ISP Week 5: Opening sequence to Pan’s Labyrinth Essay – European film.
The film Pan’s Labyrinth was made to reflect the extreme fascism and hubris power of dictatorship during the Spanish civil war shown through a fantasy world and the perspective of young girl Ofelia in which she seeks comfort in her beloved fairy-tales. In the film, we learn about sacrifice and as she discovers to possibility of a new magical kingdom in which she has to complete three tasks in order to discover her fate whilst caught up in Captain’s Vidal’s fascist regime. This essay will reflect the film form elements and context of the opening sequence in the film Pan’s Labyrinth.
In terms of light used in cinematography, hard low key blue light is used to show the underworld, which then switches to the high key yellow coloured light used to represent the real world. Because of this the real world in Spain is portrayed as warm and surrounded by nature, however is presented to be a harsh environment where death occurs and suffering takes place. In contrast to this, the underworld is shown as a gothic as well as heavenly alternate reality where ‘lies no pain’. In terms of camera positioning the camera uses an extreme close-up which spirals into Ofelia’s eye, suggesting that we see the film from her point of view showing her perspective of the world, or perhaps that everything takes place in her imagination.
In terms of mes-en-scene used in the opening sequence, we see Ofelia replace the broken eye of the rock, in which we see fallopian imagery which is also similar to the appearance of the faun. This represents the start of Ofelia’s magical journey from girl-hood into women-hood. Ofelia replaces the left eye of the rock statue suggesting how the continuous regime of fascism has control over innocent victims and how Ofelia sympathises with left-wing politics. This is symbolic as later in the film we understand how fascism has blinded Spain. This then signifies the opening of gateway to the underworld and the start of Ofelia’s journey to becoming a princess.
In terms of performance within the scene, Ofelia’s proximity with her mother grows further away as her curiosity increases. Carmen is seen disagreeing with Ofelia’s love of fairy-tale books, which soon after results in her experiencing the baby kicking and extreme pain. This shows how Ofelia represents the imagination of the younger generation, reflecting light and awareness suggesting she sees the world in a different way to others. This shows a constant compassion to her and the princess in the fairy tale. The last thing we see in the opening sequence is Captain Vidal looking at his watch, where we actually see the watch before Vidal himself. This shows how he is obsessed with time and his own death. The fact that he looks at Carmen’s baby bump before his own wife, suggests how his son’s legacy is more important and reflects his restricted view of masculinity.
In the sequence in term of sound, close sonic perspective is used to show Ofelia’s heavy breathing mimicking the sound of wind which is repeated to reinforce the concept that Ofelia is a princess. This Foley sound is also used to show the close perspective of fairy wings, reflecting the importance of nature throughout the film. Tension music is used to build suspense as Ofelia replaces the rock in the stone statue. The dialogue between Ofelia’s mother and Vidal’s men becomes distant and muffled as Ofelia’s curiosity grows, this focuses the attention on her, suggesting the fantasy world she has created in her head.
In terms of editing used in the opening sequence of Pan’s Labyrinth, parallel action is used between Ofelia and Carmen’s journey and Captain Vidal checking his pocket watch, suggesting his ongoing obsession with time and the fast pace of the fascist regime. As well as this, the film shows the end result of the story before the beginning and rewinds the story back to the point of Ofelia’s death. This highlights how the film is shown through Ofelia’s perspective and provokes the question whether the fantasy world is seen just in Ofelia’s imagination or if it’s actually real.
Pan’s Labyrinth is a coming of age story (bildungsroman) showing the change in Ofelia’s journey from girl-hood into women-hood, showing the same girl in two different realities, one a princess and the other Ofelia. In the opening scene women such as Mercedes and Carmen are seen as objects in the fascist anti-feminist view of Captain Vidal. The first thing we see Captain Vidal do is touch Carmen’s baby bump before even greeting her, suggesting the importance of his father’s legacy and wanting his Son to follow his footsteps on the battle field. As well as this Carmen is immediately commanded by Vidal to sit in a wheel chair even though she claiming to be perfectly able, reflecting how Vidal views all women as weak and, in Carmen’s case, someone to carry his unborn Son. Throughout the film we see fallopian imagery as well as the symbol of the moon, including in the opening sequence upon the statues face, suggesting a link to the feminist telling of the story and the women’s menstrual cycle.
Del Toro uses aesthetics such as colours to represent the different characters and locations in Pan’s Labyrinth. Specifically, the colour blue follows around Captain Vidal to reflect the harsh and cold fascist regime, as well as being used when we see the underworld to show the emptiness and lifelessness that is said to have no pain. Similarly, Del Toro uses the colour red to show danger and blood, continuously mixed with blue to show the dark atmosphere and evil intentions of Vidal’s character. In contrast to this yellow and gold tones are used to reflect Ofelia’s light and loving nature for the world around her. Del Toro also uses a gothic aesthetic when representing the underworld, as well as at the church/palace-like set in the pale man scene and ending sequence. This suggests how similarly to the princess in the fairy-tales, Ofelia is shown as holy and seen as royalty, suggesting religious connotations to an alternate reality.
In terms of social context, Del Toro uses binary opposites throughout the film, including choice/defiance, growth/maturity and fantasy /real world. This also links into the political and historical context of the film, reflecting the strict rule of the fascist regime under Franco’s control. At the beginning of the sequence, the image of Ofelia covered in her own blood represents the social contexts of death and sacrifice of an innocent child, having connotations around the bravery and new thinking of the younger generation. As we are introduced to the fable of the princess from the underworld, Del Toro shows the opposite ideology of fascism ‘where lies no pain’, however it could be argued that ‘no pain’ is what the fascist regime falsely claims to be which is why it is supported by a large population in Franco’s Spain.
In conclusion, Del Toro uses symbolism and aesthetics to convey the brutality of Spanish civil war, comparing its characters from the real world and fantasy world to those involved in the Spanish civil war, including elements of realism and fantasy. Del Toro uses a feminine story told through the perspective of young girl Ofelia to show her growth from girl-hood to woman-hood. The reason why the character Ofelia was used by Del Toro was to represent imagination and creativity that others don’t have, showing the way she sees the world in a different way to everyone in the world around her. Del Toro designed the film, specifically in the opening sequence, to make the audience guess and question the idea whether elements of the fantasy world are in only Ofelia’s imagination, if they are true or if we witness what she sees happening in the few minutes of her death seen at the beginning and end of the film.
(1314 words)
Emma Coe Film Studies 