Del Toro's 'The Shape of Water' is an Other-Worldly Fairy Tale

Poster by James Jean

“If I told you about her — the princess without a voice — what would I say?”
(Opening narration from the trailer)

So begins a very different exploration of a princess, and of a mer (not maid but) man. Set in the Cold War era of 1963, we're taken to the world of a mute and lonely cleaning woman of a high-security government lab, who discovers a top-secret experiment: an “aquatic man”, destined to be experimented on. The discovery - and he - change her life forever.

It sounds sci-fi/ monster-movie-ish: where is the fairy tale aspect? (we hear you ask...) Take a look at the trailer and see. There's something undeniably fairy tale about the way this story is told, and it's not just the strong styling. Clearly Guillermo del Toro is exploring a number of fairy tale themes here:

The mythology teases are tantalizing: All we know is that the creature was revered in the Amazon as a god but somehow ended up under U.S. government control. (Collider)

It seems not a whole lot is known about the synopsis other than what is shown in the trailer. From the initial pitch by del Toro and footage here, we could be looking at plot, or dreams, or both. The use of art as a medium within the film for storytelling is intriguing as well. Recalling shades of The Creature From the Black Lagoon and Night of the Hunter, both of which do have a fairy tale slant to them. Whatever the case, the mousey little woman finds her 'voice' and a strength it's unlikely anyone, including she, knew she had. 

Abe? Is that you?

And that appears to be where this 'other-worldy fairy tale', as it is officially described, begins. 

You may consider our curiosity piqued.

Fox Searchlight has given “The Shape of Water” an awards season release date of Dec. 8.

10th Anniversary of Pan's Labyrinth - It's Lasting Appeal - & the Coming (Loaded!) Blu-ray & 'Making Of' Book

Blu-ray Criterion art

On October 11th, 2006, Pan's Labyrinth debuted in Spain. Widely critically acclaimed at the time and now hailed as a modern classic, the movie went on to receive 97 awards, including 3 Oscars. While awards can be impressive, what's even more so, is that the film constantly tops 'best of' lists to this day, including ours.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary, and the soon-to-be-released Blu-ray from Criterion, and the 'making of' book, Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth: Inside the Creation of a Modern Fairy Tale, both being released on October 18th (!), we're including some of our newsroom team's favorite alternate posters, some officially commissioned for movie promotion, some fan made. The variety of styles illustrates just how widely appealing this movie is, as each of them represents the movie well.

Aaron Horkey

Jared Wright

But what is it people like about Pan's Labyrinth? Talk to a number of people and you'll likely get many different answers, from how beautiful it is to the layered meanings, many of which can be interpreted differently by different people. Not surprisingly, that's a large part of the appeal.

This article HERE on Moviepilot, made an effort to distill the factors to a small list and, we think, did an admirable job. Here are the main points Moviepilot writer Roselyn listed:

• Appealing to a wide audience
• Our love of fairy tale
• Open to interpretation
• Exceptionally beautiful

We're including a small excerpt of the explanation for each point but recommend you read the whole article yourself):

Stewart Forrest

Appealing to a wide audience - 

Pan’s Labyrinth straddles the boundaries between many genres and masterfully balances each one so that it truly has something to offer everyone. At once a work of gritty historical fiction and a fantastical fairy tale, the movie is both realistic and magical. Yet, these halves do not merely coexist; events in the fantasy world eerily mirror those in the "real" world, providing important clues as to the deeper meanings of the film.

Beniek

Our love of fairy tale - 

 Pan’s Labyrinth is perhaps most importantly a modern reimagining of a fairy tale that is as dark as Grimm’s original tales.Another possible explanation of Pan’s Labyrinth’s popularity is that the film taps into our love of fairy tales. We love fairy tales because they are, in their simplest form, a battle between good and evil... Real life is never that simple, but fairy tales give us hope that things will work out in the end.While some fairy tale elements, such as the rule of three, are left intact,Pan’s Labyrinth also manipulates classical elements to create something new. Rather than a damsel in distress, Ofelia is a heroine. And it is not an evil stepmother, but an evil stepfather who enters her life. As a result, Pan’s Labyrinth is inherently familiar to us, but also innovative in ways that invite us to watch more closely.

