the pale mans closeness to them, raising tension and fear, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The doorway lets in light from the other room, emphasising the contrast between the two worlds and making the atmosphere and themes portrayed by the colour pallets more prevalent. There is also a close-up of the door to bring our attention to it shutting permanently.
There is clear similarity between the pale man and Vidal, such as their dining rooms, and the glassware on their tables.
Sound:
As the images come onto the page some fidgeting scribbling and scratching sounds can be heard, establishing a connection between the drawing and the magic of the moment, due to an invisible artist. The twinkle sound heard also adds to the fairy and fantasy themes/environment of the film. The non-diegetic narration shows Ofelia’s closeness to the story, and also shows the context for the images in the book. The non-diegetic composed score is subtle, with piano notes that adds a peaceful yet mysterious and somber atmosphere to the scene.
The chalk produces a sharp scraping sound on the wall, showing how rough and in-welcoming the architecture of the mill is, helping us understand Ofelia’s desire to escape. It also signifies the importance of the chalk in that moment, as important objects are the loudest in the diegetic sound score at their moment of significance. The later fizzing contrasts this, emphasising that the foaming and fizzing chalk is unnatural and adding to the fantasy element of the scene.
The music builds into a grand finish as Ofelia finally opens the door, signifying a change in environment and an important moment in the scene, keeping the audiences attention on the new world and building suspense as the door is slowly opened. The music here also signifies a grand entrance by Ofelia, showing her royal status in the fantasy world. The door also sounds extremely heavy as is it opened, showing Ofelia’s determination and obsession in the fantasy world. It also sounds like a boulder being pushed aside, adding a secretive and ancient feel to the new world.
As the camera shows the hallway, the music again builds into a trumpet filled climax, making the new environment feel un-welcoming and sinister. The distant diegetic sound of the pale man’s nasally and weak breathing makes the audience feel uncomfortable and concerned as Ofelia goes deeper into this fantasy world. This also establishes the pale-man’s power and dominion over the place, and eludes to a dark undertone to the new place.
The non-diegetic score regularly hits high notes that make the fantasy world feel more imposing and powerful. The diegetic sound of the chair wobbling also eludes to the later importance of it. A deep, fast sound of wind plays to make the environment feel cold and hostile, almost serving as a warning to Ofelia. Ofelia’s footsteps are quiet and isolated in the thick silence of the moment as she walks down the hallway, raising suspense as the audience anticipates a sudden rise in the sound mix or something to be revealed on screen. Otherwise the silence and unnerving ambient sounds like fire crackling and wind moving through the hall puts the audience on edge.
As Ofelia moves down the table and gets closer to the pale man the pitch and tempo of the breathing sounds increase, implying that they are coming from the pale man, making him more of an uncomfortable and intimidating presence, invoking fear of him in the audience. The composed score also reaches a sudden high as the pale man is revealed, making it more of a shock to the audience, creating fear of him in them, and also showing how invested Ofelia was in the food to the extent that she did not notice the pale man sat there.
This high-angle shot shows Ofelia’s terrifies expression at the pale man’s display of violence, and also how much taller he is than her.
As Ofelia picks up the Petri dish with the eyes on, a wet squelching sound can’t be heard. This establishes the texture of the eyes, creating disgust in them and adding to the detail of the grotesque nature of the pale man. While Ofelia looks at the tapestries on the ceiling, the distant and faint sound of babies crying creates an audible link to the images on screen, signifying the violence and brutality of the pale man. As Ofelia brings out the key, a sharp ringing sound emerges in the diegetic sound mix, showing that it is an item of significance at this moment, and is about to play an important part in the scene.
The skittish and chirping diegetic sounds of the fairy’s movement signals to Ofelia and therefore the audience what they are trying to communicate, and their light and quick chirps convey emotions of happiness and a sense of victory, which quickly changes once the pale man wakes up, making the violence of the moment when he devours them all the more visceral and shocking to the audience.
The blade that Ofelia retrieves produces a sharp yet faint ringing sound, emphasising its importance to the plot, making it also more memorable once it becomes an important item in the film, much later on. As soon as Ofelia turns back to the pale man the non-diegetic composed score evolves into a deep and sinister toned moment, which creates feelings of tension and discomfort in the audience, as they, and Ofelia, are now expecting him to move, raising the tension of the scene.The non-diegetic sound of a harp also signifies and conveys Ofelia’s captivating by the fruit, showing why she has stopped and what has caught her attention, adding a heavenly and holy importance to the food on the table. The score also gradually picks up as Ofelia gets closer to eating the fruit, and this conveys to the audience that a direct and immediate consequence of this is about to occur, which we understand to be the pale man since the camera comes to focus on him.
The tapestries bring attention to the grim history of the pale man, and how he specifically poses a threat to Ofelia.
As the pale man finally wakes up the non-diegetic score abruptly cuts off, making the moment more surprising and forcing the audience to keep complete attention on the pale man. The diegetic sounds of his movements are sudden, like bones cracking as they move for the first time in ages. His breathing too comes in long and deep and rough gasps, showing that this creature is ancient, and also making it seem more appealing and repulsive to the audience. This is also done by the sounds of his movements as he begins to walk, which are crooked and wet, which also increase in the sound mix as he gets closer to the camera, making the audience physically want to get further away from him.
We understand that the quick and frantic chirps from the fairy’s are intended to prevent Ofelia from eating the fruit, adding to the tension of the scene as we understand that they know about the pale man and the threat he poses. As the pale man moves his fingers, the string instruments in the composed score suddenly pick up, adding to the crooked and unnatural movements of the pale man with sudden and violent musical notes.
The non-diegetic composed and diegetic scores are layered, exampled by the manic chirping of the fairy’s and the building of the pitch of the intense and sinister music. This layering of sound makes the scene more intense and engaging for the audience.
Ofelia’s breathing deepens and accelerates, emphasising the fear that the pale man creates in her, and therefore the audience is left on edge too. The sounds of her footsteps as she sprints down the hall are rapid and heavy, showing her desperation to escape. When the pale man enters screen again and lifts up his arm a loud and screeching sound plays and temporarily dominates the diegetic sound mix, making the pale man a much more imposing and terrifying presence. We hear the diegetic sounds of his footsteps as he approaches Ofelia, increasing the tension off the scene. The chalk makes a faint but noticeable diegetic snapping sound, bringing the audiences attention to this and therefore establishing it as important. The diegetic sounds of the pale mans screeching sounds similar to a child in pain, naturally creating feelings of discomfort in the audience, making the creature more revolting and terrifying, and also adding tension, reminding the audience constantly that he is getting closer to Ofelia. The scraping sound of chalk on concrete is once again inserted to emphasise the importance of it as Ofelia draws one the ceiling. As Ofelia crawls into the real world, the close-up of her hands on the floorboard is accompanied by the diegetic sound of squeaking, which emphasises her desperateness to escape, and her closeness to safety and yet, danger. The same thing happens as the pale man thrusts his arms at Ofelia, showing his desperation in killing her. As the door shuts we also hear the diegetic sound of burning to show that it is shutting permanently.
The biblical amount of exotic food makes it enticing and tempting to both Ofelia and the audience, helping us understand why she chose to eat it, despite the earlier earning not to.
Editing:
The scene is kept at a slow pace by leaving shots long and in-interrupted, letting the audience, and Ofelia, take in the environment around them, and giving the scene appropriate time to raise suspense. As the camera dolly’s back down the hallway after Ofelia opens the door, the shot fades to a further away position, showing a passage of time and creating room without an unnecessary cut for us to view the hallway and new colour pallet. It also works better than a regular cut since Ofelia is still in the same place as in the previous shot, so a cut would be jarring as we, the audience, typically expect a change in shot after a cut, so a fade gives us more time to process this change in camera position.
We understand the scene with Ofelia opening the door and beginning to explore the pale man’s world to be continuity edited, as each shot takes place after the last. The scene changes to parallel editing though as the camera cuts back to the hourglass to remind the audience that time is running out. This is because we, the audience, understand that these two moments are taking place at the same time, and this serves the purpose of keeping in the audiences mind that time is running out for Ofelia, even when the hourglass is not on screen, raising the suspense of the scene and keeping the audience invested in the film as they know that things could go wrong for Ofelia at ant moment.
Post-filming, a red and hellish colouring has been added to the scene to make the environment seem. More intimidating and sinister. Every time an important objest is shown, it is done so via glance-object shots, signifying their importance as the camera keeps them as the only thing on screen. After releasing the fairies, the camera cuts back to Ofelia after holding focus on them for a moment, and she has moved, signifying a passage of time to avoid pointless scenes of the character walking around when the layout of this new world has already been established to us.
The scene cuts between Ofelia and her hand inside the hole to show that she does not know where her arm is reaching, what may be in the hole, and also her pained and struggling expression. As Ofelia leaves the room, her mental process is shown by moving the camera between her face and the fruit on the table, and the scene does not cut here so that we can see her turn her head and the camera move with it via panning to the left to show what she is looking at, and therefore what she is thinking about it.
As the pale man approaches Ofelia, the camera only cuts twice to slow the pace of the scene down and capture the audiences attention with the horror of the moment, and also raising suspense by making the moment feel longer by lack of edits. The scene begins to cut more rapidly between Ofelia and the pale man to show their proximity to each other, create tension in the scene and reflect the chaos and panic of the moment, immersing the audience in the process. There is more parallel editing when the camera cuts between the pale man and Ofelia to show that he is chasing her, making the scene more intense. A reaction shot shows Ofelia’s desperate reaction to the doorway shutting, emphasising how much worse the situation is becoming. The camera cuts rapidly between Ofelia on one side of the door and the pale man on the other, significantly increasing the tension of the moment. The scene finally stops cutting and rests on a wide-shot of Ofelia above the trapdoor after a close-up brings our attention to the door shutting, and this slows the pace of the scene and allows for the tension to dissipate.
This in-cut close up forces the audience to witness the horror and gore of the pale man.
Mise-en-scen:
Ofelia’s outfit is similar to that of Anne Frank, which links to the time period of world war 2 and also emphasises the themes of suffering and hiding and imprisonment by Ofelia in the wake of ruthless of fascism. This also links to the pile of shoes shown later on, creating fascist symbolism in the pale man. The fairy tale drawings are similar to fairy tales of medieval Europe, contributing to Ofelia’s desire to escape the present to live in another world. The colour of the room she is in is blue and silvery, adding to the sharp contrast between it and the fantasy world. It also makes the room feel cold and still, and the old objects randomly scattered around the room establish how hidden and secluded it is, and why Ofelia chose to go here to complete the task set by the faun. The colour of the room also reflects the colour of the Captains uniform, symbolising his control over the real world.
The size of the doorway is quite small, making it seem more claustrophobic , and also references Alice in wonderland, in which the young protagonist takes a journey into a beautiful fantasy world through a portal, except here the horror is amplified by the supposedly idealistic world of Ofelia’s imagination being a nightmare in disguise.
The walls of the fantasy world seem to be coated in blood, which gives it a hellish and nightmare like quality. The hallway is filled with pillars that seem to resemble those one would expect to find in ancient cathedrals, which may be done to reference instances of child abuse or demonic religious imagery. The hourglass is a clear link to the theme of time in the movie, more specifically time running out. There also seems to be fingers clutching the hourglass, symbolising the pale man’s control over time in this world, or a tree’s branches, perhaps in reference to the tree in the film earlier.
The large fireplace behind the pale man creates hellish imagery, and references the Captains fireplace, inventing a link between the two characters and their control of wealth, and destruction of innocence, and tendency for violence. Ofelia’s costume her also makes her stand out, and signifies her innocence in a world built on top of death and suffering. The bountiful food on the table references fairy tales such as Hansel and Gretel, in which evil witches lure in innocent children via food. The food on the table also references Vidal, and also looks fake, as if imagined, filled with jellies and fruit. This is done to reference the colour red again, and therefore blood, and also to create an image of what a child of Ofelia’s age may imagine a feat to look like.
