"ART FILM"

For this week's blog, my friend and I watched PAN'S LABYRINTH...

Movie synopsis, courtesy of IMBD:

In 1944 fascist Spain, a girl name Ofelia, fascinated with fairy-tales, is sent along with her pregnant mother to live with her new stepfather, a ruthless captain of the Spanish army. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun in the center of the labyrinth. He tells her she's a princess, but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. If she fails, she will never prove herself to be the the true princess and will never see her real father, the king, again.

Claire: So what did you think of the movie?

Calene: After watching the trailer in class, I was a little bit reluctant to watch the movie because of all the grotesque creatures.

Claire: Yeah same actually.

Calene: Fortunately, the movie proved itself to be very suspenseful and tapped into a range of emotions. It was like the Chicago Sun Times review said, it was “a fairy tale for grown-ups”.

Claire: Haha you’re so right! I love all horror movies, but this one was no like your typical “Exorcist” or “Scream” movie since the plot had historical relevance. It took place in Spain of 1944, which was a time of political division that was apparent with Capitán Vidal (who believed in dictatorial power) and the rebelling Spanish Maquis guerillas.

Calene: I really didn’t like the character of the Vidal though, he was so cruel. All he cared about was having power over people and a son to carry on his family status. I’m glad he got what he deserved in the end, especially since he killed Ofelia and he hadn’t cared for her mother at all.

Claire: I didn’t like him either, but I thought the worst was the scene when Ofelia was given her second task where she encountered the “Pale Man”. This creature totally threw me off with its different textures. There was its rubbery-like skin, smooth head, long pointy fingers and finally, coarse hands with eyes at the palm. After all the warnings the faun had given her to not touch any of the food, she still ate the grapes causing that monster to awaken, eat two fairies and chase after her. I must admit that it was still a very intense scene as the sand in the hourglass was dropping quickly like a race against time.

Art word of the week, texture!
Schirrmacher & Fox (2009) refer to it as the “surface quality of a work of art”.

Calene: Don’t even get me started, the first task was already brutal to watch. When Ofelia entered the fig tree and there were all those huge insects crawling on her, I cringed and just wanted it to be done with already. Then, to top it all off, the enormous slimy toad just had to die and vomit out the key. (So gross!) What I found most fascinating though, was that all the “fairytale” creatures did not fit under the stereotypical norms like the ones found in Disney movies, such as Tinkerbell.

Claire: Yeah, I felt that way too. I was shocked to see that Ofelia had put her trust in the faun even though he had all those rigid and sharp features that would typically frighten many children. It really showed how courageous her character was. The story itself was really inspiring when Ofelia refused to sacrifice her brother’s life (the third and final task she had to complete) to reach the underworld, a place where she really wanted to escape to.

Calene: I agree, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the movie was able to include lessons to teach us about morals and values. Ultimately, it was a good watch since the movie ended on a happy note as Ofelia became a princess and reigned the underworld with kindness and justice.

Continuing on with morals and values, it's extremely important for children to learn about empathy, especially in our society with diverse cultures and people. As educators, we are able to give children opportunities to learn about inclusion. A simple way to do so is by including dolls of different races, genders and providing wheelchairs (to promote awareness of child with special needs). This year, I was given the amazing experience of working in a centre for children with special needs for my placement. Although the my official placement period has finished, I still volunteer with them weekly. Take a peek at their website www.cicc.ca to read about how Centennial Infant and Child Care Centre has touched the lives of many!  

References

Schirrmacher, R., & Fox, J.E. (2009). Art and creative development for young children (6^th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar.