Pan's Labrynth: Special Edition

Ofelia (Baquero) loves reading fairytales and during the 1944 Spanish war, she is asked by a faun to complete 3 tasks which will make her a princess. Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy) uses his visionary genius to bring a dark and dramatic fairytale to life in this Oscar winning picture. Filled with surprises, dramas and a dark twists upon fairytales, Pan's Labyrinth is both different and unique in its own genre and fills a viewer's watching requirements with stunning entertainment throughout. The general surprise of seeing a fairytale told in such a dark and dramatic way is what makes the film so appealing. How many fairytales are realistic? How many are dark and reflect the true nature of their time? All run on the same format and offer no new thrills, but Pan's Labyrinth is unique and brilliant in achieving that diverse effect. Toro's direction, plot and the costume design all come together superbly to achieve a dark and dismal reflection on Ofelia's life, and believe the plaudits, because this is one of the finest and imaginative films you will ever see. Toro is lining up to become the next Tim Burton with the use of dark materials and gothic imagery. The writing is equally impressive with plenty of twists and turns and a strong focus upon each character's personal issues. There was slight confusion regarding the beginning in relation to the ending on the first watch, but it is well worth watching again. The plot is driven by fantasy and escapism, with Ofelia desperate to escape the war and set things right. Baquero is excellent as central character Ofelia and will set your hearts racing with a brilliant young performance. Each character is interesting, from the stubborn and violent Captain Vidal to the silent and professional Mercedes, the film portrays realism through the realistic characters and their lives. The writing and dialogue keeps the audience hooked as Toro delivers twist after twist in a highly dramatic plot. The use of fantasy was a necessity and was pulled off tremendously well, through the use of unbelievable creatures. From a gigantic frog to a blind hellish creature, Toro gives viewers a variety and an image that will be cemented into anyone's memory forever after watching. The settings help achieve the graphic and dark imagination behind the creatures, none more so than the labyrinth. Pan's Labyrinth simply achieves everything that a good film should need to, great direction, plot and characters. 9/10

50-odd reviews but I still feel compelled to write. Del Toro has a panache for creating deeply-coloured, rich, highly saturated cinema which, when viewed on a decent TV (with decent surround) is always a pleasure to watch. It was with this in mind that I was determined to get "Pan's Labyrinth" as soon as it was released. Expecting a whimsical but dark film - a young girl's perspective on the Civil War and her flights of fantasy which are an attempt to escape it - I have to confess, I was shocked within the first ten minutes. Make no mistake, this is a brutal and unflinching look at the horrors of the era in which it is set and the fantasy elements are an allegorical appendage rather than a driving force. It is, therefore, easy to see why some reviewers on here have posted less than sympathetic comments. They, like myself, were probably expecting something more "fantastic" and far less "real". Nontheless, recover from the brutality of the opening ten to fifteen minutes, realise that what you are watching is more of a war film than a fantasy, and what you have is another classic from Del Toro. Yes, some have argued that there are better English-speaking war films out there but this is distinctly different. The quests undertaken by the protagonist are delivered with the same amount of tension as the rest of the narrative and while some may find this faeirie-tale symbolism a little too facile set against the openly gruesome realities of the "quests" of the freedom-fighters, I can't help but feel that said critics are missing the point. The protagonist, after all, has no control over her surroundings and her flights of fancy - entering a dark and cruel world which mirrors the one she is already in - allow her to ape the actions of the purposeful, secretive and daring Mercedes, whom she admires so greatly. I have to confess, like many others, to having mixed feelings about "Pan's Labyrinth" overall. No, it is not the whimsical but dark fantasy I was expecting. Yes, it is a hauntingly beautiful film which has all of Del Toro's familiar trademarks. Ultimately I felt compelled to write in order to warn those parents who feel that BBFC ratings are there to be ignored and that this is somehow a "family" film. It most emphatically is NOT. One micro-review I recently read (in a popular magazine) described it as "enchanting". It is, perhaps, this kind of lazy journalism that has led so many reviewers to write that they were disappointed with it. Some would also argue, however, that the marketing also over-emphasised the "fantasy" element. This is a shame - anyone who wants to watch this film should be allowed to do so fully aware that it is a film about cruelty, brutality and bravery in the face of adversity. It is up to you to decide just how much the fantasy imagery adds to that. I feel second and third viewings will help to persuade the nay-sayers.

From the moment a little girl - who has witnessed a frightening and ugly dragonfly-like creature - turns to her mother saying "I've just seen a fairy"; you know you're in for something special. Pan's Labyrinth is a fascinating tale of the girl Ofelia, beautifully portrayed by young Ivana Baquero, stuck between the gruesome final days of the Spanish civil war and a mystical world of fable and monstrous-looking creatures who are, it seems, tamer than the reality of her brutal, chilling and macabre step-father (Sergi López). Leaving you wondering how much was the extension of a young girl's twisted imagination desperate to escape the real world, Del Toro successfully brings us a new and innovative story with images you will remember long after watching the film. There are a few moments that feel a little poorly conceived, or contrived, but ultimately the originality holds its sway and the actors their believability. There are too many good moments, and superb acting in this movie to single everyone out, but Doug Jones - who had last worked with Del Toro on Hellboy in 2004 - is particularly good in his portrayal of the different mythical and gothic creatures. The music in Pan's Labyrinth also adds an enormous amount to the film, especially the simple haunting melody that keeps re-appearing throughout. Having been rightly nominated for, and won, numerous prestigious international film awards, it is Del Toro's greatest achievement since Mimic (1997). It is a mesmerising, must-see movie, and the decision not to overdub it in English (or make an English version) was a wise one, as the Spanish text gives this film an edge and sense of mystery that few other internationally acclaimed movies have achieved. This has to be seen to be believed!