The pale man is sat at the head of the table with his arms layer out in front of him, showing his dominance over the room, and also referencing the Captains same place at his table, and his control over his world. The pale man’s body is revolting and deformed, humanoid yet alien, with sagging skin, red eyes, sharp fingers, and extremely pale skin, exposing the veins beneath. This creates feelings of repulsion in the audience, creating a disgusting and hideous creature that matches its actions of cruelty and violence, perhaps showing what Vidal looks like beneath his own skin. The pale mans sagging skin also shows that he has not eaten in a long time, and his previous fat has just come to hand off his body. The lack of eye sockets also removes all capacity for emotion. The blackened fingers also show corruption and greed. The eyes on the table also seem stuck to the petri dish due to a sort of disgusting slime attaching them both, adding to the disgust that the pale man’s physical from conveys.
The tapestries are shown to convey the pale man’s violent history without unneeded dialogue. The architecture also links to medieval catholic cathedral architecture, and they also show that the pale man may have a disturbing pride in his cruel history. The pile of shoes is an obvious link to the Holocaust and themes of child suffering and Fascism, also showing how deadly and ruthless the pale man is, and how many other people have tried, and failed, to defeat him.
The key that Ofelia holds is gold and crooked, showing its importance but also fantastical nature. The dagger, also, is gold and bright silver, with elegant engravings and a curved hilt that looks to the faun’s horns, which makes it seem like a beautiful and valuable weapon, fit for royalty. The grape that Ofelia notices as she leaves is large, plum-sized even! It also has water on it, making it seem enticing and delicious.
After devouring the fairies, the pale man has blood all over his mouth and dripping down his chest, making him seem even more ruthless and un-caring for the suffering he causes to others. His now visible legs are skinny, crooked and frail, showing his previous inactivity, and how his form is almost human, just not completely, almost as if it is trying to replicate a human. When Ofelia finally shuts the door, we see a bright light spilling out from underneath it, showing that the door is shutting.
The tracking shot shows all of the food on the table, and Ofelia’s interest in it, by keeping both in focus and frame.
Performance:
As the drawings come onto the page, Ofelia seems completely immersed and fascinated in the drawings, showing her persistent child-like interest in magic and fairy tales. As the chalk begins to dissolve into the wall she seems surprised, showing that even she cannot predict how the magic will effect her world, yet she does not seem scared or apprehensive, signifying that she is not scared of the fantasy world, just eager to explore it. She also takes a good amount of time to study the hallway, showing that she is eager but not reckless in her exploration of the fantasy world. She takes her time as she walks about, which we, the audiences, knows to be foolish, as time is running out. This shows that she is mindful of danger but can be distracted by her obsession with the stunning and alien world in front of her, and become oblivious to her time limit in it.
She does not take her eyes off the food on the table as she walks down it, displaying her interest in it, and foreshadowing her later folly in being tempted by it. This also gives a reason for her to be shocked by the sudden appearance of the pale man. As with everything else not from the real world, Ofelia is absorbed by her curiosity in this foreign creature, yet still seems disgusted by its physical appearance. Her breathing gets more rapid and heavy as she looks around and notices the numerous signs of the pale-man’s danger, showing that she has caught on to the danger she may be in herself.
When she pulls out the key, Ofelia seems temporarily completely engulfed by her fascination in the item as she stares at it with a surprised expression for a few seconds. As she tries to retrieve the dagger from the hole, Ofelia briefly stands on her tip-toes to remind the audience that she is still small and vulnerable, and amplifies the risk and therefore suspense of the moment as we know that she cannot see what is in the hole. Her struggling expression shows that she is in possible danger, and is also not an invisible protagonist.
The diegetic ringing sound brings our attention to the dagger and its importance, and its intricate design makes it seem like an important and precious item.
As Ofelia walks up to the pale man she seems nervous, letting the audience realise that she expects something to happen now, raising the suspense. When she tries to eat the grape she frustratedly swats the fairy’s away, and puts on an expression of pure joy and euphoria as she eats the grape, which show the audience the extent of her ignorance in this moment.
The movements of the pale man are sudden and crooked, his legs wobbling as he walks, showing how frail they are. His breathing is rough and laboured, showing his age, and his hands sake, showing his hunger and recent wake up from, presumably, a very long nap. Ofelia’s reaction to the pale man matches that of the audiences, disgusted and disturbed. Her breathing quickly becomes fast and heavy as she runs away, showing her panic, and her face and voice is terrified as she see’s the door closing, showing how desperate she is to escape. The pale man is clearly blind and reliant on his hands, as he recklessly stumbles about and holds his hands out before him to see where he is going.
After the chalk breaks, Ofelia looks back to see the pale man approaching her, and at his her face becomes pained and terrified, showing how much more serious and urgent the situation has become, making us, the audience, sympathise with Ofelia and also making the scene all the more intense and engaging. The pale man is also shown to be sadistic by the malicious grin on his bloody moth, showing his morbid pleasure in making others suffer.
As Ofelia finally escapes, we can see her face as she crawls desperately out of the hole, showing her eagerness to escape. As her legs are pulled out of the fantasy world we see a frustrated expression on the pale-man’s face and his arms frantically swinging to catch Ofelia, showing his desperate greed and hunger. When Ofelia shuts the door her breathing slowly slows to show that she has finally escaped danger, but suddenly picks up as the banging and screaming temporarily increases, establishing the fear that the pale man has created in her. But her panic evidently dissipates as the silence overcomes the screaming from the pale man.
At the beginning of the fig tree sequence, the camera pans to the right to follow the movement of the soldiers rushing into the woods. This shows that they are the dominant force in this moment and keeps the audiences attention on them. The movement of the soldiers and Ofelia’s are also from the left side of the screen to the right, implying a journey on both sides of the story. We then cut to Ofelia and the shot has her in frame to show that she is the centre of her side of this scene, and also that she is running away from the mill. It also stays at her eye-level, putting us in her position and creating relatability and empathy in the audience for Ofelia.We cut back to the Captain and see the camera rapidly pushing past trees to keep up with him and his horse. This creates a fast pace and feeling of movement, and how fast he is moving, and brings the audience into the scene. A wide shot quickly crabs to the right to show that he is ahead of the rest of the soldiers, showing his position at the heads of authority, and his obsession to find the rebels. It also shows how many men he has under his command, and how loyally they follow him into danger, displaying his power and control.
After cutting back to Ofelia, a low-angle shot shows how small she is compared to the rest of the woods, and therefore the daring of her quest, and therefore the danger that she is in. the shot after this one is a high-angle until Ofelia approaches and nears the camera. It then becomes a mid-shot to show that Ofelia is looking out into the woods in adventure. The movement of the camera also keeps the pace going and immerses the audience, making them feel less like an observer to the events in the film but that they are actually in the film, involved in what’s going on.
The camera then arches around her to reveal the tree she is looking for. It also begins to tilt upwards to reveal the full scale of the tree and its scale in comparison to Ofelia, implying how much danger she is in and also framing it like a dominant building, making it feel more intimidating and imposing, like its in control of the environment around it. This also show’s that Ofelia is not at all afraid of the tree, and in the face of mysterious and possibly dangerous forces she is only overcome with curiosity and child-like joy, not fear or apprehension.
The wide-shot shows just how large the tree is compared to Ofelia.
A glance object show’s what she is holding, stones, and this temporary focus on them signifies their importance to the plot. There is also a glance-object of her shoes. This could be a foreshadow to the shoes he gains later on in the film, but here it is primarily for the purpose of signifying how rotten and in-clean this environment around and inside the tree is. A wire shot then brings the camera up to bring the branch into frame, keeping focus on Ofelia and it to show what her expression is like, showing that she has noticed, and what has captured her interest, signifying its importance in this scene.
The camera pulls backwards and pedestals upwards via crane shot to reveal the dress. This shot establishes that Ofelia is now heading straight into the danger, and the dress in kept centre frame to show that it is important that it is placed there, and foreshadows that it will play a part in the film later on, which it does. As Ofelia crawls through the tunnel we cut back to Vidal via hidden cut, but she and him are still moving from left to right, showing a nearing end to their journeys. The lighting in the tunnel is also dark and gloomy, creating an unsafe and uncertain atmosphere, but the lighting is bright enough for us to see Ofelia’s face, keeping her expression clear and visible to the audience. After cutting back to Vidal’s side of the scene, we see a close-up of his boots hitting the floor to establish that he has confident footing, and the force with which he hits the ground signals his intensity and aggressiveness. The camera also follows him and keeps Vidal centre frame to maintain him as the focus of this scene.
There is a glance-object of the fire to create a connection between what Vidal is thinking and why he has come to the conclusion that the rebels are still nearby. The camera then pedestals up and arch’s around the Captains head to show his thought process and also keeps the other soldier in frame, but not at the centre, to show his loyalty to the Captain and show to them audience that he is not saying anything important in this moment. The camera pushes in slowly to show that Vidal has noticed something. A glance-object show’s what he has noticed and the fact that this is important to the Captain, holding the viewer’s attention as an important plot device is revealed.
This low-angle shot frames Ofelia’s as a heroic protagonist.
The antibiotic bottle is kept centre-frame in the close-up shot as the Captain lifts it up to make it obvious to the audience what it is, and why it is important. The Captain himself is also kept centre-frame to keep the audience’s attention on him and his movements. As Vidal shouts into the woods, the camera is positioned in a low-shot from behind him to show where he reckons the rebels are and where he is shouting at, and then a high-angle wide-shot shot from in front of him shows the size of the forest and emphasises that the rebels could be anywhere, building suspense, and also making the audience question whether this shot is from the perspective from the rebels or not. An extreme close up of Vidal then Showa how intense and obsessed Vidal is to the cause of destroying the rebels.
When the rebels are finally revealed, they are all kept in a wide-shot which shows how many there are and how they are all glaring at the soldiers after they retreat. After we cut back to Ofelia, who is now crawling through the tunnel, she, like Vidal was, is kept centre-frame to keep our attention on her and her reaction to the environment around her. A long-shot of the hallway creates suspense, and the camera slowly pushing in creates the feeling os claustrophobia and makes the atmosphere more tense, making us wonder in fear where the danger is coming from and what it will look like.
the toad is revealed by the camera moving from Ofelia to the shot in a single take, building suspense and slowly bringing the toad into frame, showing what it looks like, where it is, and how Ofelia reacts to it. There is then an over-the-shoulder shot from behind the toad, which personify it, adding to the fantasy element of the scene, and also showing how much bigger it is than Ofelia. After the toad licks Ofelia’s face, we see a close-up of her hand that also serves as a match on action to signify that she has dropped the stones, and that this is about to have an important consequence to the scene.
A match-on-action shows her picking them up, and then a wide-shot is done to show how far the toad is from Ofelia, and therefore the power of the burp. The way that the edges of the frame are also covered by mud adds to the feeling of being trapped, immersing the viewer in Ofelia’s situation. The camera then cut’s to a close-up of Ofelia’s hand to show what she has picked up and how this is important. After the toad has died, the camera follows Ofelia to build suspense as she approaches the key, and keep the audience immersed in the moment as a participant in the story, not just a mutual bystander, since we see the key at the same time she does. As she crawls towards the key, we see what it is, and by keeping Ofelia in frame we see that it is her objective to obtain. The key is then kept centre frame, like the antibiotic bottle earlier, to show its importance to the plot and the character. There is then a close-up of Ofelia after she escapes the tree to show how tired and exhausted she is. It also tracks her movements and moves the right enough to reveal that she has lost the dress, and establish the trouble she faces now. The camera also moves back to eye-level to create sympathy for her as she realises the trouble that she is in.
The over-the-shoulder shows the scale of the toad as opposed to Ofelia.