Mike Delmundo

Open to interpretation -

Pan’s Labyrinth is completely open for individual interpretation. The movie never provides any concrete answers and you are left to piece together the plot in a way that makes the most sense to you. Morals and lessons are never overtly revealed and how you interpret the more ambiguous parts of the film can create new meanings.Like any great work of film or literature, Pan’s Labyrinth’s strength lies in the fact that it is not constrained to any time or place, but can be interpreted by anyone. Every viewer can bring something new to the discussion and can relate to the movie in their own way.

Edward Julian Moran II

Exceptionally beautiful -

Or perhaps most simply, Pan’s Labyrinth’s popularity has to do with the film’s exceptionally beautiful design. Highly stylized and carefully constructed, there is not a single element out of place. Each scene bursts with details and everything about the design is linked to the central themes of the film.Pan’s Labyrinth creates a world that is vividly real and a plot that is easy to follow in spite of all it’s complexity. Quite simply, Pan’s Labyrinth is a pleasure to watch.

We recommend reading the whole article HERE.

In the meantime, keep a sharp eye out for the coming Blu-ray and the book. Reports are that the Blu-ray is worth every penny and more - not to be missed, and the book is a treasure. Check out the official list of Blu-ray extras below!

• Director's Introduction - this archival video introduction by director-writer-producer Guillermo del Toro was shot in 2007. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 1080i).

• Del Toro and Funke - in this brand new video interview, Guillermo del Toro discusses his interest in fairy tales, the manner in which kids and adults approach and decipher them, the impact they had on his films, some of the key conflicts in Pan's Labyrinth and the world in which its protagonists exist, etc. Also participating is novelist Cornelia Funke (Inkheart). The interviews was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2016. In English, not subtitled. (40 min, 1080p).

• Director's Notebook - presented here is an interactive gallery with Guillermo del Toro's notebook of drawings and sketches for Pan's Labyrinth, with short video inserts featuring comments from the director. The notebook was produced by Javier Soto in 2007. In English, not subtitled. (1080i).
  
  1. Del Toro Intro. (1 min).
  2. Gallery - with an interactive interface.

SAE (Real name unknown)

• Documentaries - the four documentaries were produced by Javier Soto in 2007.
  
  1. The Power of Myth - in this featurette, Guillermo del Toro discusses the specific time period that is depicted inPan's Labyrinth, some of the symbolism that is channeled through the main story, and its main protagonists and the dilemmas they face. In English, not subtitled. (15 min, 1080i).
  
  2. Pan and the Fairies - in this this featurette, Guillermo del Toro discusses the many unique characters that appear in Pan's Labyrinth as well as the special effects/costumes that were used in the film. Also included in the featurette are clips from archival interviews with some of the special effects artists that contributed to the film. In English and Spanish, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (31 min, 1080i).
  
  3. The Color and the Shape - in this featurette, Guillermo del Toro discusses the use of color in Pan's Labyrinthand the film's visual style. In English, not subtitled. (5 min, 1080i).
  
  4. The Melody Echoes the Fairy Tale - in this featurette, Guillermo del Toro discusses his initial interactions with composer Javier Navarrete and the soundtrack he created for Pan's Labyrinth. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080i).

Rhys Cooper

• Doug Jones - in this new video interview, actor Doug Jones, who plays the Faun and Pale Man, discusses his contribution to Pan's Labyrinth and Guillermo del Toro's working methods. Included in the interview is plenty of raw archival footage that shows the preparation work that was needed for his transformations before each shooting session. The interviews was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2016. In English, not subtitled. (26 min, 1080p).

Adam Rabalais

• Ivana Baquero Audion - presented here is archival footage from actress Ivana Baquero's audio for the role of Ofelia in Pan's Labyrinth which was shot on April 10, 2005. In Spanish, with optional English subtitles. (3 min, 1080i).

Jock

• Prequel Comics - presented here four animated comic-style stories with original tales for the unique creatures that are seen in Pan's Labyrinth, which were produced by Javier Soto and illustrated by Jason Shawn Alexander, Guy Davis, and Michael Kaluta in 2007. With sound effects.
  
