Any clever Filmies about? Pan's Labyrinth.....

I've just watched this a second time and enjoyed it every bit as much. That said, I do feel a slight sensation that it fell short of what it might have been, and I wonder what other people think?

Thing is, you see, I'm aware that Movie Snobbery exists (it's even worse than Music Snobbery, I think) (and I absolutely promise I'm not having a go at anyone from Wotb here). I think that forrin films can be perceived in better light than is deserved simply because of the exoticness of the differences in language, setting and custom, maybe also the presence of subtitling and (though not always) the absence of a Hollywood rush-to-one-of-six-endings. For example, Jean de Florette (sp?) and Manon des sources were good films but while watching them I wondered how well reviewed they'd have been if they'd been set in Nebraska, starring Bill Paxton and Natalie Portman: it's like I always used to say about Boeuf en croute sounding better than Steak Pie (yes I know but the point stands).

So Pan's labyrinth, then. Yes it was great, and no I don't want to go into plot details and ruin the movie for anyone who hasn't yet seen it - but after watching it twice I'm still unsure of exactly what I've seen. The strange thing with this is that that normally makes for the ideal movie for me - for example whenever I watch Donnie Darko I have to close off my mind so as to avoid 'solving' it, as that'd spoil it: and last time I watched it I could feel my logic nudging me and trying to gain my attention, as it'd worked it out, and I was forced to ignore it.

So why'm I niggled by PL? I think it's because it very nearly adds up but ultimately doesn't. As I sat through it the first time I thought I was seeing sommat like a comparison of War and Fairy Tale, the latter taking place solely in the mind of the little girl while the former, Real Life, was played out by a Beautiful And Heroic Resistor, a Noble Sick Mother, a Vile Evil Baddie and several Brave Trusty Men etc., which'd have been clever and thoroughly worthwhile.

But that was dispelled by things like the chalk, and the mandrake root. Soooooooo, if *they* weren't figments of the girl's imagination, did they actually happen in Real Life (in the film)? I can't say that they didn't. I'm sure they did.

In which case, have I just watched the Spanish version of Neverending Story? (no problem with that, by the way, I loved those, too, especially the first one.)

Yeh, like I say, I'm puzzled. Tim and Otto especially but everyone else too: what d'yer think?

Posted By: Sugbad The Bad on June 3rd 2007 at 19:56:54

Message Thread

Reply to Message

In order to add a post to the WotB Message Board you must be a registered WotB user.

If you are not yet registered then please visit the registration page. You should ensure that their browser is setup to accept cookies.

Log in