I have chosen to analyse the 2006 fantasy film Pans labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro. This film is set in 1944 during the Spanish civil war and follows Ophelia, a little girl who is secretly a princess in a fantasy world whilst chaos and war happens around her with her fascist stepdad at the centre of it all. I have chosen to analyse the resolution of the film between 1.46.45 and 1.51.45. In this section, Ophelia has just been shot by her stepdad and is slowly dying. The fascist captain is consequentially killed as a result of killing his stepdaughter. Ophelia is ‘reborn’ into a fantasy world and is reunited with her parents whilst the guerrillas mourn her death. To analyse this section, I am going to focus on Mise En scene ,visual motifs, editing and Film makers influences.

Pans labyrinth – 2006

time signature – 1.46.45 – 1.51.45

Film element focus – mise en scene, Film makers influences, motif, narrative,

Historical and social contexts

Today, i’m going to finish my comparative draft!! 🙂

 To what extent do the directors in Woman on a verge of a nervous breakdown (1988) and Love Actually (2003) show patriarchal structures? 

Pedro Almodovar’s 1988 Spanish film Woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown and Richard Curtis’ 2003 British film Love Actually are both distinctive Drama and romance films. Both films are evident to show the change and role of woman in society. These films have been chosen as they show the contrasting views and patriarchal structures through the role of female actresses in the film. Curtis’ film is a multi-narrative film which follows multiple characters who are predominately male and their lives through the Christmas period. Almodovar’s film follows a female protagonist, Pepa who chases her ex-lover who leaves her suddenly and then eventually realizes that she dependent and stronger on her own. 

To what extent do the directors in Woman on the verge on a mental breakdown (1988) and Love Actually (2003) show patriarchal structures? 

Love Actually – Richard Curtis (2003)

Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios – Pedro Almodóvar (1988)

Feminist theory – the role of woman – woman being the focus and in control of the film vs being controlled by men

Narrative theory – screen writing ( representation of woman through dialogue)

Genre theory

Spanish cinema

The opening scene starts off with a monologue from the opening character.

It relies heavily on images for it to make sense but it script creates the basis for the rest of the film and it relates back to the end of the film. This is done mainly through the script to make the audience think about life and their relationships and to create an emotive mood from the start.

The visual parts of the film emphasize the mood and they create the story through symbolism and an imagination of another universe. For example, it says ‘ HAZEL GRACE LANCASTER (16) lies in the grass staring up at the stars. The stars are a symbol for loss and for the loved one in heaven. This is left open to interpretation at the start of the film because in the screen play it doesn’t specify what has happened and what she’s talking about.

The emotive screenplay leaves the audience into wondering about what is going to happen though the narrative, it makes it seem almost like a procrastination or a philosophical question but it also creates imagery or makes the audience think about their loses or past relationships.