  1. The Giant Toad. (1 min, 1080i).
  2. The Fairies. ( 1 min, 1080i).
  3. The Faun. (1 min, 1080i).
  4. The Pale Man (2 min, 1080i).

Consider Graphics

• Video Comparisons - presented here are three video pieces that offer before-and-after comparisons that highlight the type of work (from concept work to music) that was done during the pre-prodction process. The three pieces were produced in 2007. 
  
  1. Lullaby. (3 min, 1080i).
  2. The Green Fairy. (2 min, 1080i).
  3. Thumbnails/Storyboards. (1080i).
  
  • Del Toro Intro
  • Ofelia Enters the Labyrinth
  • Ofelia and the Giant Toad
  • Death of the Doctor
  • Ofelia's Death

Daniel Serra

• Trailers and TV Spots - presented here is a large collection of original trailers and TV spots for Pan's Labyrinth.
  
  1. Teaser
  2. Trailer
  3. TV Spot: "Deadly"
  4. TV Spot: "Trap"
  5. TV Spot: "Three Tasks"
  6. TV Spot: "Top Critics"
  7. TV Spot: "Nominations"
  8. TV Spot: "Phenomenon"
  9. TV Spot: "Accolades"

Drew Struzan

Bo Moore

• Commentary - this audio commentary by Guillermo del Toro was recorded in 2007 and initially appeared on New Line Cinema's release of Pan's Labyrinth. The director explains in great detail how the idea for the film emerged, where and how various sequences were shot, the film's unique narrative structure and visual style, etc.
  
  1. An important juxtaposition
  2. References and insects
  3. Camera movement
  4. Stunning single shot
  5. From true accounts
  6. Magical green hues
  7. Frustrating first day
  8. Wipes
  9. Pale Man foreshadowing
  10. Circles and curves
  11. Based on reality
  12. Subtle changes
  13. Noteworthy pattern
  14. Straight out of Goya
  15. The original story
  16. Magical moment
  17. No salaries
  18. Control freak
  19. Hopelessness
  20. Ambiguity of symbols
  21. Willful miscasting
  22. A satisfying scene
  23. "My favorite shot"
  24. Wings of fire
  25. Fairy-tale moment
  26. Immortality
  27. "From the heart"

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by film critic Michael Atkinson.

Kelly McKernan

• Book - a 100-page illustrated hardcover book featuring an introduction by author Neil Gaiman and essays by critics Michael Atkinson, Mark Kermode, and Maitland McDonagh, as well as production notes and original sketches by Guillermo del Toro and illustrators Carlos Giménez and Raúl Monge. (Note: The book is available only with the Trilogía de Guillermo del Toro box set).

Do we need to mention the box set is now on our wish list?

Guillermo Del Toro Collection - Cronos / The Devil's Backbone / Pan's Labyrinth [Blu-ray]

Guillermo del Toro No Longer Directing His "Beauty" (But He'll Still Be Producing)

Fan art by supkayla

Well, I'm seriously disappointed at this news, though del Toro's original vision still going into production with Emma Watson as Beauty, and him staying on as Producer is a decent consolation prize. I just really wanted to see his vision, done his way and to knock the socks off anyone who only knows the singing cutlery version.

-sigh-

Here's the scoop from StarburstMagazine via Entertainment Wise:

(Due to lack of time and other film commitments) Master Mexican director Guillermo del Toro has stepped down as director on the upcoming remake of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, starring Emma Watson. While del Toro’s beautifully-twisted imagination would have taken the classic tragic love story (edit: far away) from the sanitized clutches of Disney, he’s staying on as producer. Having already written the script, (FTNH edit: and having created a signature development book) the film, no doubt, will bear his distinct style, half way between the art movie and big budget action. 

...Warner Bros. hasn’t yet announced a replacement director, although expect more on this as it develops.

Just to make it clear this B&tB would be:

Warner Bros + del Toro Producing + Emma Watson + Director still unknown...

From Emma Watson's Vogue shoot a few years ago

If you're wondering about the Disney live action version just announced, this is not the film you are looking for. (It is, however, a film I'm still keen to see.)

Guillermo del Toro's 'Beauty & the Beast' Likely To Start Production In Summer 2014. Pretty Sure. We Hope.