Sound:
As Vidal and his troops leave the mill, the non-diegetic score immediately picks up into an intense and dramatic orchestral tone which is emphasised by trumpets and other horn instruments signalling a grand arrival but with a dark undertone, indicating the power of the men but also their dark and immoral motives. The diegetic sounds also increase suddenly as the scene is quickly filled with the sounds of multiple horse hooves, neighing and the shouts of men. This immerses the audience and also emphasises the intensity of the moment., and the speed and purpose with which the men are moving.
the trumpets decrease in tone and pitch as we cut to Ofelia, but does not put the scene in complete silence as the heroic and exiting tune keeps playing, keeping the audience’s attention and focus on the scene, and not losing the fat and aggressive pace. However we can still hear the muffles and distant sounds of men and horses as we are with Ofelia which immerses us in the setting and makes it feel more realistic. It also establishes that Ofelia and Vidal are leaving the mill at the same time, making the rest of the sequence parallel editing. The contrast between the aggressive and dramatic music that plays when Vidal is on screen and the bright and peaceful and heroic music that plays for Ofelia contrasts their characters.
As Ofelia walks through the forest, we hear the sounds of mud and rustling beneath her feet. This immerses the audience in the setting of the scenes, so even something as small as ambient diegetic sounds can contribute to how much the audience is attached to a scene and environment in a film, including the stones in her hand, which signifies their importance. After reaching the tree, a dramatic horn sound picks up in the mix to foreshadow that something is wrong, and that danger is possibly approaching. This keeps the audience invested and on the edge of their seats and building suspense, and also adds a dark and serious atmosphere to the scene.
The diegetic sounds are drowned out by that of the Roy this beating of horse hooves, showing their force and drive.
As the camera pushes in on the dress, the diegetic sound of wind picks up in the sound mix to signify that something bad is going to happen to the dress, a foreshadow and an explanation for when the dress is found on the ground later on. As we cut to Ofelia inside the tree, the diegetic sounds are muffled and distant, as if from underwater, which creates a tense and uncomfortable environment and atmosphere in the tree, and puts us in Ofelia’s position. A low violin sound picks up in the non-diegetic composed score to signify a tragic aspect of the scene, creating suspense and fear for Ofelia’s safety. A sound of wind rushing also creates a cold and un-safe atmosphere as Ofelia enters the tree and signifies a change into the fantasy world again.
After cutting back to Vidal, the sound of the horses slowly disappears as they leave frame to reduce the sound in the mix, keep the pace slow and calm, and make space for the audience to pay attention to Vidal and what he is saying. The loud and powerful sound of Vidal’s boots hitting the floor temporarily drowns out all others in the sound mix, showing how much authority and dominance the Captain holds over the scene when he is in it.
As he investigates the campsite, we can hear the diegetic sounds of birds tweeting in the forest. These calming and peaceful sounds keep the pace of the scene slow and patient but also prevents the scene from being too quiet as Vidal looks around. It lets us hear his words, immerses us in the scene, and builds suspense without leaving the scene in complete silence. It also contrasts the constipated and muffled sounds of the inside of the tree, helping the viewer adapt to the new setting.
As the Captain shouts into the woods, his voice echoes throughout the trees to shown that the rebels most likely heard him, how truly massive the woods are, and how commanding and intimidating the Captain is. It also implies that even the creatures of the forest cannot escape the influence of the Captain. As we cut to a close-up of Vidal, horn instruments pick up suddenly and sharply in the score again. This subtly symbolises his mounting frustration and disdain for the rebels, and also creates the feeling of fear from something as simple as the look he makes in this moment. The music also builds up to a dramatic reveal of the rebels, and build into a climax as the scene cuts back to Ofelia. The way that the music suddenly cuts out here implies that the scene will be following here from now on.
Vidal is intently staring, even though he cannot see the rebels, attempting to intimidate them and control his rage and fury.
A low and guttural sound emerges in the diegetic sound mix as hits shot of the tunnel continues which builds tension and implies that something large and powerful, possibly dangerous is nearing, building tension and suspense, and therefore keeping the audience’s attention. Once the toad enters frame, it produces deep and rough, wet and moist sounds. These make the audience uncomfortable and evokes disgust in them for the toad. As the camera gets closer to it, the sounds increase in pitch and volume, making the audience more repulsed by the creature and again making them feel more like an actual participant in the movie as opposed to a bystander only witnessing the events.
When the toad burps, the diegetic sounds in the mix massively pick up and the roaring noise overcomes all others. This establishes the toad as a powerful and imposing creature that seems to have dominion over this territory. This moment disturbs the audience and raises the stakes as we now understand that Ofelia is in danger.
After Ofelia picks up the beetle it uncurls itself, and as it does he hear the diegetic sound of scuttling. This makes the insect seem more alive and biotic than a CGI monster, and also establishes to the audience that it is an object of significance in that moment. The score picks up into a hopeful and calm toned moment that signals to the audience that Ofelia has noticed something, as shown in the previous shot, and the music shows that this has led her to a realisation.
The men instantly quieten at this hand gesture, showing Vidal’s authority sand control over them.
When the tongue shoots out from the toads moth, we hear a loud roaring and squelching sound that makes this fantasy creature seem more real and organic, adding a realistic and serious tone to the fairy-tale monster, as if done again in the film later on. As the toad dies, we once again hear roaring but also a cracking sound to match the image of the toad’s jaw unhinging as it dies, adding to the gore of the moment. As its corpse deflates we hear a sound like rushing air, and as Ofelia retrieves the key from the contents of it’s stomach we hear sticky squelching. These diegetic sounds act as an audible sort of mise-en-scen, making the scene feel more real, immersing us by putting us in Ofelia’s position, and making the scene feel more real by adding to the texture of the objects on screen. Non-diegetic sounds also signify items as important though, as seen, or rather heard, when Ofelia picks up the key and a sharp ringing sound emerges in the mix, focusing the viewer’s attention on it.
We again hear wet and sticky sounds as Ofelia wipes her forehead to emphasise just how in-clean she is, creating sympathy in the audience for her, and making them think about just how much she has been through. We are introduced to the new setting outside of the cramped and claustrophobic environment of the tree to the the open and spacious forest by the sound of Ofelia’s footsteps crunching on the leaves beneath them. The distant thunder hints towards the coming thunderstorm, building suspense and an impending feeling of danger and fear for Ofelia.
Editing:
The first hidden cut in the scene is made when the camera moves behind a tree and when it emerges on the other side we are with Ofelia. This serves as a seamless transition that keeps the pace of the scene going and is hard to notice, linking the left to right movement of the characters between shots, and making the transition less jarring and distracting than an ordinary cut.
The scenes are established as parallel since we know that Ofelia and Vidal leave the mill at the same time, and the mid-day lighting implies that these events are happening at the same time. The locations of the different parts of the forest being similar also makes the movement of the scene feel more seamless and more like an uninterrupted sequence and experience of the events on screen. The hidden cuts are also used to keep in the audiences mind that the scenes are taking place parallel to each other. Another hidden cut is made from behind another tree to keep the fast-paced scene of horse-riding not lead to a sudden cut to the more calm and measured scene of Ofelia walking in the woods alone. It also signifies that both characters are approaching their destinations/goals in this moment.
Another hidden cut changes the position of the camera and signifies a passage of time between the cut. Every time a hidden cut is made the characters are kept centre-frame to keep them as the centre of the audience’s attention and they are also moving in the same direction, creating a similarity between both scenes and therefore a seamless transition that keeps the pace going smoothly and not suddenly cutting between shots. Once Ofelia reaches the tree there are no more hidden cuts. This is done to slow the pace of the scene and build suspense without cutting back to Vidal. This is continuity editing, since the lack of hidden cuts allows for the scene to play out before us in-interrupted, letting the audience follow the scene with clarity thanks to the continuity and lack of transitions.
This tree is not used for a hidden-cut, making those that are unexpected, and immersing the audience in the scene since they cannot guess when it will cut, and the trees obstructing the view makes it feel like we, the audience, are actually there, in the forest.
After Ofelia enters the tree, a hidden cut is made from the tunnel to a tree, and from there we are following Vidal again, making the change again smooth and not at all surprising, since it has been done before in the scene and the audience has a slit second more than they would with a normal cut to interpret the new environment of the scene. It also keeps hold on the audience’s attention throughout the scene, keeping them involved in the story and immersed in the. narrative.
The camera only does another hidden cut from behind a tree to show a passage of time, as the horses are further away afterwards, and change the position of the camera to where the rebels are standing, revealing where they were watching from all along. The scene does not do a hidden transition back to Ofelia to imply that the scene will be following her from now on.
As Ofelia talks to the toad, there are shot-reverse-shots that personify it, and therefore make it feel like a much more real and organic creature, making the audience question whether or not it is all in Ofelia’s imagination. It also makes for room to show off how large and indifferent the toad is to Ofelia, making the audience concerned but also fascinated in the huge monster on screen.
The wide-shot shows the rebels and we=here they were watching from. The movement of the horses from right to left also signifies that they are now going back to where they came from, retreating.
Mise-en-scen:
Ofelia’s outfit is quaint and simple, a clear reference to typical fairy-tale protagonists who were from humble beginnings and would wander off into the woods on some grand quest, as she does in this scene. It also looks similar to Alice from Alice in Wonderlands dress, creating a link between the two characters, and their story’s. The book she is reading is large and antique, signifying the grand scale and ancient legend of her stories, and the one that she herself is creating.
The tree, once it enters frame, is large, old and rotten. This adds to the still a new tense atmosphere of the scene, and making is teem much more imposing and intimidating than the other trees in the forest, and matching the description of the fairy-tale, giving the first grain of truth to the seemingly childish story. The entrance is shrouded in darkness, making it seem feel more mysterious and dangerous, and creating fear in the viewer for Ofelia’s safety. The tree itself is also shaped like a uterus, adding tonic themes to the film by serving as hidden imagery/symbolism to create deeper and subtler messages in the film. The ribbon that flys off the dress foreshadows the affect that the wind will have on the dress later on.
As Ofelia enters the tree there can be seen dusty particles in the air, giving the scene a surreal and fairy-tale like atmosphere, and thereby immersing the audience in the setting of the tree, and making it easier to understand what Ofelia is going through, literally! The inside of the tree itself in completely coated in mud and dirt, infested with large and unsettling insects, cramped by withering branches. This setting is uncomfortable for the audience to see, and the other aspects of the scene, especially cinematography and sound, make us feel out of place and nervous as Ofelia explores it, showing her bravery and bringing to life these ancient grim fairy tales. The mud collecting on Ofelia’s previously neat outfit shows how little she cares about it, and her persistence to drive on, whilst most, if not all, people in the audience would of turned back by now.
This wide-shot is used to show how many rebels there are, and their fire-power.
As Vidal investigates the fireplace, there is still steam coming off of it, acting as a visual clue that the rebels only recently left. The antibiotic bottle is small and clear, implying that it is valuable and also allowing for the audience to see it clearly. The Uniforms of the soldiers are very straight and clean and also a deep shade of blue, a sharp contrast to the green, in-organised and dirty woods around them, implying that they do not belong there. The gear and weapons they brought with them does indicate their power though, and willingness to commit violence. Their uniforms also contrast and conflict with those of the rebels, which is darker, less done-up and fashionable, like a personification of the woods themselves, and also showing that they are literally more suited and adapt, even in control of the environment of the forest. The weapons are also heavily armed, showing that they, like the Captain, and even though we haven’t seen it yet, are also willing to commit acts of violence for their cause.
Back in the tree, Ofelia now has dried mud on her face, signifying a passage of time. The toad is covered in bumps and rubbery looking skin, with thick and slimy saliva drooling from its mouth. It has long eyelashes and goat eyes, a huge moth and wet and sticky tongue. All of these factors in its physical appearance contribute to it evoking feelings of disgust and repulsion in the viewer, who as a result has a physical reaction to what they before just suspected was a harmless fairy tale, emphasising the real life scale and danger of these stories.
The toad is warty and ugly, creating repulsion and disgust in the viewer.
