Pan's Labyrinth (DVD)

Set in Spain (1944) following the Spanish Civil War in the dark times following Franco's victory this is the story of a young girl called Ofelia ...

But it is no ordinary story ... as the movie blends harsh reality with syrreal fantasy as Ofelia is told by a magical creature that she is the lost princess of a once great fairy kingdom !!!

This movie is director Del Toro's finest work to date ... gripping, disturbing, shocking, inspiring and magical !

Director of several mainstream fantasy hits such as Hellboy as well as superb ghost yarn The Devil's Backbone, Del Toro finally got the respect he deserved with this amazing adult fairy tale set immediately after the Spanish Civil War. A young girl must travel with her widowed mother to live with her new stepfather, a sadistic fascist army officer charged with flushing out the last of those resisting General Franco in an obscure corner of Spain. On her arrival, the girl soon finds her way into a magical labyrinth where she meets a mysterious creature who tells her she is lost princess of the fairy kingdom and must complete several trials in order to get back to her old life. Reality and fantasy blur in this sensational movie, which swings between images both whimsical and beautiful and scenes of harsh, violent brutality. The film sometimes lulls you with its fairy tale style, so when the horrific moments hit you they hit with shocking force. Fantastic performances, eye popping and imaginative special effects and make-up combine with masterful storytelling to create a brilliant grown-up fairy tale epic.

Astonishing Gothic fantasy about a young girl who discovers that her new stepfather is a Fascist officer who enjoys torturing and killing opponents of the regime he serves. The girl finds an escape in an old labyrinth and the strange and often fearful world to which it leads her. Remarkable film won many prizes including 3 BAFTA awards.

A Del Torro masterclass in film making. If you only watch one fantasy film this year make it this one. This isnt usually my sort of film but Im so glad I gave it a chance. The characters are wonderful, it really gives you the chance to experience Franco's spain whilst living in the fantasy underworld, simply brilliant, go buy it!!

A sad, moody, exquisitely poetical film about a little girls fantasies under harrowing circumstances in the Spanish Civil War.
Great cinematography, special effects and a very moving story combine to make this one of my favourite films I've seen in recent years.
Thanks to the vendor who sold it to me - if it had been mine, I would have kept it.

I bought this DVD as a present for friend, I had seen this film a long time ago and thought it was great. I knew my friend would like it, he has thanked me and agreed it was one of the best films he has ever watched.

This is probably my favourite movie by Guilermo del Toro, it has a heart and a soul and a message applicable to all ages and all times. I know people throw around the word masterpiece like confetti these days,people applaud budget and special effects,this has both, but most importantly it has vision and purpose.

Brilliant film! The Spanish Civil War and the repression that came after the bloodbath are too disturbing a subject for a sane mind to want to watch if it was filmed with the realism it deserves. This film offers the reality and the escape from it at the same time. The fairytale has always been a deep therapy against dark fears and a soothing search for hope and shelter from harm. It invariably provides the certainty of a happy ending, provided you display the heroic virtues and the persistence of the protagonists. Spain has had a happy ending, and with the benefit of hindsight this spellbinding story weaves the terror and the hope, the evil and the courage that are now left well behind a prosperous and content nation. This film is a good way of remembering at what cost. If you know any Spanish language it is also a really good revision exercise, you’ll be amazed how much you understand. The images are so powerful and the acting so good that not much dialogue is needed and the Spanish speech with English subtitles is a great format to learn by listening. You might have to close your eyes at times, but if you haven’t seen it you have missed a gem. It will never date but don’t leave it too long, it might well sell out, and those who have it will want to keep it for the next rainy day.

excellent film. The subtitles are cool. Great to hear accents not dubbed amercian ones. Scary as the films goes on

This is a wonderful film.
Visually stunning and intelligently made, this is possibly Del Toro's best work to date.
A great film in its own right, it truly shines on blu ray (in full 1080p).
Highly recommended.