Yay? It's hard to get excited until we hear - for real - that they're actually starting filming on this because it now feels like it's been around FOREVER but, from Emma Watson in an interview here's the current state of del Toro's Beauty & the Beast:

Basically, he's still very excited, it IS going forward (possibly/probably Summer 2014 production start time) and Emma Watson WILL be Beauty. No Beast yet though - they're still doing the casting rounds on that one.

And a quote I can't pin down the original date for but appropriate to remind people of now anyway, it's Emma Watson teasing about del Toro's adaptation:

“He’s obsessed with the idea of creating worlds. We’re even going to have this amazing language that we made up.”

Creating worlds, made up language... yes. Definitely still intrigued!

One last bit of news on this: Emma Watson has no other film plans ahead of Beauty and the Beast. According to her schedule, this is her next project.

You can hear Emma talk about her New Year-ish meeting with del Toro about Beauty and the Beast, in this video interview posted today, HERE.

Breaking News: Guillermo del Toro Is Close To Casting His Beast

This is one busy, busy guy! Director Guillermo del Toro is well known for juggling multiple projects at once but it would appear from today's announcement that his Beauty & the Beast project with Emma Watson has been moved into one of his three "top attention" slots. (Yay!)

From MTV:

The upcoming project of del Toro's that is sure to grab a lot of attention is his retelling of "Beauty and the Beast," which currently has Emma Watson attached to it. The director said that she is, in fact, still involved and that they're close to casting a monstrous co-star for her. " 'Beauty and the Beast,' we're waiting to close on the Beast. We are weeks away from getting who plays the Beast," del Toro said. "We're talking to the makeup effects guys who are going to render the Beast. We're going to do a solid, fantastic makeup job. We're going to fuse digital and makeup in a way that I think is quite cutting edge."

Interview with del Toro at the link so you can hear him talk about it in his own words. You can hear earlier interviews with him on the film at deltorofilms.com.

Andrew Davies -------------------------------------- Guillermo del Toro

With regard to del Toro's approach to the story we know screenwriter Andrew Davies (Bridget Jone's Diary) will be taking a treatment del Toro is writing himself (which we are VERY happy about!*), working off that to construct a script. Initially de Toro announced he intended to keep the period setting of the original story but with all the various version in production there is no word on is that has changed or not. We DO know, however, that Emma Watson has seen del Toro's "look book" for the film and is very much looking forward to starting filming. From late last year & Film School Rejects:

The actress (Emma Watson) said she’s met with director Guillermo del Toro and seen his conceptual look book for the project. “We met a week or two ago, and we started working on the script, and it’s going to go next summer. (Edit FTNH: We now know this has been pushed till early 2014, not Summer 2013.) It’s so funny; obviously I’ve been doing a lot of other work, and I was nervous. I was like, ‘Is this going to go away?’ And Guillermo is so psyched about it, and he’s, like, been thinking about it so much. “He brought the book. I was like, ‘Ah, this is killing me.’ I’m very excited.” As she should be. 

So are we, Emma, so are we!

Additional source: Collider.com

* Guillermo del Toro has a truly excellent sense of story, myth and a deep love of fairy tales. If he's overseeing the story so closely, we're sure to be in good hands with this version.

Tim Burton's "Pinocchio", Guillermo del Toro's Stop-Motion "Pinocchio" & a "Pinocchio Prequel" All In The Works

How did I miss this Burton announcement this week? The fairy tale movie list just keeps growing and growing... and that's the truth. ;)

Burton, who put his bizarrely charming stamp on "Alice in Wonderland" in 2010, is in talks to direct a Warner Bros.-produced big screen, live action adaptation of "Pinocchio." Circling the role of Geppetto, the puppet-maker and creator of the marionette boy, is none other than Robert Downey Jr. This version of the fairytale originally written by Carlo Collodi would see Geppetto seeking out his lost puppet son; past iterations, including the classic Disney cartoon, have focused more on the twists, turns and lessons learned during Pinocchio's quest to become a real boy and reunite with the puppet-maker. 

