Pan's Labyrinth - Aesthetics contributing to impact

Early into the first act of Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, the viewer is exposed to the harsh, cruel nature of Vidal, and by extent, the fascist regime he represents. Vidal comes out to the mill to deal with poachers believed to be part of the rebellion. This scene occurs at night, which, paired with the cold lighting and blue colour palette connotes that the violent ways of the nationalists was kept more secretive, and critiques their apathetic qualities. This is also underpinned by the colour palette of the nationalist uniform, a cold grey which unifies them to be a singular, ruthless force, the extent of which is made clear with a low angle long shot towards the end of the scene that, fitting all of Vidal’s men in one frame, highlights how much they overpower the opposition. This method was employed to evoke sympathy from the viewer for the rebellion portrayed as the films ‘underdog’. Del Toro also makes a point to show the excessive violence through Vidal by forcing the viewer to watch someone’s nose being caved in, something that is typically only suggested in film. The medium close up of the man’s face brings detail to the contrasting red eruptions of blood, of which the horror is emphasised by the vivid sound of cracking bones and squelching blood. During this part of the scene, Vidal is shot from an extreme low angle, showing how he asserts his dominance through violent means. This is seen again when he shoots the father, at which point the camera cranes up and tilts down so as to portray the victim from an increasingly high angle, mirroring the inflated sense of superiority Vidal gains from killing him. The spectator response is one of disgust and shock, which Del Toro has utilised not only to criticise the fascist regime of the time, but to draw comparison from Spain in 1944 to current (2006) Mexico. Mexico was ruled by the oppressive PRI for 70 years, only to be taken over by PAN, the corruption of which Del Toro has attempted to bring to light to the audience.

Del Toro expresses the monstrosity of fascism in a more metaphorical manner through the Pale Man, introduced in the second task Ophelia undertakes. The set design of the room is notably similar to that of a church - the ceiling is decorated with frescoes, however they are detailed with more explicit artwork than that found in churches, which the viewer can see through use of a panning close up - paintings of the Pale Man eating babies. This notably links to Goya's painting, The Child Eater, inferring that the fascist regime will only lead to the death of the innocent. The stakes of this scene are thus made clear to the spectator - Ophelia's life is in danger. This danger is made much more real and present (rather than simply artwork) through a shot of a pile of children's shoes, linking to the horrors of the holocaust at the time the film was set, which therefore creates an element of suspense. The viewer does not know whether the Pale Man will move and eat Ophelia, and this question is kept in the mind of the audience by keeping the Pale Man in the background, blurred out with a shallow depth of field, yet always in view. The comparison to a church is anchored by the costume design of the Pale Man, which, as the name states, is mostly coloured with white, similar to the outfit of the Pope. This paired with the deep red walls in the scene connotes that the church is blood stained, as it was criticised at the time of facilitating fascism. Through use of similar blocking and framing, a direct link has been created between the Pale Man and Vidal. They both sit at the end of a long dinner table with an abundance of exquisite looking food, and they both have archways behind them (creating a sense of amplified strength and power), and behind both of them, although much more noticeable with the Pale Man, is a fire, implying that they are both born of hell and are therefore similar in characteristics to the devil. This comparison becomes all the more valid in the end of the film, when Vidal kills Ophelia, as now both Vidal and the Pale Man fulfil the role, whether literal or metaphorical, of the Child Eater. Through this comparison it becomes clear that Ophelia's supposed delusions of the fantasy underworld are a way of her coping with the horrors of the real world, and Pale Man is an amplified version, or a physical amalgamation of the monstrous nature of Vidal's rule. The general shape of the Pale Man has also been designed to evoke phallic imagery, which, as he has been compared to Vidal and the fascist regime, could be commenting on how fascism was an expression of patricharcal supremacy. This supremacy is also felt through use of a low angle shot from behind Ophelia looking at the Pale Man, which places him in a position of power over her.

Early into the first act of Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, the viewer is exposed to the harsh, cruel nature of Vidal, and by extent, the fascist regime he represents. Vidal comes out to the mill to deal with poachers believed to be part of the rebellion. This scene occurs at night, which, paired with the cold lighting and blue colour palette connotes that the violent ways of the nationalists was kept more secretive, and critiques their apathetic qualities. This is also underpinned by the colour palette of the nationalist uniform, a cold grey which unifies them to be a singular, ruthless force, the extent of which is made clear with a low angle long shot towards the end of the scene that, fitting all of Vidal’s men in one frame, highlights how much they overpower the opposition. This method was employed to evoke sympathy from the viewer for the rebellion portrayed as the films ‘underdog’. Del Toro also makes a point to show the excessive violence through Vidal by forcing the viewer to watch someone’s nose being caved in, something that is typically only suggested in film. The medium close up of the man’s face brings detail to the contrasting red eruptions of blood, of which the horror is emphasised by the vivid sound of cracking bones and squelching blood. During this part of the scene, Vidal is shot from an extreme low angle, showing how he asserts his dominance through violent means. This is seen again when he shoots the father, at which point the camera cranes up and tilts down so as to portray the victim from an increasingly high angle, mirroring the inflated sense of superiority Vidal gains from killing him. The spectator response is one of disgust and shock, which Del Toro has utilised not only to criticise the fascist regime of the time, but to draw comparison from Spain in 1944 to current (2006) Mexico. Mexico was ruled by the oppressive PRI for 70 years, only to be taken over by PAN, the corruption of which Del Toro has attempted to bring to light to the audience.

Meirelles’ City of God takes a slightly different approach in the portrayal of violence - the viewer is offered contrasting views, which can be said to reflect the conflict within the slums between hoodlums and regular citizens. A glamourised view on violence is nowhere more apparent than in the montage in which Li’l Dice grows from child to cold-blooded killer. The montage lasts for a matter of seconds but represents a period of ten years. Each cut is quick – a second or less – and flash cuts to white are used for the transitions. This, combined with the fast paced, upbeat disco score, which rises to a crescendo, creates an exciting aesthetic, giving the spectator insight about the perspective most youths held on violence - it’s fun and exciting. The music and gunshots are synchronous, further linking violence with fun. Disco becomes an integral part of the slums in the period that follows the montage. Therefore, the director is associating violence with the party atmosphere displayed in following scenes, perhaps also foreshadowing a violent resolution to the second party, in which Benny dies. Through use of montage the spectator also gains insight on how the youth were raised to believe one turns into a man - with each person Li’l Dice kills, he becomes more and more of a man until he is unrecognisable as an adult - casting was