Textual Analysis : Scene 1:05:43 - 1:12:40

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In the 2006 Spanish/Mexican hybridity film Pan’s Labyrinth, the film integrates genres elements of fantasy,war and drama to create a fantasy world where the immortal and mortal realm coexist in the same world, mythical creatures surface and guids Ofelia a young girl who is rightfully deemed as the long lost underworld princess Moanna to return back to her kingdom. The film was directed by Guillermo del Toro, an auteur who’s film trademark style is treating the fantasy world coexisting with reality mundane and ordinary. The director often favours having the world follow around the life of an orphan, one where they often lose a precious family member along the story. Reaching the climax of the protagonist’s journey, one must come to face a situation where he or she must come to make an incredibly tough choice. Picturehouse were responsible for Pan’s Labyrinth US distribution rights, whilst Warner Bros and Esperanto Filmoj handled the international distribution and production of the film.

 

The film was set in Spain 1944, just five years after the Spanish Civil War. Located in Madrid, on a military outpost in Spain.Vidal the captain of Falangist and the Francoist regime went on an all out war with the Spanish Maquis.This particular scene I chose demonstrates vidal as a perfect embodiment of Franco, whom was obsessed in installing fear to those around him for the sake of keeping them under his control. This can be observed through Doctor’s Ferreiro formal, polite dialogue towards Vidal and his merciless attitude of slaughtering his enemies that are regarded as useless directly in front of his comrades to construct this terrorizing image. In terms of historical context, the brutality of the battlefield highlights the destructive nature of war coming to change the characteristics of men who were prideful about achieving absolute victory .This is demonstrated from Vidal by firstly treating Ofelia strictly, in the hope of her becoming more independent in the future, however juxtaposed to the end without the slightest hesitate he pulls the triggers and immediately shoots her.

 

At 1:05:43 into the film, Vidal the Falangist captain strides into the room where Carmen is resting on the bed, low angle panning shot is used to emphasize the figure and power of his character. Followed up by a low angle shot-reverse shot of Vidal conversing with Doctor Ferreiro, in which Vidal stands at a higher position hence connoting and elevating the dominance of Vidal as other male homosapians before his sight is yet still inferior before him. At the same time, natural lighting in shone through a window onto Doctor Ferreiro to give the impression that he stands on the justice side, on the other hand, Vidal has a chiaroscuro lighting direct on his facial features to create a sense of binary opposition as well as elevating his masculinity. Forming this justice and dark side standing in close proximity, which foreshadows an upcoming war to soon break out. Close angle shot of Ofelia is shown hiding beneath the bed in a tight, compact enclosed room, connoting secrecy and rebellious, thus implying the lack of power and authority children had.Afterwards, dominant representation of men is portrayed as Carmen lays silently sleeping on her bed, suggesting that women is passive, whilst men are active, which can be shown through vidal rushing into battle. Thus, women symbolize weakness and vulnerability which men don’t show either of these traits. The presence of a gun which symbolizes violence and bloodshed is attached to his waist to represent his cruel and violent nature which is a very conventional element in mainstream war films to appeal towards the mainstream audience. In terms of social content, a diegetic sound is heard with Vidal rushing out into danger which portrays him in a very stereotypical, manner, with a horde of male soildiers gathered together in preparation for battle it hightlights the extreme level of shame and dishonour men would have received in the 1900s had their lives been depdent on a women on protecting them. Later on he displays his hypercompetence on the battlefield by effortlessly shooting down his enemy, a dark blue colour palette is used in to emphasize the merciless behaviour and cruelty on the battlefield.