JUST AN AMAZING FILM, YOU WOULD BE MAD NOT TO LIKE THIS, IT HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST MOTION PICTURES EVER WRITTEN AND FILMED. A++

i know many people are put off by foreign language films. But this one is worth watching. The story is unusual...and the characters are memorable. Its not a time kill. Its definately one for the dvd collection.

I really liked this film you are still thinking about it after the film has finished...
It is so emotive and if you love the world of fantasy you will believe and be convinced by both story lines in this film.
Even though this film has subtitles you will soon forget that you are reading them...you are drawn into Olivias world of make believe and her 'real' life of terror and war...
You get to really care for Olivia and you understand why she behaves the way she does... She lives in a country that is torn by war and she escapes into the world where she is destined to be an Underworld Princess...
I believed in the Underworld Princess story because Olivia did --- watch this film and make up you own mind....

I loved this film, the story, the scenery, the cast. It is very dark though and viewers should be aware that there are some very uncomfortable scenes of violence (if you are a little squirmish). This film is subtitled as not all people may be aware. I couldnt wait to watch it again!

Bought for husband, he loved it, his kind of thing. He loved the strange charectors, but thought it was a little violent,but truly enjoed the story and thought its the type of film he could see time and time again, he even got used to reading the words on the screen and didnt find it spoiled the film at all.

This film is brilliantly done, the acting, scenery, story are all amazing. One of my top 3 films of all time, the others being Shawshank Redemption and Green Mile.

I really liked this film although it was a bit weird and of course very sad my son wanted it in Spanish,because he is studying it at schol I odf course had to have the subtitles on otherwise i would have been lost.

THIS FILM WAS SO ENTERTAINING, I WATCHED A FEW TIMES. ITS FAIRYTALE AND UNDERWORLD GENRE GO SO WELL TOGETHER. SOME COMPLETELY SHOCKING SCENES BUT BEAUTIFULLY MADE. I HIGHLY RATE THIS MOVIE. GOT TO SEE IT!! DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING I HAVE SEEN BEFORE.

Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece is awesome in every way!! This is a fabulous film, beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted, and very, very, disturbing!! Set during the Spanish civil war, it focuses on a young girl's fantasies for escapism, and has graphic detail both in the real and now, and also in her deepest imagination. It is a film, that once seen, will never be forgotten, and will convert even those who never would normally watch a foreign/subtitled film, it is a classic beyond any doubt!! Watch this movie, and enjoy, and cry!!

This Film Won 3 Bafta Awards & had huge praise from Movie Reviewers, and is the work of Mexican Director Guillermo Del Toro who also did The Devil's Backbone which is Suppose to tie in with Pan's Labyrinth.
The Film is set During a Spanish civil war & is seen through the eyes of a young girl called Ofelia.

Ofelia and her mum move to a Military Compound Commanded by her stepfarther, it is here where she finds out her true identity from a Faun who is a Magical creature called Pan.

The Director's Imagination is Immense & you feel the Great Danger that Ofelia finds herself in, its a true master peice but is not for Kids like the other Film the Labyrinth. As it has all the magical Creatures & Imagination but also has Strong & graphic Violence at times.

I only got the one Disc version, but might have to buy the 2 Disc set as the Extras might be worth the watch to see how a film like this is put together.

10/10 *Spellbinding*

This film was really well done. Quite moving and realistic storyline. I bought the film because it had received so many positive reviews and I wanted to see for myself and I feel the critics were right. Would recommend for people to watch this film.

What a fantastic film. Combining the elements of reality and the Underworld Del Toro really touches on something deep in the Psyche to do with Childhood, War and Death. Frighteningly real this film brings bad dreams to life, revel in it.

I was quite surprised to see a Spanish language film showing at the cinema, it didn't get the box office ratings it deserved but seems to have a cult following now.
The best way to describe it is a dark fairytale against a backdrop of the Spanish civil war. A little girl Ofeila travels to a large country house to live with a captain on the spanish side of Franco's war, who is trying to eliminate rebels hiding in the surrounding woods.
The film shows some pretty disturbing scenes from quite early on - it's not for the faint hearted, but for me the mix of astounding fairytale and wartime horror is spot on.
This is my favourite film..and you should watch it!