Epicurus.com - Pan's Labyrinth [Blu-ray]

	List Price: $35.99 Our Price: $18.99 Your Save: $ 17.00 ( 47% ) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: New Line Starring: Doug Jones, Eusebio Lazaro, Federico Luppi, Lina Mira, Maribel VerdĂș
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Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: Blu-ray Brand: Warner Brothers EAN: 0794043111136 Format: Closed-captioned Label: New Line Manufacturer: New Line Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: New Line Region Code: 1 Release Date: 2007-12-26 Running Time: 119 Studio: New Line Theatrical Release Date: 2006
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Editorial Reviews: Following a bloody civil war, young Ofelia enters a world of unimaginable cruelty when she moves in with her new stepfather, a tyrannical military officer. Armed with only her imagination, Ofelia discovers a mysterious labyrinth and meets a faun who sets her on a path to saving herself and her ailing mother. But soon, the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur, and before Ofelia can turn back, she finds herself at the center of a ferocious battle between good and evil.
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Better Than Hellboy, And I Do Love Hellboy Comment: Fairies, an evil step-father, a faun, guns, explosions, Fascists vs. the resistance, torture Forbidden fruit, eternal life, blood atonement, sacrifice: the makings of a fairy tale, a war movie and a Christian parable, all to be found in Guillermo del Toro's Spanish language film -- elements that will certainly attract and repel viewers in equal numbers. Lovers of fantasy may be lost when they learn of the graphic scenes of shootings, stabbings and battlefield surgery in Pan's Labyrinth (or El Laberinto del Faurn). Enthusiasts of World War II might not be pleased to learn that the central character of the film is a little girl, given three tasks to prove that she is the princess of an underground kingdom. And I read critics who were not pleased that with the film's Christian imagery. The film is an adult fairy tale, and the criticism that fairy tales are for children is addressed within the film itself. Ofelia, the heroine of the story, is told by her mother and stepfather that she is too old for fairy tales. And yet she finds within her fantasies wisdom to live in a difficult and dangerous world. The moral clarity found in such tales is occasionally scoffed at by some grown-ups as simplistic. They argue the world never has any clear heroes or villains, black or white, only shades of grey. They would also argue that only the material world exists and it is foolish to believe in anything outside of what we can perceive through our senses. I would argue that the stark contrasts between good and evil found in fairy tales can at times be found in the real world. In the Old Testament battles, God was on the good side in many of the battles between Israel and evil foes. During our Civil War, ultimately the side defending slavery was in the wrong. And in World War II, one side definitely could be defined as right and the other as wrong. And those who believe that there is nothing beyond ourselves and what we can see and hear, touch and taste and smell, they have bought into a lie much darker and devoid of truth than any story Disney ever animated. We are given a grim picture of what it was like to live under the repressive regime of Franco's Spain during World War II. The government kept the people dependant on itself for foods and goods. One scene shows soldiers dispersing bread to citizens, and as they do they announce that the daily bread comes through the beneficence of the government. God's providence is given no place in such a dictatorship. The very worst of the government is personified through Ofelia's stepfather, Capitan Vidal, a sadist shown torturing captives and casually killing the innocent. Those who would say such violence has no place in fairy tales just don't know how grim the Brothers Grimm could be. I found the most interesting aspect of the film was introduction of the theme of blood atonement. To avoid spoilers, I can't tell too much about how this theme is used in the film, but it is there, with great Biblical resonance. Hebrews 9: 22 says, "Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins." This essential Biblical doctrine at times seems like an outdated piece of myth and legend. But by placing this theme in the midst of a war, a time when the shedding of blood is a daily transaction, we are reminded of its truth. We tend to think of sin as a petty offense that should be cleared up as one would pay for a parking ticket. The film reminds us that when dealing with issues such as life and death, war and sin, is not child's play, but we do need childlike faith. Customer Rating: Summary: Magnificent Comment: This film was very well done. Pan's Labyrinth reminds me of a fairy tale, some what like Alice in wonder land or some sort. But, what very ipressive and touching movie. All though it's more of a adult fairy tale it still makes you feel like a child onece agian as you envolve your self with Ofelia the main focus of the movie. I highly recomende it and any of Guillermo del Toro's creations because they arn't just movies they are "Creations" and "Masterpices". Customer Rating: Summary: Great Comment: Great movie. I wish there was an english speaking version, but that's not the way the film was meant to be watched. Highly raccomend it Customer Rating: Summary: What A Movie! Comment: Thank you for this movie. This has got to be one of the darkest, most brutal, yet strangely sweet story lines I have ever encountered. With fantastic creatures from the realm of make-believe, combined with the harsh realism of a war torn land, a struggle arises between the two that finds a very fitting niche on the silver screen. Rodney Kase Tyrone 11-16-2008 4:23 A.M. Customer Rating: Summary: Fan's review Comment: During the years of Fascist oppression in Spain, young Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) moves to a creepy mill in the countryside with her pregnant mother (Ariadna Gil) and violent stepfather (Sergi Lopez), who is a military officer hunting rebels in the surrounding mountains. Ofelia discovers that she has a powerful connection to a grotesque, wonder-filled world of magic and fantasy and undergoes great drama as events come to a head in both the realms of magic and reality. Director / writer Guillermo del Toro has established himself as one of the premier fantasists of cinema. His distinctive visual sense is used to great advantage here. This fairy tale is not so much for children as for adults who may have forgotten the horror at the root of all fairy tales in this Disneyfied era, as well as their mythic connections to real world events. Del Toro remembers and incorporates this understanding in his powerful film. More Reviews