Pan's Labyrinth HD-DVD
What?
Set in 1944 during the Spanish civil war, the film follows Ofelia, a young girl obsessed with fairytales. When she and her heavily pregnant mother are moved to live in the country with the evil Captain Vidal in the middle of the war, amidst the fighting she finds hope in a magical book and a talking faun.
Every now and again a film comes along that stops you in your tracks. Pan’s Labyrinth is completely different from the norm, a film that delivers something different to the usual Hollywood blockbuster, from a director whose previous films were more in that vein with Blade 2 and Hellboy. Guillermo Del Toro took a chance with Pan’s Labyrinth, an adult fairytale with more style in the first twenty minutes than most films have in the entire running time. Taking the film’s incredible visual style out of the equation, the story itself is completely engaging. On one hand the film is extremely dark in tone, violent and scary. On the other it manages to be sweet, exciting and heart warming. Director Del Torro skilfully moves from one tone to another without breaking sweat. In one scene we see the Captain break apart a man’s face with the butt of his gun, and in another Ofelia befriends yet another weird and wonderful creature. How many other director’s could manage to do this? How many other directors would try to do this? The film’s almost completely unknown (to me anyway) must also be given credit for putting in incredibly strong performances across the board while the special effects stand out yet integrate into the film seamlessly. And I haven’t even mentioned the fact that the film is spoken entirely in Spanish. Simply put, Pan’s Labyrinth is up with the best films I have seen in recent years. Stunning.
Optics:
Sunshine pierces the surrounding forest, shards of light cut through the tree lined sky highlighting every fly in the air. Lush greens, warm browns and strong blacks. Welcome to the first few minutes of Pan’s Labyrinth on HD-DVD. The transfer throughout is very strong, particularly when looking at the various lighting effects during the day and moonlight at night. Detail levels are very good and colours are outstanding. Skin tones look natural while the crispness of the image is as good as most HD-DVD transfers I have seen to date. On the down side, very fine detail in faces and fabrics are perhaps not as good as the top releases, but overall this is a fine looking transfer.
Sonics:
Disappointingly Optimum have only chosen to included a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 track here whilst the forthcoming US release from New Line will reportedly include a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. First of all I would have loved the extra rear channels having already heard a DTS-ES track on the standard definition release, and secondly I would have loved a lossless track, sadly we get neither.
Having got over the disappointment I got down to listening via the lossy DD Plus option. For the most part the track is very impressive, dynamic range is excellent with impressive impact and subtle effects. Rear effects are plentiful and low frequencies come into play very nicely when needed. I can’t necessarily fault the track which pleased me all the way through but I can’t help wondering how good it could have sounded.
Extras:
Fans of the film will be pleased to hear that this releases is loaded with interesting and worthy extra features. The Guillermo Del Toro commentary is fascinating and hugely enjoyable, while the video prologue is a nice addition. There’s an interview with the director done by The Guardian newspaper, storyboards, numerous making of features, a poster gallery and the excellent trailer.
Well?
The lack of a lossless soundtrack is a disappointment but overall Optimum has put together a superb HD-DVD releases of a truly fantastic film.
Tom Day
Set in 1944 during the Spanish civil war, the film follows Ofelia, a young girl obsessed with fairytales. When she and her heavily pregnant mother are moved to live in the country with the evil Captain Vidal in the middle of the war, amidst the fighting she finds hope in a magical book and a talking faun.
Every now and again a film comes along that stops you in your tracks. Pan’s Labyrinth is completely different from the norm, a film that delivers something different to the usual Hollywood blockbuster, from a director whose previous films were more in that vein with Blade 2 and Hellboy. Guillermo Del Toro took a chance with Pan’s Labyrinth, an adult fairytale with more style in the first twenty minutes than most films have in the entire running time. Taking the film’s incredible visual style out of the equation, the story itself is completely engaging. On one hand the film is extremely dark in tone, violent and scary. On the other it manages to be sweet, exciting and heart warming. Director Del Torro skilfully moves from one tone to another without breaking sweat. In one scene we see the Captain break apart a man’s face with the butt of his gun, and in another Ofelia befriends yet another weird and wonderful creature. How many other director’s could manage to do this? How many other directors would try to do this? The film’s almost completely unknown (to me anyway) must also be given credit for putting in incredibly strong performances across the board while the special effects stand out yet integrate into the film seamlessly. And I haven’t even mentioned the fact that the film is spoken entirely in Spanish. Simply put, Pan’s Labyrinth is up with the best films I have seen in recent years. Stunning.
Optics:
Sunshine pierces the surrounding forest, shards of light cut through the tree lined sky highlighting every fly in the air. Lush greens, warm browns and strong blacks. Welcome to the first few minutes of Pan’s Labyrinth on HD-DVD. The transfer throughout is very strong, particularly when looking at the various lighting effects during the day and moonlight at night. Detail levels are very good and colours are outstanding. Skin tones look natural while the crispness of the image is as good as most HD-DVD transfers I have seen to date. On the down side, very fine detail in faces and fabrics are perhaps not as good as the top releases, but overall this is a fine looking transfer.
Sonics:
Disappointingly Optimum have only chosen to included a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 track here whilst the forthcoming US release from New Line will reportedly include a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. First of all I would have loved the extra rear channels having already heard a DTS-ES track on the standard definition release, and secondly I would have loved a lossless track, sadly we get neither.
Having got over the disappointment I got down to listening via the lossy DD Plus option. For the most part the track is very impressive, dynamic range is excellent with impressive impact and subtle effects. Rear effects are plentiful and low frequencies come into play very nicely when needed. I can’t necessarily fault the track which pleased me all the way through but I can’t help wondering how good it could have sounded.
Extras:
Fans of the film will be pleased to hear that this releases is loaded with interesting and worthy extra features. The Guillermo Del Toro commentary is fascinating and hugely enjoyable, while the video prologue is a nice addition. There’s an interview with the director done by The Guardian newspaper, storyboards, numerous making of features, a poster gallery and the excellent trailer.
Well?
The lack of a lossless soundtrack is a disappointment but overall Optimum has put together a superb HD-DVD releases of a truly fantastic film.
Tom Day
Director:
Guillermo Del Toro
Starring:
Sergi López
Maribel Verdú
Ivana Baquero
Alex Angulo
Ariadna Gil
Doug Jones
Best line:
"You won't be the first pig I've gutted"
Tagline:
"Innocence Has A Power Evil Cannot Imagine"
Description:
Optimum
UK
Rated 15
1Hr 59 Mins
1.78:1
(Anamorphic)
Dolby Digital Plus 5.1
Audio commentary by Guillermo Del Toro
Video prologue by Guillermo Del Toro
Guardian interview with Guillermo Del Toro
'The Power of Myth'
Sketches
'The Colour and the Shape'
Storyboards
'Guillermo Del Toro and the Green Fairy'
Director's Notebook
'The Melody Echoes the Fairytale'
Poster gallery
Trailer
Ratings: (Out of 5)
Film 10.0
Optics 9.0
Sonics 8.0
Extras 8.0
Overall 8.0