Very good quality! And the film it's very good! I recommend it!

Pan's Labyrinth is a real treasure. It follows the story of a young girl, Ofelia, who along with her heavily pregnant mother, are moving in with her mother's new partner, a captain of the military. The story is set during the Spanish Civil war and as such the story unfolds in and around the military outpost where the captain, Ofelia and her mother are stationed. Ofelia is an inquisitive youngster and she soon starts to see things around the camp that are not what you could call normal! Eventually she meets the Faun, Pan, who gives her three tasks and this forms the real backbone of the story. As Ofelia works through her tasks her situation becomes more desperate as her mother becomes ill during pregnancy and the camp comes under threat from rebels... The film is very dark and fantastical but with a more adult tone; it's a fantasy of awesome imagination but not for the smallest children. Which leads me on to my next point - the Captain is one of the best villains I've seen in ages. He's thoroughly ruthless and you see pretty early in the movie what he's capable of and from that point on you want him to get his! A mention should be made of the picture quality of this disc which is outstanding. I recently bought a full HD TV and have been enjoying watching my DVD collection upscaled through my PS3. I noticed as soon as this disc started to play that the picture was utterly superb - the best DVD I've yet seen in terms of picture. Having been getting used to bluray recently most DVD's are almost immediately recognisable as a DVD but Pan's Labyrinth looks awesome. It's a shame they didn't manage to get a DTS soundtrack on there too! Anyway, I don't want to reveal too much of the story which is very well told. It's nothing particularly new but is told so well it works wonderfully. If you like fanatsy you'll love this. There's a good twist at the end too. Thoroughly recommended.

Watch it every time it's on TV and finally bought the DVD. A must see for fans of myth, fantasy, heroines and the supernatural.

This film is utterly breathtaking and instantly became one of the best films I have seen. I watched it on a dinky TV a few years ago and was captivated by the storyline and characters, after buying the DVD and watching it on a HD telly I realised how much I had missed out on. It's magical, mysterious and dark and after seeing it quite a few times I still feel like there's so much more to explore, like I have been ignoring some really obvious plot line that makes it all make sense, but that's the magic of the story. It's a fairytale taken away from the children's domain and moved in the 'real world'...or has it always been hidden in the adult world...? I don't know... There's enough here to captivate those interested in fantasy and drama as it includes various different elements. I call it an instant favourite because it is, after watching it you want to watch it again. It makes you pause and take a breath because you feel like you've been somewhere. The soundtrack is stunning, worth a separate purchase I think. Watch it, it will captivate you.

... expectations you may have for this film, they will be exceeded. Trust me. In as few words as possible, it's about a young girl creating her own fantasyworld to escape her extremely harsh reality. And of course, what happens in the real world effects what happens in her "fairytale". People who would compare this to, for instance, The Lord of the Rings (a movie with no line between fantasy and reality), haven't really looked underneath the surface of this film. Because everything that "really happens" here is completely straight forward and realistic. I have never seen a more intelligently made movie. As if this wasn't enough, it has the most beautiful soundtrack I have ever heard. Sometimes it really hurts to watch this film, but in the only way that you'll probably want more of it. I don't think anything will make you cry if the ending of this movie doesn't, and not just because it's sad but the thought of how well it's done. Do yourself a favor and watch it. I particularly like the scene towards the end of the movie where the faun tells Ofelia to "just create her own door", cause isn't that what she's doing throughout the whole movie?

Me llego en el paquete en perfecto estado y en un tiempo muy adecuado, respecto a los envios desde Alemania. La edición es muy buena, la pelicula se ve muy bien en Blu-ray y en perfecto castellano, al ser una pelicula española, y sin susbtitulos quemados alemanes. Gran compra por el precio que la compre, 29€ + 12€(envio), y gran servivio de envio.

En perfecto castellano el audio, calidad sobresaliente. Los textos en pantalla aparecen en alemán con subtítulos, pero por el precio ha merecido la pena, y es que el DVD se queda muy muy corto de calidad en escenas oscuras como la introducción.

Très bonne qualité d'image

Le "Labyrinthe de Pan", un véritable chef d’œuvre et une grosse bouffée d’émotion personnelle. Envoûtant, tragique et violent tout en apportant sa féérie. La véritable idée du film est de partager le film en deux parties: Le conte et la guerre ... Les créatures sont très bien faites et ont un design très appliqué, les effets spéciaux sont très bons et la photo est superbe!!!

This movie man. This movie. I watched this movie when I was about 12 or 13 years and let me tell you, it scared the crap out of me. Now, rewind a couple years later to me loving this movie as much as I love nutella (and that's a lot of love.) This movies is a fairy tale, and a it shows how fairy tales would look like in real life, with weird looking fairies, creepy labyrinths and a nightmare inducing faun. This movie is amazing, with great actors and actresses, awesome scenery and a wrenching plot. The score for this film is also amazing and I would totally recommend everyone to check it out! This is my all time favorite movie of all time that makes me cry 5 out of the 7 days of the week!! Please watch it if you haven't done so!! :)