After the toad licks Ofelia’s hand, it is completely coated by slime and muck, making the audience sympathise for Ofelia, but also admire her bravery and lack of fear at this mighty beast, signifying her dedication to become the princess. As the toad deflates, its previously rubbery and wet skin now looks slightly like plastic, or a deflating balloon, instantly reducing the power of the animal and the fear it evoked whilst kit was alive, once again immersing the audience in the reality where the toad is not a reality, and therefore not a threat. In other words, the toad is not as monstrous when it is alive and breathing.
It’s(previously) insides are orange and made of slime, creating more repulsion in the audience as the camera nears it, and ensuring that the disgusting nature of the creature, if not the fear it evoked, is still alive after the toad dies. After Ofelia finally leaves the tree, her hair is completely plastered down by slime, her face covered in mud, and clothes soaked. This creates sympathy for her and the detail of the filth helps for us to imagine how much she has been through and how she feels in that moment.
Performance:
We can tell that Ofelia is running away from the mill from her sudden break into a run after turning back to indicate that she heard the soldiers setting off and momentarily thought that they were after her. She seems curious and full of wonder as she explored the woods, showing her excitement at being a part of the fairy-tales she has read about for so long. She seems cautious as she enters the tree, showing that she knows their could be danger about, but she makes no hesitation as she approaches the tree, indicating her bravery and fascination. As she crawls through the tree, her uncomfortable expression and laboured breathing shows that she is apprehensive and possibly re-considering her depiction tom go this far, but most of her reaction seems to be out of disgust as she studies the tunnel she is in.
The mud on Ofelia id dirtied here to show that’s she has been down in the tunnel for some amount of time.
The Captain also acts with intense purpose and authority as he approaches the fire, refusing to break his gaze from it, indicating to the audience what is important in this moment. As the Captain holds his hand up, his soldiers instantly silence themselves. This quickly establishes his power and authority over three, their loyalty and the un-caring and in-human nature of the Captain. Vidal seems sure in himself as he assesses the campsite, and even more confident that the rebels are nearby, signifying his skill and experience as a military leader. As approaches the tree line, he once again refuses to break his gaze, making him come across as a sort of un-caring machine, completely obsessed with carrying out its purpose, and shows Vidal’s inner anger and hatred for the rebels. Vidal’s voice as he shouts out into the woods is extremely booming and powerful, assuming control of the entire area around him.
The submissive silence of his men here also shows his authority over them, and his willingness to take charge. His dark and brooding expression hints at the the evil and disturbing things that must go on in Vidal’s mind, and also references the look he made as he killed the two farmers, showing how he always looks that calm yet intent. It also shows how inwardly infuriated he is over being too late to stop the rebels, and that they are probably just out of his reach and sight, but still has enough command to control his emotions, except for when he brutalises innocent people in cuts of um-measured rage, but even that he does with a cool and collected look on his face. There is another sign of his authority as the men instantly follow his suit from a gesture as simple and him holding up his hand. He also does not wait for them to follow him, because he know that they will follow his commands exactly as he says to. Or rather, signals to.
The jaw can be heard in-hinging in the diegetic sound mix to make the moment more impactful.
As Ofelia questions the toad, she seems genuinely confused at why it chooses to live down there, showing that she does not question the reality of what she is seeing, but rather the more mundane and simple questions about it. E.G not why is there a giant frog, but rather why he likes to live in the tree. It also shows her childish imagination/wonder and her fearlessness. She does seem concerned when she loses the stones though, keeping in the viewers’ mind that she is still a child, just one mostly concerned with completing a magical quest.
She looks fascinated and even hypnotised as she approaches the key, showing her dedication/devotion to getting it. After leaving the tree, Ofelia wipes her forehead and sighed, breathing heavily and leaning against the tree, emphasising her exhaustion and allowing for the audience to put themselves in her shoes. She also seems more vulnerable once outside of the tree, showing that she is much more comfortable, strangely in the wet and muddy underworld of the fantasy world, rather than the real one where Vidal has the power, signifying that he, a single man, evokes more fear in her than the giant toad and claustrophobic tunnel filled with insects was.
The razor that the Captain holds is sharp and imposing, a clear symbol of his tendency for violence and aggressive solutions, whether for dealing with rebels or shaving. The ring is on his left hand, which may be means to symbolise Vidal’s false love for his wife. The gramophone he plays music on is showed to display his wealth, and contrasts him to the peasants shown in the rest of the film. This establishes the power he holds over the area and the rations. Throughout the shaving sequence, Vidal has no uniform on, which signals two the audience that he is alone and in a truly private moment, but even here he carry’s himself with dignity and pride, as he is that obsessed with image and integrity as a military leader.
The cigarette also shows Vidal’s control of luxury resources like tobacco, and the smoke illuminated by the light coming into the basement hangs around his head gives him an intimidating presence, almost like smoke steam from the nose of a stag. The cigarette is also shorter after a hidden cut, which shows a passage of time. The many scattered and stacked papers at Vidal’s desk show his efficiency and attentiveness to his work, and the various shaving equipment also hints at his obsession with maintaining a clean and pristine appearance.
This shot is made more biblical by the light and symbolism of the razor, and the low-angle shot that makes a monster out force out of Vidal.
The cogs and mechanisms that are seen in the background of the basement are symbolic of Vidal’s efficiency and machine-like personality. He has no emotion, only an end goal and mission to destroy the rebels. This shows that he is a truly cruel and viscous villain to the otherwise fairy-tale aspects of the story, like a human form of the various monsters seen in the rest of the movie.
The boot that Vidal polishes is very shiny and clean, and this signify that it was probably expensive and also signify, again, the Captains attentiveness to how he looks, and his pride in being a Captain. This is also seen in how tidy and neat his uniform is, especially in contrast with the more humble and simple design of Mercedes’ and the kitchen staff outfits. The dining table is long, which shows that it was likely expensive (it also eludes to the later one “place man” sequence, showing how much of a monster Vidal is) and the mug is large and the fireplace completely stocked with wood, and also big and imposing. This all contributes to subtly signalling to the audience the military’s, or more specifically the Captains control over the ration’s and resources and money in this area of Spain, and his power that comes with being a military official in a fascist country. This can also be seen with the amounts of buckets and food in the kitchen.
Vidal clearly takes pride in this ritual of masculinity and dominance most people call shaving.
Cinematography:
There is a close-up of the gramophone to bring attention to it and the Captains hand, which the camera then follows upwards until it lands on Vidal’s face. There is a mid-shot here to make room for the razor, Vidal’s face, and the light coming into the basement behind him. This is also a low-angle shot, looking up at Vidal to make him seem more intimidating and imposing to the audience. The shot here almost looks like a portrait, the light giving a biblical sense to the image, and the razor a symbol of Vidal’s violence and power. This shows the Captains inflated perception of himself and his status as a Captain.
The camera then moves from a mid-shot to a long-shot as Vidal walks towards the mirror. This allows for us to see the entire basement and his position in the centre of it. This symbolises his authority and status in the centre of the mill as the Captain, and also his small part in a much bigger fascist machine. The camera then arches around the mirror to push into a close-up of the Captains face as he shaves, forcing the audience to get closer to him and see the precision with which he shaves, how he has no hesitation in using a dangerous razor, and how impassive he looks as he does it, a reference to the face he made as he killed the farmers earlier, calm and casual.
The over the shoulder shot shows how much taller Vidal is than Mercedes, and puts us in her position, letting the audience know how intimidating he is.
A glance object shot shows us all of the equipment that the Captain us using to shave, showing, again, his particular carefulness with creating an appearance. Once the Captain is in the dining room, the lighting is hazier and warmer, a sharp contrast to the cold and metallic environment of Vidal’s room. This also eludes to the contrast between Vidal and Mercedes as characters. The camera pedestals up as Vidal stands, which shows how much taller he is than Mercedes.
This is re-enforced when we cut to an over-the-shoulder shot of Vidal leaning down to intimidate Mercedes, which shows how imposing and threatening he is physically. This shot is also very tight, which creates a feeling of claustrophobia and fear in the audience, of Vidal. The camera then cuts to a wide-shot to show the entrance to the kitchen and how Vidal menacingly stared at Mercedes as she leaves. Only we, the audience, see this, so only we know that he may have suspicions of, or dark intentions for her.
Sound:
The non-diegetic sound of the gramophone picks up in the mix as Vidal turns it on. The audio is loud and slightly scratchy, which immerses the audience in the time period. The music is also very grand and patriotic in nature, which shows Vidal’s sense of patriotism and self-pride/image. The razor produces diegetic sounds that are sharp and sudden. This establishes how sharp the razor is and therefore how much danger Vidal is putting himself in by using it. It also puts the audience on edge slightly, since it is an unpleasant and rough sound that makes the audience feel uncomfortable, which they are supposed to with Vidal on screen, since the is so menacing.
The music also comes to a climax as Vidal begins shaving , which shows how he views this simple activity as a sort of symbol of his power, authority and masculinity. The grand and powerful tone of the music symbolises his obsession with how he presents himself and how he goes about completing his mission. The complexity and liveliness of the music also serves as a stark contrast to Vidal’s otherwise passive and calm expression.
Vidal is careful yet fast as he handles the sharp razor, showing his daring and confidence.
No music is played when Vidal is in the dining room. This creates tension and keeps focus on what he and Mercedes are saying. It also makes what seems like a vaguely awkward conversation come across as a lot more intense and threatening, as the awkward silence combines with the Captains terrifying demeanour to evolve into a disturbing silence that hangs in the air as thick as fog. This all emphasises the fear that Vidal creates in the audience, and the effect on the people around him, including Mercedes, who’s perspective we see here. As Mercedes enters the kitchen, there are many diegetic sounds of metal and glass inserted to emphasise how busy the staff are, and also the amount of rations they have, and immerses the audience in the environment, of only for a few moments.
Performance:
As Vidal goes about the basic task of shaving his face, he seems to be taking great care and joy even in it. This is seen in how he carry’s himself around the room confidently, asserting his power over the environment. His movements are fluid and constant, showing how much pride he takes in maintaining his appearance. The seriousness and attentiveness with which Vidal shaves his face eludes to how he goes about his work as a Captain, efficient and concentrated. The face he makes as he looks in the mirror is also very similar to the one he made as he killed the farmer’s son earlier, showing that he truly had no regret or remorse/hesitation as he murdered that man.
He also makes the activity of shaving almost like a ritual, in the way that he plays music and apples the cream with a brush, carefully studies the blade before using it, smokes and study’s his face in the mirror, and uses a hot towel to get ready. This all contributes to our perception of the Captain, and how he seems so obsessed with himself, his country, career and appearance. This is also seen in the dining room as he intently stares at his boot as he cleans it.
Mercedes answers back to the Captain, which eludes to her role as a rebel, and also her silent disdain and hatred for the Captain. He responds by asserting himself by standing up and placing a hand on her shoulder. This solidify Vidal as a threatening and dominant figure who is fine with keeping people in line by using fear as a tactic. Mercedes’ concerned expression shows this. The way that the kitchen staff also seem happy and even joke when not in the presence of the Captain creates a less tense and uncomfortable atmosphere, emphasising the effect that Vidal has on people by creating that same effect on the audience.
Mercedes is clearly quieter after Vidal’s threatening words.
Editing:
The scene is done in a lone-take until the camera crabs behind a pillar in the basement. As it passes through the darkness, a hidden cut is made, since when it emerges time has passed and the cameras is in a new location. This makes the shaving sequence almost seem like one long cut, which makes the various cuts seamless and un-noticeable. This keeps all focus on the Captain, and also makes the pacing of the scene match the fluid and precise movements of the Captain match each other. The pacing also matches up to the intense and fast music, and keeps the audience up to speed with the course of events in this scene, as we understand them to be continuous, which makes this continuity editing.
