31 Days of Drafts and Darkness:

"Pan's Labyrinth" (2006)

Even the darkest fantasies can provide an escape. When the world gets cold, many turn to stories of hope for inspiration. Tonight's feature is a grim fairytale, but also a beautiful one. For as depressing as moments of the film can be, "Pan's Labyrinth" is ultimately a story about the light at the other end of the tunnel. It's a lesson on recognizing the true monsters and heroes that dwell in the world around us. 

Guillermo del Toro is fast becoming one of my favorite directors. The vision he imbues into his works extends to every minute detail, like a painter obsessed over each individual flourish of the brush. That del Toro designs the world and creatures of his films is evidence of not only his talent, but also the immense passion he brings to the proceedings. While films like "Hellboy" and "Pacific Rim" take this creativity in fun directions, "Pan's Labyrinth" uses imagination as an emotional shield. For as dark as the fairy tales in "Pan's Labyrinth" get, they're less so than the real world. Rather, they represent hope that the night won't last forever and monsters can be beaten. 

Deeply emotional, even brutal at times, "Pan's Labyrinth" can be difficult to watch, but is a spectacular work of cinematic art and storytelling that should not be missed. 

The Plot

We begin in rural Spain, five years after the end of the Spanish Civil War. The countryside is war torn, and while most are eager for peace, pockets of rebels still roam the woods. Our young hero Ofelia is a ten-year old girl with a love for books and adventure. Having lost her father to the war, Ofelia has only her mother and imagination as companions. Soon, she may only have her imagination.

You see, Ofelia's mother has remarried is carrying the child of Captain Vidal, a military leader tasked with erasing the last of the rebels. Stationed at a small village mill, Vidal and his unit constantly scour the forest for any sign of resistance. When Ofelia and her mother Carmen move in with their new father/husband, it soon becomes clear his interests lie more in ensuring his legacy through a son than in taking care of his new family. Practically ignoring Ofelia and seeing Carman as little more than a vessel, Vidal obsesses over hunting rebels to the point of killing innocents without remorse.

Being left to her own devices much of the time, Ofelia wanders the nearby woods, one day stumbling upon a rocky maze. Through following the trail of some insect-like fairies, she meets a bizarre faun (half-human, half-goat) by the name of Pan. The creature informs Ofelia that she is the reincarnation of a celestial princess trapped on Earth long ago. If she wishes to ascend to former royalty and escape her present situation, she must complete a series of trials. Each will test her bravery and virtue through a series of horrors.

What follows is a parallel-story of the battles taking place in the real world vs. those Ofelia faces in the fantasy realm. Often, the lines between the two merge. Though our young hero is up for the dire tasks ahead, she must also keep her mother and herself safe from the very real and very monstrous Vidal.

The Flavor

"Pan's Labyrinth" treads a fine a poetic line between realistic drama and artful fantasy. You're never quite sure if any of the fantastical elements are really happening or only in Ofelia's head. But it doesn't matter. What's important is that such creatures, be they real or imagined, allow our hero to fight her way through the very grim, very real world she's living in.

With Guillermo del Toro as writer and director, there are plenty of monsters to be had. They are beautifully designed and packed with creativity. They are also totally unnerving. While Pan himself, meant to be a mentor to Ofelia, seems untrustworthy and even scheming at times, other creatures like the dreaded Pale Man are the stuff of pure nightmares. Watch the Pale Man scene without squirming in your seat and you have guts of steel, my friend.

And yet, for all these monsters, the most frightening of all is no fantasy creature. Captain Vidal, played masterfully by Sergi Lopez, is one of the most terrifying movie villains I've ever seen. I'm amazed Mr. Lopez isn't a more well-known actor, as his portrayal of the ruthless and sadistic captain is pure ice. Unrelenting, unfeeling, motivated well past the point of obsession, Captain Vidal cares only for his own means. Everything else is nothing, ready to be brushed off at a moment's notice. Even Ofelia. What makes him so terrifying isn't that he's willing to do horrible things to meet his goals, but with how little care he goes about it. His attitude towards torture isn't just permissible. It's downright casual. The lack of human empathy rings less of comic supervillain and more utter sociopath. In a land of monsters, his is the most real. 

  

Whether you choose to take the film as a dark fantasy adventure or serious drama, "Pan's Labyrinth" provides some of the highest-caliber film making I've seen in either genre. For all the darkness, the sheer beauty of the story and characters lets you see the glimmer of light past the shadows.

Best Paired With...

For much of its run time, "Pan's Labyrinth" can be very hard to watch. Characters we grow to care about are hurt. Certain imagery is quite disturbing. There is fantasy-style violence, but it's nothing compared to some of the real-world atrocity that occurs at the hands of Captain Vidal.

That said, none of the darkness feels gratuitous or out of place. It's all part of the point. All the bleak atmosphere provides the foundation on which Ofelia bases her adventure. It's her escape, her way of removing herself from a wretched truth. And it's what helps her survive a situation that most children would be helpless in. The story of her journey is difficult at times, but told lovingly. You'll grow to care for Ofelia and root for her every challenging step of the way. She's not perfect. She's a ten-year-old prone to bad judgment. Even selfishness. But it only makes her feel more real.

See "Pan's Labyrinth" with a significant other. A loved one or a friend. Let them know what you're in for, that some scenes are brutal and violent. But also let them know that the overall tone of the film is about finding peace within chaos. The darkness is necessary to make you appreciate the light. Stick with it, and "Pan's Labyrinth" will give you a story you'll be discussing for weeks.

Accompanying Brew

"In darkness, there can be light. In misery, there can be beauty. In death, there can be life..."

Tonight, I present Widmer Brother's Pitch Black IPA.

From Portland Oregon, Pitch Black IPA pours a midnight shade you'd swear was a porter on first glance. Dark and with a slight ruby-tone. Pitch Black also carries a scent similar to stouts and porters, with roasty notes playing on the nose. However, take another sniff, and you'll pick up some hoppy vibe in the aroma as well.

Upon the first sip you'll realize this is no porter. Lighter in body, and with a sharp hop flavor to balance out the roasted malt, this brew is more true to a classic IPA than one of its darker brethren. The hops don't feature a sharp piney or citrus note, but rather work to balance out the roasted flavor of the darker malts. What results is a flavor that's not overly bitter, but strong enough to make the final taste complex. You'll pick up traces of hop and caramel-like roasted malt in equal degree.

What impresses me most about Pitch Black is how this initial flavor fades into the aftertaste. Most brews feature an aftertaste of one flavor or another, but Pitch Black's carries both the hop and malt qualities. Long after you've finished a sip, the crisp character of the hops is still on your tongue, along with just a bit of toasted, nutty malt. It's impressive that this beer is balanced both in the initial flavor and the aftertaste.

A blend of dark and crisp, but balanced, Pitch Black goes well with the layered tone of "Pan's Labyrinth". While the brew pours a deep black, much as "Pan's Labyrinth" opens on a gloomy world, both experiences reveal a different character under the surface.