Chip Kaufmann’s Pick:
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Having been enthralled by Guillermo del Toro’s latest effort Crimson Peak, I decided to choose his masterpiece Pan’s Labyrinth for this month’s DVD pick. I say masterpiece because I can’t imagine him doing anything to surpass this but only time will tell. If I’m still around and he does then I’ll revise my opinion.
The film is set in 1944, five years after the Spanish Civil War. It focuses on 11 year old bookish Ofelia who goes to the countryside along with her pregnant mother to be with her new stepfather, a sadistic Army officer still hunting down anti-Franco rebels. Once there she discovers an ancient labyrinth which she imagines leads to a fairy kingdom. As her domestic situation deteriorates she delves further and further into a fantasy world that may not be fantasy after all.
The movie works on several levels. It can be seen as a variation on Alice in Wonderland with all sorts of magical though terrifying creatures. There is also a strong historical and sociological undercurrent to the rise of Fascism in the guise of the Franco like army officer and how he treats those around him.
Director del Toro has stated that the film is a parable of modern life that has been influenced by fairy tales and Roman mythology. The faun that appears throughout the film is not Pan as the literal translation of the Spanish title is The Labyrinth of the Faun. Distributors thought the name Pan would sell more tickets and they were right as the film was a box office success on both sides of the Atlantic. It also won numerous awards.
Pan’s Labyrinth is one of the most creatively visual movies ever made. Its use of color and setting along with all the animatronics necessary to bring the mythical creatures to life are all seamlessly blended into a remarkable whole. It also features one of the best child actor performances ever by the 11 year old Ivana Baquero as Ofelia.
After choosing this as my pick, I discovered that the Asheville Film Society plans to show an’s Labyrinth this month (Thursday, November 19) as part of their Thursday Night Horror Picture series. The film really isn’t a horror film so don’t let that keep you from renting the DVD first then going and seeing it on the big screen. For those of you who suffer from a common phobia, be advised that the film is in Spanish and is subtitled.
Michelle Keenan’s Pick:
Peter Pan (2003)
I was rooting for Joe Wright’s Peter Pan prequel story Pan. His Atonement and Pride and Prejudice are favorites of mine. His Anna Karenina was arrestingly innovative and stunning. But with his terribly disappointing and disturbing Pan (see Chip Kaufmann’s review this month), I thought it might be nice to keep J.M. Barrie’s beloved creation well intact by recommending the 2003 Peter Pan, a version fairly well received but largely overlooked, eclipsed in part by a young boy wizard named Harry Potter and some hobbits.
Writer director P.J. Hogan is probably better known for Muriel’s Wedding and My Best Friend’s Wedding, but he unleashes is own lost boy in this delightful, if not quite definitive, telling of the Darling children, the boy who won’t grow up and his arch nemesis Captain Hook. The film stars Jeremy Sumpter as the titular character and a wickedly fun Jason Isaacs before he was so widely known to Harry Potter audiences as Lucius Malfoy as both Mr. Darling and Captain Hook.
The film is visually sumptuous and action-packed good time with all of the whimsical fantasy one imagines of Neverland. Its slightly edgier, darker aspects do not diminish the charm, but make the proceedings more accessible to a 21st century audience. Its slightly bawdier aspects also add to the fun.
Sumpter, who was largely unknown to audiences at the time, and whose star never quite soared as some thought it would, is cocky and confident with a wonderful boyish charm, the perfect embodiment of Pan. He has great chemistry with Rachel Hurd Wood as the rosy cheeked, dew kissed Wendy Darling and also great chemistry with Isaacs as Hook. French actress, Ludivine Sagnier is the most delightful Tinkerbell ever, and always good Lynn Redgrave and Olivia Williams round out the cast.
As I recall, some criticized the film’s darkness and violence at the time, which I find highly ironic, considering its main competition at the time of its release was Return Of The King, the last and incredibly violent installment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and a film in which a complete stranger’s three year old came and sat on my lap for most of the movie. If you are a fan of the J.M. Barrie’s beloved tale, skip Pan and rent P.J. Hogan’s Peter Pan instead.