There is also another hidden cut when the camera moves behind the Captains head. This could be done to ssymbolise the fact that we, the audience, do not know what goes on inside Vidal’s head, what his inner-thoughts are, which makes him all the more terrifying. It also then brings us into a wide-shot of the basement, but then the scene cuts to the kitchen. The cuts that show a passage of time make this temporal editing, done to progress the story and keep the basic scene of Vidal shaving brief and filled with symbolism, not content, and progress the story more. A cut is possibly used here to end the fluid and constant movement/pacing of the scene before and brings the audience into the new environment. There are few cuts from here, as the shaving sequence is over and now Vidal is not alone, and the focus of the scene has switched from him to Mercedes, which is done by leaving Vidal off-screen as she leaves into the kitchen.
The shot where Ofelia and her mother are talking in the bed is one long and continuous shot. The director avoids cutting here to keep attention and focus on the two characters and their dialogue. The shot also slows down the pace of the film and prepares the audience to hear this story. The camera then pedestals downward in a fluid and floaty movement to create the feeling of a fairy-tale narration. The darkness on screen is used to make the transition and enter into Ofelia’s mothers womb, and then the camera dolly’s right and once again enters darkness to reveal the fairy-tale world. the same thing happens with the rose. It takes a moment to realise that the scene is now in a different environment, making it feel surreal and dream-like. The movement is created by the transitions and feels constant as it avoids making cuts and keeps moving throughout the sequence. It also makes the change from the CGI setting to a real one un-noticeable. The dream-like feel is also achieved by only using movements like pedestals and pans and crab shots. The transitions are fades, which blurs the line between reality and the fairy-tale.
The whole sequence is also done in continuity editing, since the events take place in chronological order. Finally the camera pedestals down to reveal the Captains room, once again secretly transitioning through the dark floor. A J-cut is used at the end of the scene to show the doctors reaction to the Captains threatening words, before cutting to the next scene. This also links the scenes together and establishes that no time has passed since the end of the scene with the doctor and the start of the scene with the farmers. A long take again slows down the pace of the film, creating a contrast between this and when the scene begins cutting rapidly as the farmer’s son is killed. The editing also matches the pace of the action, as here with an intense and violent burst of movement. The cuts between the Captain and the farmer’s son also shows his reaction, which is impassive and calm, to the disgusting act that he is committing. The pace of the editing also becomes sedate and slow as the action ends, matching, again, the movement of the characters.
Cinematography:
The room in which Ofelia and her mother are is very cold and dark, shown trough the blue tinted and silvery colour palette which also gives it a gloomy and dull atmosphere. It pans to the left to follow Ofelia and bring into frame the fireplace and bed. This serves as an establishing shot used to build the atmosphere of the room and follow Ofelia’s movements, keeping her as the centre of frame and therefore scene. When both characters are on the bed together a wide shot is used to keep focus on them and their dialogue, but also makes room for the darkness on the right side of the screen, building more atmosphere and tension. The shot also leaves plenty of empty space above the characters to create the feel of the large and empty room, and also makes makes the engravings on the bed frame clear to the audience. The camera slowly dolly’s forwards as the conversation continues, bringing the audience further into the scene.
The camera then pedestals downwards and transitions into a new environment. Then it crabs to the right and again transitions to a new place, pedestals down and crabs right, finally falling into an arch shot around the bed. These fluid and smooth movements make the scene play out like a story, which is narrated by Ofelia. Therefore, the camera movements contribute to the fairy-tale aspect of this scene, and almost makes it feel like a dream.
A low-angle shot is used here to give the audience a sense of scale of the mountain.
The doctor is kept at eye-level in the scene in the basement, perhaps to contrast how the Captain is usually above the camera in low-angle shots, and this subtly implies that the Captain is a better person that Vidal. Meanwhile, Vidal is sat in a chair shown to be looking up at the doctor, which signals that he has some dependancy on the doctor for looking after his wife and child. This changes after the captain stands up though, when he is once again shown from a low-angle shot. This and the over-the-shoulder shot from behind the Captain show how much taller the Captain is than the doctor, making him an intimidating presence and showing his superiority over the doctor. The soldiers are kept in the background and out of focus to keep the audiences attention on the doctor, but they are kept in frame to increase tension and block the exit, which gives the scene a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere.
The camera arch’s around the mill to follow the Captains movement, and the fact that he is between the two soldiers shows that he is the centre of focus for this scene. The shot of him searching the bag is long and goes not cut until he starts attacking the farmer’s son. This gives time for the situation to be explained by the soldiers, the farmers to plead their innocence, and tension to be built as Vidal searches their possessions. The dialogue establishes the stakes, and the shot makes for suspense building, and also illuminates the harm already done to the farmer, which implies that the soldiers are brutal and cruel. Vidal’s previous behaviour makes the audience wonder and fear to what extent he will punish the farmers if he finds anything too incriminating. The camera also slowly dolly’s forward again to build tension, immerse the audience, and establish how claustrophobic the farmers feel, completely surrounded by soldiers.
The camera quickly cuts between the Captain and the farmer’s son to show the violence that he is committing, and then the calm and neutral expression he wears on his face as he does it, showing how evil and cruel he is. One shot of Vidal also shows the farmer in the background, showing his reaction to the brutal scene in front of him, making the scene all the more stressful and intense. The low-angle shot makes it feel like Vidal is towering above us, making him all the more intimidating. There is also a close-up of the brutalised mans face to display how horrific the violence is. A wide shot is used to show how Vidal casually fires rounds into the two men, and how the soldiers just stand around, looking at this happen. Vidal is also always kept centre frame to show that he has authority and the centre of the attention in this scene. This displays Vidal’s authority, and the fear he puts into people, and how dangerous he is too.
The next shot is an over-the-shoulder from behind one of the soldiers, and this shows who Vidal is talking to, what his expression is, and the left side of the screen has space for the rabbit corpse in the bag, implying that Vidal murdered the two men for nothing. The shot then lingers on two soldiers to show how they reacted to the murders, and this imply that even Vidal’s own men are afraid of him, and opposed to his brutal actions/methods.
Sound:
As Ofelia walks from the door to the bed, diegetic sounds of her footsteps and the fireplace are comforting and homely, building a warm and safe atmosphere. The creaking and sounds from the house build a tense and eerie atmosphere, and the sound of laboured breathing from Ofelia’s mother implies that they are on edge. The non-diegetic score builds as Ofelia’s mother opens up to her about her loneliness. It is slow and somber, and prepares/signals the audience that there is about to be another scene in the fantasy world, and also emphasises the gothic tone of the film, and the emotions Ofelia and her mother are feeling.
When we see the baby, the heartbeat can be heard in the background, muffled and slow, and this is possibly done to show the relationship building between Ofelia and her brother. Diegetic wind and other cold, ambient sounds play, as the camera movements. This adds an ominous quality to the scene, and also adds to the sense of movement through the story, and the cold outside environment. The diegetic sounds of the insect increases the closer it is to the camera, immersing the audience. The sound of the score also gets louder as the scene goes on, and the choir like sounds to it give it a religious quality, that emphasises the beauty of the story, and lends it a small sense of truth.
When Vidal finishes fixing his watch, it begins ticking to a rhythm, showing that there is a purpose to it for Vidal, signifying importance. The sounds are also mechanical, creating a link between Vidal’s cruel and cold efficiency and the machine he holds. The ticking is also heard over the conversation about Ofelia’s mother, and this creates the sense that time is running out for her. As Vidal and his soldiers walk outside, the diegetic sounds of their footsteps create the atmosphere of the outside of the mill, and the Captains footsteps are louder than the others, implying authority and dominance, and get louder as he gets closer to the camera, making him seem more intimidating and making the audience feel like they are actually in the scene.
The important objects can be heard more, as with the watch and the bottle. The diegetic sound of the Captain slamming the bottle lid down implies that he has snapped, and lost patience. The diegetic sounds of the mans face being bashed in gets louder and wetter as the scene goes on, emphasising the gore and brutality, and creating more of an impact on the audience. The score also picks up here, making the situation more distressing and disturbing. The gunshots can also be heard echoing, once again building atmosphere and the dominance/authority of the Captain, and the fear he creates in people.
The non-diegetic score builds in intensity as the scene progresses, which makes the murder all the more hard to watch for the audience. The scene once again goes silent as Vidal walks away, slowing the pace and intensity of events, but still leaving the audience and the guards on edge from what trust happened.
Mise-en-scen:
The moonlight in the scene gives the room a gothic and theatrical feel. The design of the fire and the rest of the room is quite gothic, which builds atmosphere and adds to the tone of the room. The lighting on Ofelia and her mother is very soft and smooth, showing the warm and loving relationship between them. The bed frame also has a similar design to the underworld in the beginning of the film. It resembles goat horns or a uterus, which acts as symbolism and foreshadowing. The clothes that Ofelia is wearing is quite humble and simple and symbolises her as a kind person, who does not show off. The make-up on both characters is also naturalistic, and does not seem done-up or over-done, but genuine and reflective of the characters it’s on.
The blanket is black so that the un-seen transition can be made. The red colour of the womb matches that of the rose, dark and deep, allowing for another transition and creating a dark and ominous atmosphere. The hill that the rose sits on seems rough and brittle, implying danger and matching the narration of how people were scared to climb it, and the sky looks like a storm is brewing, making the atmosphere of the setting gloomy and grim. The thorny branches are also very foreboding and sharp.
The CGI gives the creatures and environment in the story scene seem fantastical and unreal. The basement is filled with gears and tools, which reflects the cold and precise efficiency with which Vidal operates. It also looks like a clock, which links to the stopwatch he is fixing in that scene. Vidal’s uniform is decorated and pristine, showing that he takes his profession seriously and is very strict with how he presents himself. The doctor is dressed well to show that he is professional and that the Captain trusts him, but is less done up and up-tight with his appearance.
The smoke coming off Vidal’s cigarette gives him an intimidating and confident appearance. It is also a symbol of wealth, to show that he is in control of the goods and resources that other people need and want, such as the peasants. The setting of the mill in the woods is similar to many old fantasy book and fairy tale tropes, which establishes an atmosphere for the film, and also makes the area feel more remote and isolated, therefore trapped and claustrophobic.
The soldiers all have clean and tidy uniforms, which reflects how obedient they are to the Captain. The farmers, on the other hand, have dirty and rugged outfits, which shows that they are poor, and provides a direct contrast to the Captain. It also implies that they work hard, struggle to make money, and, like Ofelia, are more honest and good people than Vidal is. The blood and bones that are shown as the farmer’s son is brutalised emphasises the aggressive nature of the Captain, and the extent of how cruel and awful this crime is. It is repulsive for the audience to see, and solidify the Captain as an evil, unforgivable villain.
The rabbit body is held up, and its limp and still body hanging by the ears instantly signals to the audience that the farmers were telling the truth, and therefore the Captain brutally injured two men.
It also looks like a crime scene in this low angle wide shot. Even when the camera gets further away from the violence, we are still engrossed yet mortified by the scene playing out in front of us.
Performance:
Ofelia looks happy to see her mother as she walks across the room. After the chaotic and in-happy events of the previous day, this context and facials expression shows that she has a good relationship with her mother. However, It also shows that Ofelia and her mother an only feel safe together when the Captain is not there, as Ofelia’s previous reactions to the Captain show that she does not trust him. Ofelia is evidently scared as she looks frantically around the room and stays close to her mother for comfort.
Ofelia’s mother is clearly uncomfortable, and we, the audience, subconsciously realise that this is due to the baby, as she has struggled with them before this scene. We also see her mothers’ face go dull and take a conflicted and hurt expression. This establishes how she feels guilt for her daughter, but also feels she had no choice to marry the captain, which makes him seem even more evil to the audience. The way that Ofelia narrates the story is also very full of bravado and confidence, which imply that she knows the story well, and this links with her already established love for fairy-tales.
The Captains expression is intent and concentrated, which shows how important the watch is to him. The doctor seems concerned and uncomfortable around the Captain, which implies that he is afraid of him. The Captain is also shown to be the figure of authority over the doctor, since he does not look up to address him when he walks in. The small hand gesture also shows how much power he has over his men, and how used he is to having people obey him instantly. The doctor also recognises his authority, as he stops talking immediately. This implies to the audience the danger that’s the Captain poses.
