Pans Labyrinth Directed by Guillmero Del Toro

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Recommended: Response to the Pan's Labyrinth analysis

Pans Labyrinth directed by Guillmero Del Toro is presented in a way that creates meaning through audio and visual elements. This essay will examine these techniques within the opening sequence of the film that introduces the protagonist, motifs, themes and overall aesthetic of the film as well as discussing the sequence in the overall context of the film. This sequence incorporates elements such as music, non digetic and digetic sound, camera framing/angle and movement techniques, colour, lighting and editing to establish a diverse range of interpretations. Throughout Pan's Labyrinth, there are several contrasting factors all introduced in the opening three minutes. The sequence first defines the kind of story that Pan's Labyrinth is, a childs book and a sort of sinister fairytale. Then the following elements are juxtaposed., adulthood and childhood, cruel reality and imagination, and a kind of heaven is contrasted with a type of hell, these elements are all incoperated into the picturebook like imagery. This essay will analyse the opening sequence of Pans Labyrinth in depth, using film techniques as evidence.

The opening sequence of the film Pan's Labyrinth resembles the opening of a book, in particular a children's story. The first thing seen by the audience is the opening credits. The text is white on a black background, the simplistic style looks something like the text on pages of a book except the colours are in reverse. The opening sequence uses continuity editing and the scene runs in a step by step manner. This style of editing combined with the subtle fade between each shot reflects the turning of pages in a book. The camera then pans from darkness to reveal the hand of the protagonist, Ofelia. Her hand is shown pr...

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...rds of the screen are somewhat obscured by shadows. The lower is uninviting and cold as are the colours, dark and gloomy while the opposite is inviting and there is a sense of warmth and prosperity in the golden light and the hellish, evil aspect takes up far more space in this world than the heavenly.

The opening sequence of Pan's Labyritnh promotes a vaariety of interpretations within a short period of time. Del Toro combines many film techniques to tell a story both visually and in a narrative sense. This sequence highlights the kind of story that Pan's Labyrinth is, as well as introducing both the reality and the fantasy of the film therefore contrastng the world of a child and that of an adults and juxtaposing a kind of heaven and hell. Del Toro has created a world in which the harsh qualities of reality are reinforced in fantasy and the only escape is death.

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