Neither director nor actor has signed on the dotted line, and scheduling still has to be worked out, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, they are both keen to sign on. Source: HERE

Once somebody puts ink on a contract somewhere and makes this more than a conversation we should get quite a few more details on this Gepetto-centric adaptation since Burton doesn't take long to jump into his projects when he has all his strings in hand. (The media are going to have a field day with the puns on this one! And someone is going to have to say something about Robert Downey Jr going from Iron Man to wooden boy...)

Speaking of Pinocchio adaptations, whatever happened to the Guillermo del Toro, Henson & Gris Grimley 3D stop-motion animation project? I snapped up the Gris Grimley illustrated book that was the inspiration for this adaptation, back when it appeared years ago. Even though it's "Gris Grimley dark", it also has an interesting humor to the illustrations and suits Collodi's original story (technically "stories") very well. Add in the other creative heavy weights (del Toro and Henson Co) and the potential for a film like this is amazing.

Guillermo del Toro's Stop Motion Pinocchio

Here's the info from earlier last year:

Guillermo del Toro, The Jim Henson Company and Pathe are moving forward with a stop-motion animated 3D Pinocchio. It is a feature adaptation of the Carlo Collodi fairy tale and will reportedly be edgier than the 1940 animated Disney classic. Gris Grimly is set to co-direct with Mark Gustafson, and production will begin later this year. The basis of this project was Grimly's 2002 illustrated book of of Collodi’s tale. Del Toro and Matthew Robbins crafted the story based on a script from Robbins, who has collaborated with del Toro on scripts for Mimic, the Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark remake, and the upcoming At the Mountains of Madness. The director is producing the feature along with Jim Henson Company’s Lisa Henson and Jason Lust, and Allison Abbate. Gary Ungar is exec producer along with Pathe’s Francois Ivernel and Cameron McCracken. This version will be for audiences 10 years and up, and will be scarier than the Disney film. Australian musician and film composer Nick Cave will serve as the music consultant for the project. The puppets and 3D elements will be developed with the UK's MacKinnon and Saunders, that did The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, and the upcoming Frankenweenie.

Guillermo de Toro's Pinocchio - key frame

And, in case you haven't read them before, here are some excerpts from an interview with Guillermo del Toro regarding Pinocchio, Collodi's characters and fairy tale recorders and adaptors (including Disney) from HERE:

“There has to be darkness in any fairy tale or children’s narrative work, something the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and Walt Disney understood. We tend to call something Disney-fied, but a lot of people forget how powerfully disturbing the best animated Disney movies are, including those kids being turned into donkeys in Pinocchio. What we’re trying to do is present a Pinocchio that is more faithful to the take that Collodi wrote. That is more surreal and slightly darker than what we’ve seen before.”

“the Blue Fairy is really a dead girl’s spirit. Pinocchio has strange moments of lucid dreaming bordering on hallucinations, with black rabbits. The sperm whale that swallows Pinocchio was actually a giant dogfish, which allows for more classical scale and design. The many mishaps Pinocchio goes through include several near-death close calls, a lot more harrowing moments. The key with this is not making any of it feel gratuitous, because the story is integrated with moments of comedy and beauty. He’s one of the great characters, whose purity and innocence allows him to survive in this bleak landscape of robbers and thugs, emerging from the darkness with his soul intact.”

So the current status on this project is unknown apart from being "in production". Apparently it went into production toward the end of 2011 as planned and things have been very quiet from the team (I'm guessing they're very busy!) since.

Guillermo de Toro's Pinocchio - key frame

There's one more Pinocchio project in the works too: a prequel called The Three Misfortunes of Gepetto with Shawn Levyy (Real Steel) attached to direct as of October 2011 (see HERE for a couple more details). It's being touted as “a fresh way into the Pinocchio story.” 

Deadline report the studio bought Michael Vukadinovich's screenplay for The Three Misfortunes of Geppetto, and aim to produce a film in the vein of "Big Fish or The Princess Bride." In the story, Geppetto "endures a life of misfortune, war and adventure all to be with Julia Moon, his true love." (Source: HERE)

Not much else on this project right now either but I'm sure it will get more than a few mentions and perhaps nudge out any further news (if there is any) with the Burton & Robert Downey Jr. announcement this week.