Vidal also seems offended when the doctor asks why he has assumed the gender of the child, shown by the way he slowly blows out smoke and looks down his nose at him, almost as if he’s been challenged. This shows the aggressive and impatient personality of the Captain. The soldiers walk behind Vidal, subtly showing his rank above them. The farmers seem breathless and concerned, and the son takes his hat off as soon as he’s told. This shows that they know something the audience does not, how dangerous he is, which builds tension and fear of what Vidal is capable of. Vidal even seems too be taking pleasure in the interrogation, they way he tells the men what to do so much, which shows how sadistic he is.
The way the Captain slams the bottle lid down is aggressive, and the way he does not brake his gaze as he approaches and murders the man shows the extent of how evil and heartless he is, as-well as the calm and disappointed look on his face as he kills the man. The soldiers also make no reaction, which signals that they too are scared of him, and have seen this sort of violence before. This contrasts with the farmers terrified and expected reaction to such violence. Only when Vidal leaves do the soldiers react, and that shows how scared they are of him, and that he is the only person there with no sort of remorse, guilt or repulsion to what he just did.
We have studied the opening sequence of Pan’s Labyrinth and have picked out the different key elements of film form in it, going into detail about how each one has been done to covey information or meaning to the audience.
Cinematography: The sequence starts off with a unique camera movement. The camera crabs to the left to show Ofelia bleeding, then twists right to make her lying eye-level with the camera and therefore the audience. This puts them in the environment of the scene, which is made cool and dull by the silvery and grey colour palette used here, and also focuses all attention on Ofelia, signifying her importance, and that this scene must hold significant importance in the course of the narrative. It also puts the camera in position to push into Ofelia’s eye, and a fast and CGI transition into the underworld kingdom implies a change in place and time-period, also creating a sense of fantasy and mystical nature. once we have entered the kingdom, the camera pans left to cover an extreme wide-shot of the kingdom. This shows the audience how huge and seemingly powerful and grand it all is. It also provides the mise-en-scen, which I will go into later, plenty of space to be put on display.
The extreme wide-shot also provides ample room to show the princess, Moana, escaping the kingdom, which is being explained for context by the narrator, which fits into editing.
The camera then pushes in to bring our attention to Moana and her escape, and then tilts upwards to reveal the huge staircase, keep Montana at the forefront of the audiences attention, and also allows for the soundtrack to build up to the blinding light that follows. here the screen is over-exposed to put the audience in Moana’s position, blinded and shocked by an intense light. it also makes for another smooth and seamless transition into the upper-world, which has a different colour palette to show a different place, temperature and once again, time-period. the camera then slowly crabs right to let the new setting sink in whilst the narrator continues, and also so a skeleton can be revealed, making it clear that violence will be prevalent in the film, and also establishing the conflict that is the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. It then floats up to bring to our attention the cars driving past, and the abandoned church and mass-expanse of woodland.
We then see a close-up of Ofelia’s fairy-tale book, which signals that it is important to her, shows an illustration that hints at Ofelia’s state later on in the film, and shows that fairy-tales and fantasy elements are also going to be a present theme in the film. there are multiple over-the-shoulder and two-shots in the car to show Ofelia’s conversation with her mother. As Ofelia walks around the woods, the camera drops to her level, putting the audience, once again, in her situation, and also showing that she is the centre of the films focus. Even the tilt to the sky mimics where she is looking. The focus on the stone on the floor establishes it as an object of significance, and also Ofelia’s noticing of it. We then cut to a close-up of Ofelia’s face to see that she has noticed something that has caught her attention, bringing in the audience as this captures their attention.
The architecture of the altar matches that of the underworld, and the holes in the eye creates a clear link/connection between it and the stone.
There is an match-on-action to bring our attention on Ofelia picking up the rock, then a close-up to display the unusual formation on it. The over the shot of Ofelia and the statue also makes it look as if the statue is a character itself, contributing to the mystery and suspense of the whole scene. The camera slowly pushes in on the mouth of the altar to ensure that the audiences tension is on it, this way making sure that they have some reaction to the bug that crawls out of it. An over-the-shoulder shot shows Ofelia’s reaction to it. The way that the camera follows the bug also shows Ofelia’s perspective.
The camera follows the insect as it flys away, but keeps Ofelia in shot and the her as the object as focus, this is to show her delight as she looks at the fairy, and remind the audience that the insect is important in relation to her, as she is the protagonist. The insect only leaves frame when Ofelia’s mother enters it, and puts her and the officer in focus to show that this trance that Ofelia was in whilst looking at the insect has been broken to an extent. As the insect/fairy crawls around the trunk of the tree the camera lowers and arcs to follow it and imply to the audience that it is certainly following the truck and cars.
The close-up on Vidal’s watch signifies it significance to him, much like the earlier shot of Ofelia’s book, how it is shown even before them. The close-up also brings attention to how there is a crack on the watch, making the audience wonder why that is there. There is then a close-up on his face to show his importance as a character, and then the camera pans right to follow the cars and reveal the mill and setting of the film to the audience, an establishing shot.
The slow dolly in this shot allows for the audience to take in the environment, statues, which are part of the mise-en-scen, and Moana’s placement here, and her size compared to the rest of the architecture. It also gives the narrator more time to explain the fairy-tale playing out in front of us.
Sound:
The silence included in the opening credits build suspense, and then the diegetic sound of wind and an owl hooting establishes an atmosphere that’s is cold and outside. The lullaby is used as a motif to create suspense and put the audience on edge as it and the wind gradually rise in the mix, which by now is layered due to the different sounds of the woods and Ofelia’s breathing and Mercedes’ humming, slowly bringing the audience into the scene before we even see anything.
the breathing also adds to the tension, making the audience wonder why it is there. A windy swooshing noise is played during the transition to the underworld, making it feel cold and subtly hinting at a change in atmosphere, and matching the speed of the camera, making it feel more like we are actually there, in the scene. The crows cawing adds a dark undertone to the sound mix, as the birds are traditionally associated with themes of death, like a dark foreshadowing, and reference to the pervious shot of Ofelia dying.
The swooshing sound and the crows cawing again signals a change in atmosphere, and hints at the theme of death that is about to be shown in the form of a rotting skeleton. The score has a choral quality to it, establishing the old time-period and eerie atmosphere. The non-diegetic score stops when the conversation starts to keep our attention on it. The sound of the car braking is quick and sharp, showing that there has been a stop and also that the drivers are likely efficient. The diegetic sounds of the cars and people fades away as Ofelia walks off, putting us in her position and distracted mindset.
As Ofelia picks up the stone, the non-diegetic score picks up again, in-concisely making a link in the audiences mind between the underworld and the rock. The sound stops as the camera pushes into the mouth on the stone, helping to build tension and keep the audience as attention on the stone, not the music. The sounds of the insect are quick and clicks, which are uncomfortable to listen to, and these stop as Ofelia’s mother calls to her, breaking the trance made by the focus on the insect. When we see Vidal’s watch, we hear the rhythmic clicking of it, implying that the captain has a close eye on time and orderliness.
Editing:
The captions are edited in to allow English audiences to understand what is being said. The scene where Ofelia is bleeding out is also played in revere, showing that this scene takes place at the end of the film and also gives the scene an unreal and fantastical element.The transition to the underworld is done without making any cuts, since it pushes into her eye and then we discover that there has been a change in environment. This is done to make the flow between places and time periods seem fluid and even in-noticeable. The character of Moana also seems to be edited in, making her movement seem flowing and dream-like. The scene in the underworld is one long and continuous cut that makes the sequence feel like a dream, and the way that it is constantly moving forward makes it feel like the words on the page of a book, which, of course, it is.
The transition to the upper-world is also done without cutting, instead through a flash of blinding light. The only cut we notice fades in as the camera passes a wall, and is hard to notice at first. The scene only cuts when Ofelia reaches the end of the fairy-tale. As Ofelia walks through the woods, the camera follows her and the scene does not cut for a few moments. This lets the atmosphere and setting of the woods sink in, and also keeps the audiences attention as we approach the rock on the ground. When the scene cuts to Captain Vidal at the mill, it is a J-cut since we hear the ticking of the watch before we see it, and this lets the audience know beforehand that something of significance is about to be shown.
The conversation always stays on one side of the invisible 180 degree axis.
Mise-en-scen:
The blood dripping from Ofelia’s nose signals to the audience that she is dying, as-well as that blood on her hand. The architecture in the Nader world kingdom is large and ancient and grand, implying that it is old and powerful, and it also creates the feel of a place from a fairy-tale. The statues shown near the stairs are very similar to those of ancient Egyptian art, which establishes the inspiration for the kingdoms design, and also the pillars are similar to those of Ancient Rome. The immediate debris and destruction that we see on the surface immediately shows the destruction and chaos of the war. So does the rotting skeletons, which also links back to what the narrator is saying about Moana’s death when she reached the surface world.
One of the skeletons also has a pair of glasses next to it, a clear foreshadow of the doctors death later on in the film. The Cars are Rolls-Royce’s which shows that the army has a clear budget to spend, and so are Ofelia and her mothers’ clothiers, showing that they are likely from the city. Even the book is designed to look like an old, antique fairy-tale book.
The design of the stone creates a sense of mystery and attracts the audiences interest, and then when it fits into the rock, we see that the rock has a similar design to those buildings in the under world, establishing a link between them. The design of the bug is intricate, sharp and deadly-looking, creating a feeling of repulsion to it in the audience. The guns that the soldiers are holding signal that Ofelia and her mother are extremely important to them ands have reason to be protected, and also hints at the later conflict in the film.
The vast amount of boxes and crates at the mill show that the Nationalists are powerful, have budget to spend, and are planning on setting up a permanent base/stronghold at this clearing, as well as the huge amounts of soldiers. The uniform of the captain is intricate, flashy due to its medallions and badges, and how tidy it is, all signalling, along with the watch, that he is an important figure in the film.
The latex gloves hint towards the brutality with which Vidal operates through in the movie, and how he seems to wash his hands of all the violence he commits.
Performance:
The laboured breathing and distressed expression on Ofelia’s face shows that she is scared and injured, and this captures the interest and sympathy of the audience. Her mother comes across as loving and protective of her daughter, but still confused at her obsession with fairy-tales. She is also clearly sick with her sniffling, tired face, exhausted demeanour and sickly coughing. On the other hand, Ofelia seems interested and curious, calm at her mothers coughing. This implies that she is fearless and follows her curiosity, as seen with how she investigates the altar and is ecstatic at the insect. The captain is cold, clearly frustrated with the late arrival of the cars, and commands an air of authority with his silence and in-flinching stare.
Real world: It is 1944 and General Francisco Franco is the fascist ruler of Spain. Captain Vidal and his fascist troops have taken control of a mill in the mountains of Spain. They stockpile food there, giving the civilians barely enough to eat so that they can’t afford to give any supplies to the leftist guerrillas in the woods. Vidal has married Carmen, who bares his child. He sends for her because he wants to be present at the birth of his son. Vidal has little time for Carmen’s young bookish daughter, Ofelia. Unbeknownst to Vidal, his housekeeper (Mercedes) has a brother who leads the rebel maquis. She and Doctor Ferriero secretly supply the guerrillas. The communist rebels retake the mill shortly after Carmen dies during childbirth. As the falangists are overrun, Ofelia kidnaps the newly born child. Vidal follows her into a nearby labyrinth where he shoots the girl and reclaims the baby. He is confronted at the entrance of the labyrinth by Mercedes and a large group of maquis. Pedro (Mercedes’ brother) shoots Vidal under the right eye and kills him. A weeping Mercedes cradles Ofelia. Ofelia dies. Fantasy world: Princess Moanna sneaks out from the underworld to become mortal and dies. Her spirit passes through countless humans. The king of the underworld vows to wait for Moanna’s return. A fairy leads Ofelia to a labyrinth where a faun tells her she is a reincarnation of Princess Moanna and that she needs to return to the underworld. However, to make sure that her magical spirit is still intact, Ofelia has to successfully perform three tasks — obtain a key from the belly of a giant toad (that is killing a tree where enchanted creatures rest); use the key to retrieve an item from a locked door guarded by a demon (the Pale Man); spill the blood of an innocent into the portal of the underworld. The faun instructs her in sorcery. Ofelia is distracted because of her sick mother and fails the second task. Ofelia passes the final test by sacrificing her life instead of her brother’s. Princess Moanna returns to the underworld where she rules with “justice and a kind heart”. There are two sides of the story that take place parallel to each other. Ofelia’s adventure into the underworld kingdom, and Captain Vidal’s pursuit of the rebels in the woods. A realistic scenario tied to a real-life event that actually happened, and a imagined scenario infused with nuanced aspects of traditional fairy tales.
2. When and where do the events in the film take place?
“The period featured, 1944 in Spain, is intriguing as it is clearly a period where the rumblings from the Spanish Civil War are still being felt despite the war itself having finished in 1939.” Captain Vidal has been assigned to the task of hunting down and executing the remaining communists, who are hiding out in the remote woods. The civil war has ended but some groups still fight on, resisting the fascist rule of the nationalists. The majority of the film takes place in the small cabin where Vidal, his family, and troops are stationed.
3. Briefly, what was the Spanish Civil War about? When and how did it start and end?
The war started in 1936 and ended in 1939. It was fought between the fascist Nationalists and the more liberal or communist Republicans. The Republicans were divided and had inferior supplies, whilst the Nationalists were supple by other fascist powers in Europe and had been united under one fascist dictator. Eventually the Republicans lost major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona, and the Nationalists assumed control of Spain.
4. Which of the factions does the captain represent? Why is he stationed at the mill?
Captain Vidal represents the fascist army of the Nationalists who have just taken control of the country. He is stationed at the mill to hunt down and kill the remaining opposition to the dictator and the country’s new government.
5. Which of the factions do the people in the mountains represent? Why are they hiding?
The people hiding in the mountains represent the remaining communist opposition/rebels to the new fascist rulers of Spain. They are hiding since they will be executed if found out to be communist, and so they are armed and preparing an attack on Captain Vidal and his soldiers.
6. Which of the factions do the religious and elite support? Why?
“A local priest, attending a meal held by the Captain, dismisses the possible pain felt by the rebels on theological grounds. His representation lacks humanity and is clearly a barbed commentary on an out of touch and complicit Catholic church: “God has already saved their souls. What happens to their bodies hardly matters to him.” Del Toro uses the cinematic conceit of a banquet to heighten the corruption of the local middle classes and ruling elite. Despite his criticisms of Catholicism as a dogma and institution it is clear that Del Toro admires the spirituality of his native religion — in a later film Crimson Peak, a ghost story, he commented on his belief in ghosts. The scene above is strongly redolent of a stylised heaven with its church-like setting, a rosary window flooded with golden light and a grey bearded father figure flanked by a doe-eyed mother. It is all rather stuffy and formal befitting a royal court perhaps but not a fairy domain. That said it is clearly Ofelia’s (Princess Moanna’s) ‘happy place’ — she has come home to a loving warm family and an adoring people.” The priest represents the Spanish Catholic Church, which sided with the Fascist dictatorship that had won the civil war. So did the elite classes of Spain, which are represented by the wealthy landowners that visit Vidal for dinner. These factions supported Vidal in the film and the Nationalists in real-life most likely since they had won the war, and had to win the trust of the new and violent government. The Nationalists also did not influence or negatively affect these factions, unlike the civilian population in the film which goes hungry so that Vidal can kill the remaining rebels. He does not take away any food from the church or the elite’s.
7. Which of the factions do the peasants support? Why?
The peasants support the communist rebels hiding out in the woods. This is because the rebels are trying to get rid of Captain Vidal and his troops, who are seen taking away the peasants food and even brutally murdering a group of innocent civilians in the movie. The Nationalists are brutal and indifferent to the peasants, and harm them in their attempts at removing the remaining communists.
8. What role do women play in the two factions?
“The representation of women is evidence of the social problems women faced in this patriarchal and macho era.” Mercedes is the woman who serves both sides of the conflict. She aids Captain Vidal and his troops by working in the kitchen, like the other women, and tending to Ofelia when her mother is ill. She help’s her brother and his communist allies by secretly bringing them food, messages, and supplies. Never does a woman get involved in any physical combat, but more espionage activities, which is accurate to ideals on gender roles that were held at the time.
9. How is food an important symbol in the film?
Food can be seen as a metaphor for the deprivation and suppression that people were subject to during the war. This can be seen in how the peasants have their food taken away from them, Captain Vidal and his guests hold big, expensive seeming meals regularly, and Ofelia steals food from the ogre because she is so hungry. It can also show how corrupt someone is. The rebels in the woods are represented as a good force, fighting against the dictatorship poof the Nationalists. Meanwhile, Vidal and similarly the ogre are seen with long tables of delicious foods, and both of those characters are villainous and corrupt. It also shows Ofelia’s childish wonder at all of the fairy-tale scenarios that she is living through, and this is even when she steals the grape from the ogre despite being seriously warned not too. It shows that she is naive and susceptible to temptation.
10. How is poverty an important theme in the film?
Poverty is used similarly to food as a symbol of corruption and evil in people. The people living in the woods, along with the peasants are seen as poor and heroic people who are repressed by the government but still fight on for the sake of their cause. On the other hand, Vidal lives in a luxurious and romantic mill, with access to milk and bread and meat, and he is the main source of evil and the cause of most of the problems in the film. It also show’s how people suffered throughout the war, whilst the upper-classes thrived unfairly. Del Toro also paid tribute to the tragedy of the civil war in his 2001 masterpiece The Devils Backbone.
11. How is time an important theme in the film?
The film begins with a shot of Ofelia dying in the Labyrinth, and ends at the same point. This circular narrative is perhaps meant to represent the pain and constant struggle of civilians living through the civil war. It is also perhaps done to show that Ofelia’s story is infinite, as apparently thousands of others girls like her have attempted to pass the faun’s tests, but have failed. This continuous cycle of death and reincarnation, since the story begins with her first body dying, and ends with her last dying, is done to show the fairy-tale likeness of her adventure, and the brutality of the Spanish Civil War.
12. How is disobedience an important theme in the film?
Disobedience is a more underlying theme in the film, used to convey a message about the war and gullibility. Ofelia is obedient to the faun at first, completing his quests and doing as he sits. This puts her in dangerous situations, such as the pale-man sequence. When she finally disobeys it at the end of the film and refuses to draw the blood of her innocent brother, does she make it into the underworld where she is re-united with her family. A similar thing happens in the real-world between Captain Vidal and the doctor who helps his pregnant wife through child-birth and also secretly supplies the rebels in the woods. When Vidal realises that the doctor is betraying him, he asks why he didn’t obey him. The doctor insults the captain by saying that only people like him can obey without thinking. Vidal then kills him but his death was in servitude to the rebel cause. His death was heroic and was done to show that the doctor would rather die serving the cause he believes in rather than the evil Vidal, so only when he openly disobeys and defies the captain does he realise how to help the rebels win. It shows that blind obedience brings death and suffering, and freedom, the opposite of what the fascists believe in, is how to win over evil.
13. How and in what ways does pans Labyrinth draw on classic fairy tale and fantasy tropes and archetypes?
The movie portrays many fascinating and various monsters. The giant frog is comical and quite confusing to behold, the pale man is like an ogre, terrifying and repulsive, and the faun is mysterious and mystical. These creatures are all similar to monsters from classic fairy tales, such as ogres, giant animals, witches and myths. The faun is even a representation of the Greek God Pan, hence the name of the film. The settings, such as the rotting tree, big dining hall and labyrinth even seem like they are plucked from fantasy stories. The young and naive Ofelia is filled with child-like wonder at the events that unfold before her, and even eats the food from the ogre, despite being frequently warned not too. This is similar to how many fairy tale protagonist would actually, and her motivation to become a princess in an underworld paradise is similar to old and classical fairy tale character motivations. The ogre scene is even similar to the story of Hansel and Gretel, with the repulsive witch who lures in her child prey with enticing and luxurious food.
14. How is fascism portrayed in the film?
“The negative depiction of Franco’s fascist forces is clearly intended to be extended to the imaginative poverty of fascism in general — in contrast to the more benign and sensitive (although hardly democratic) fairy kingdom. A more realist political representation is that of the guerrillas who are presented as resourceful and determined and egalitarian. Mercedes’ love of children (Ofelia and her baby brother) suggests a tenderness and a celebration of all things childish — indeed, unlike Ofelia’s weak and dismissive mother, Mercedes gives advice on the handling of fauns.” We see the contrasts between the resourceful rebels and Captain Vidal in his dining scenes, where much enticing food is laid out before him on the table. These subtle details hint at how the fascists are unfair and treat their people wrongly. This is also done more obviously with how the fascist troops brutally murder civilians and effect the people around them, keeping all the food for themselves, torturing captured rebels, and neglecting the need of the peasants in the area.
15. How does Guillermo Del Toro employ uterine and sapphic imagery in the film?
The image/shapes of the uterus is referenced/portrayed in the film Guiana the rotting tree in the woods. The way that this tree is apparently rotting due to the toad inside is perhaps meant to reference how Ofelia’s mother is going to die in child-birth. It can also be said to represent how the Faun has secret and mysterious motives for Ofelia’s quests, or how when she crawls out of the uterus, it is almost like being re-born by it, like how she becomes the princess in the underground kingdom at the end of the film. Yonis imagery is seen in the opening of the tree, once again referencing the theme of re-birth and childhood, which of course begins with birth.
16. How are maternal instincts portrayed in the film?
We see Mercedes’ paternal instinct to protect Ofelia when her mother is not well enough to do so throughout the film, for example when she cradles Ofelia’s dying body and sings her a lullaby. It is also seen in Ofelia’s mother herself, when she is concerned at the loss of her daughter. Captain Vidal is portrayed as cruel and indifferent to his daughters existence, so his lack of paternal instinct shows that he is a villain. Even the doctor looks after Ofelia and comforts her. It is the more evil characters like the Faun and Vidal who do not care for Ofelia, or have seemingly malicious intent for her.
17. What was the significance of faces and shaving in the film?
We see Captain Vidal shaving a few times in the film. Each time we see a cruel and cold look on his face, which shows that even in private, he never betrays his image of a hardened captain by showing guilt or remorse, which signals that he is a truly evil and un-caring villain. The actual action of shaving itself is perhaps meant to represent how Vidal is obsessed with upholding his image, or how he regularly washes and leans himself of the violence that he has committed. Vidal is later on shoe in the face, and his face is cut open by Mercedes, and a civilian has his face bashed in by Vidal. This is either done to show that Vidal’s previous acts of violence have come back to make him suffer through h=what he made other people suffer through, or to show how no matter how many times he shaves of his guilt and criminality, he will eventually break and fall to the violence that he has left in his wake.
18. What is the significance of flowers in the film?
Flowers often represent the theme of re-birth, blooming and youth. This is seen at the end of the film when a flower sprouts from the tree that Ofelia visited. It shows that traces of her still exist in the real world, and this links back to the fairy-tale aspect of the story. It also shows that she still holds her childish wonder and joy fullness that she had whilst she was alive.
19. How does Guillermo Del Toro operate a ‘one for them, one for me’ filmmaking policy?
Del Toro often reveals a pice of information in the film through scenes like Mercedes taking hidden supplies out of a hidden floorboard, or how the captain finds penicillin in a similar bottle at the rebel camp to what the doctor supplies them. This particular scene signals to the audience, despite a lack of dialogue in it, that Vidal has realised that the doctor is a traitor,and that he is about to kill him. However, Toro also keeps many things hidden from the audience, like the fauns secret motives, or if Ofelia is seeing all of these monsters in her head or if they are real. This is seen when Vidal looks at Ofelia but does not see the Faun, despite Del Toro tricking us into thinking that it was real. This is done by keeping Ofelia’s adventure and Vidal’s campaign separate until the end of the film.
20. How far is Pans Labyrinth representative of Guillermo Del Toro’s oeuvre?
“Del Toro as an effective and idiosyncratic fantasy/horror auteur is evidenced in his earlier films such as Cronos (1993), The Devil’s Backbone (2001) and Crimson Peak (2015) as well as in his much more mainstream Hollywood work such as Hellboy (2004) and Pacific Rim (2013).” However, despite the conception that The Devils Backbone was Del Toro’s magnum opus, Pans Labyrinth showed that the director was capable of creating a deep, though-out and fully realised work of art. The concepts and story of the film is unique, with memorable characters and scenes that cement is as a powerful and individual piece of filmmaking that cannot be compared to any other of Toro’s films, or any other film in general. It is what the director is know for. He and the film are completely attached to one another.
21. How did the critical reception of The Devils Backbone influence the production of Pan’s Labyrinth?
After the massive positive receivable of The Devils Backbone, Del Toro was left with the necessary budget for creating Pans Labyrinth. This helped lead to a high production cost, and making the movie feel like it was backed by a large studio, despite Del Toro being in control of the project. The quality of the production led to more people watching the film, and the amount of money to invest in production, sets, costumes and actors was enough.
22. Was the film financially successful?
“Released in the UK by Optimum. Premiered at Cannes in May 2006 to great acclaim. Co–produced by a number of Spanish, Mexican and American production companies the $19 million budget is reflected in the complex production design, period dressing and relatively large cast. The eventual worldwide box office of $83.3 million was seen as a triumph.” The film nowadays is viewed as a classic, and the magnum opus of an already well known and respected auteur director.
23. Why is the year of the release of The Devils Backbone and PansLabyrinth significant?
Pans Labyrinth was released in 2006, just 5 years after The Devils Backbone. Nowadays Guillermo Del Toros films are made at similar intervals, and this is likely because it is these two films that made his name as an iconic director. The Devils Backbone’s success allowed for the production value of Pans Labyrinth, which is part of why the film is so good. It’s impressive practical effects and beautiful location, for example.
24. Why physical effects over CGI?
“The key technology used in this film is the animatronics and green screen work as discussed above and its effective creation of a magical-realist production design.” The practical costumes and real sets create the feeling that these fairy-tale like settings are real, and that makes the terrifying monsters all the more real and disturbing. CGI is only ever used for the more graphic gore in the film, such Vidal being shot in the face or the farmer’s son having his face bashed in by Vidal. This is because that’s harder to make with physical effects, but when Toro could use physical effects he did, and it makes the whole film feel more real, grounded, and serious.
25. Why did Guillermo Del Toro write the DVD subtitles himself?
“Del Toro wrote the subtitles for Pan’s Labyrinth himself after becoming disillusioned with the translation of The Devil’s Backbone — a film also with the Spanish Civil War as its backdrop and the informal prequel to Pan’s Labyrinth.” Del Toro clearly takes his films very seriously and puts a lot of thought and effort into them. TheDevils Backbone and Pans Labyrinth are the clearest examples of this. So it would make sense for him to make sure the message was conveyed correctly.
26. How does Guillermo Del Toro use distinct colour palettes in the film?
Different colour palettes are used in night-time scenes, day time scenes, and scenes in the underworld, or mythical/magical places in the film. The one used for the day is light and vibrant, bringing out the beautiful colours of the forest, and also perhaps meant to show how Ofelia feels safe at this time, and her wonder and curiosity in this new place. A darker, gloomier palette is used at night, increasing the shadows in the scenes, adding to the feeling of mystery and danger in these moments. The one used in the other world is less easy to notice. It is subtle, probably done to intentionally to signify , to those looking closely enough, a change in the atmosphere, and show that this place is not normal, safe, or human-made even.
27. Look at the “context starter questions” on the Contexts Of Film mind-map. How many could you answer? Add your answers to the end of this post.
I answered one question for each film context.
Institutional: What studio produced the film and how has this changed the films content?
Pans Labyrinth was produced by the Telecinco Cinema studio. This studio is Spanish, which is possibly why the film had such a high production value, since they wanted to fund a project that displayed some of the country’s history and culture. It would also be supporting a Mexican director producer an independent passion project, so they were perhaps more inclined to help fund the film.
Political: Does the film engage with politics directly or is it in the subtext?
The politics of Pans Labyrinth is strictly kept in the subtext of the script. There is never any clear political message, though the villains, who are fascist nationalists, are shown as the obvious villains, whilst the communist rebels are depicted as strong-willed and justified heroes. So the film has political sidings, but no clear message, meaning or manifesto.
Social: Is the film challenging or reinforcing hegemonic attitudes to particular social groups or concepts?
Pans Labyrinth seems to be challenging hegemonic attitudes to the concept of socialism and the group of socialists in the woods. This is seen in how it portrays Captain Vidal and his fascist comrades as the clear villains of the film. This is because they are the hegemonic class in Spain when the film is set, and the socialists are rebels hiding out in the woods, and they are portrayed as the protagonists of the story.
Cultural: Is the film typical of films from its country of origin at the time?
Probably not. Guillermo Del Toro is known for making extremely unique and powerful story’s that can’t really be compared to the work of other directors. His films are completely the brainchild of his mind, as he is a very original and individual auteur who does not use troops or trends in his films, as is seen in the time period that Pans Labyrinth is set in, and its very strange yet beautiful story.
Historical: We’re the filmmakers restricted by and contextual factors?
Most likely not. The issue of the Spanish civil war is not off-limits for filmmakers to include in their film, and this being a personal project completely controlled/produced by Del Toro, and not influenced by studio interference, there were no limitations in the creation of Pans Labyrinth.
Technological: (There is no question for technological factors so I made one up) How are the technological aspects of Pans Labyrinth reflected in the film?
The film has a very high production value. This is clear in its good-looking CGI, impressive and intricate practical effects, large cast, beautiful location and ambitious story that would seem very hard to adapt from script into film.
Pans Labyrinth was made in 2006 by director Guillermo Del Toro, and follows the story of Ofelia (Ivan’s Baquero) who moves, with her mother, to a remote area in the Spanish woods to meet her father, the brutal fascist Captain Vidal (Sergei Lopez). Whilst there, she begins to discover there is a labyrinth in the woods, and is involved in more and more dangerous tasks by a mysterious faun humanoid, who claims that she is the princess of a powerful, hidden kingdom.
Del Toro uses different filters throughout the film. It is never specified when the filter changes, but I think that there was one used for the daytime, one for nighttime, and one for the other world in the film. These filters are all very different, for example the one used during the day is bright, rosy and brings out the natural beauty of the woods. Meanwhile the one used at night is dull and gloomy, and increases the darkness of the shadows to add to the mystery and supernatural element of the movie.
Pans Labyrinth holds a special place in film history since it is most likely Guillermo Del Toro’s most famous film. The unique and disgusting monsters are instantly recognisable, and the magical yet horrific aspects of the plot make the story interesting ands captivating.
I personally really admired the film! The terrifying and fascinating mythology that Del Toro invented for the movie is constantly keeping the audience interested, and leads to some extremely memorable sequences, such as the “pale man” sequence. The movie is also extremely suspenseful. The characters are all memorable for their arc’s, and usually violent deaths. The gore factor in the film is a perfect example of how Toro pictures how brutal real-life scenarios would be affected by the more supernatural and fairy-tale scenarios. This same scenario is explored in Guillermo’s other film The Devils Backbone (Guillermo Del Toro, 2001) which imagines how a ghost/haunting would effect people taking refuge during the Spanish Civil War. Pans Labyrinth explores how Fascist and guerrilla soldiers would be affected by the magical and often terrifying creatures that exist in the woods.
One thing that I liked about the film was how the soldiers of either side of the war are never actually influenced by the monsters. The combat taking place between Vidal and the rebels in the woods runs as a parallel story to Ofelia’s adventure with the faun and the labyrinth. The movie will often cut to the war crimes that Vidal is committing, to the repulsive monsters that live in the labyrinth. This shows how humans can be monsters too, but Vidal’s evil is slowly revealed to be more than initially suspected throughout the film, whilst the monsters are instantly disgusting and obviously evil. This comparison, the excellent performance from Sergei Lopez and the complex inner-thought and violence committed by him all make a compelling villain out of Captain Vidal.
Del Toro’s creatures are unique but instantly repulsive, and often very memorable, including all the ones in Pans Labyrinth.
The film is also surprisingly emotional. The struggle and hardships that the rebel’s must go through, and the hidden motivations of Captain Vidal all make up a shockingly human aspect of a film that on the surface is about hideous monsters and faeries. The ending is emotional, and the brutality of the relatable and sympathetic characters’ deaths makes it all the more crushing and impactful to watch.
That is why I respect and admire the undoubtedly masterful filmmaking of Pans Labyrinth. The characters are very realistic and likeable , the violence perpetuates the gruesome and dark undertone of the film, and the way that the real scenario of the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and a magical but dangerous underworld collide make a fascinating and compelling film. So I rate Pans Labyrinth 4 and a half stars!
The Devil’s Backbone was made in 2001 by director Guillermo Del Toro. The film follows a young boy, Carlito (Fernando Tielve) who has been brought to an asylum for children during the Spanish Civil War. However, whilst there, he begins to notice strange occurrences, and eventually comes to the realisitation that the place is haunted.
You can tell that the film is made by Del Toro due to certain events and aspects of the film that are similar to things that happen in his other ones. For example, the film revolves around an old and abandoned building where its inhabitants learn from visions of spirits that some characters are hiding secrets from their past. The plot of Crimson Peak (Guillermo Del Toro, 2015) can be described in the same way.
The film begins a flashback, intriguing the audience and establishing the mystery element of the film.The first act follows Carlito being brought to the asylum, and the rest of the first act follows how he interacts with the other children there, how he discovers the ghost, and subtle hints are made to foreshadow events that occur later on in the film. The second act is the consequences of the ghosts existence, and the buildup of tension between the adults. These tensions amount in the final act, and that’s also when all of the previous foreshadowing/hints come into play.
The film holds a special place in Guillermo Del Toro’s career as a director. Before this film he had directed one film by a studio, which was not received well by audiences. So, Toro invested into his own project, The Devil’s Backbone, which established him as a clever, unique, and talented director, who in modern day is an instantly recognisable “Titan of terror” in the horror genre.
The ghost in the cellar. Unlike most horror films, the ghost in The Devils Backbone serves as a plot device to progress the story, not just create cheap scares.
I personally really liked the film. Whilst I was not overly impressed with the slow first act, I was completely engaged to the story thorough out the rest of the film, when tensions amount and events start to occur. The film is cemented as a violent, grim, mystery that is made unique by its fantasy and horror elements.
For this area in the course we will be looking at the films Pan’s labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006) and Wild Tales (Damien Szifron, 2014). These films have been chosen since one was made in Europe,, and the other was made outside of Europe. Our assessment objectives are to demonstrate an understanding of elements of film, and to apply knowledge and understanding of elects of film to analyse films.
We must write about both of these films but we do not have to make any comparisons. We will spend 30 minutes writing about each film. We will be focusing on key sequences in these films, and write relevant paragraphs about the key elements of film form in said sequences. We need to use technical terminology correctly and as much as possible, and make frequent reference to the director and their intention/ affect of film on the audience.
We will spend 60 minutes on four different areas of the films, key elements, contexts, aesthetics and representation. We will also do a 40 mark question for each film, and we get to choose the one we do as well. We discuss visual style or representation for each film.
The core study areas that will be assessed are key elements, contexts and aesthetics and representation. There are no additional study areas for component 2a.
Finley Cairns A-Level Film Studies Blog 
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