”The Color and the Shape” is the next featurette, though it only runs about six minutes. The focus of it is Guillermo’s use of color throughout the film and his work in general, but I admit it’s not all that interesting if you’re not familiar with just how intricate color is in the world of film.
"The Director’s Notebook" is pretty self-explanatory: an animated look through the various notebooks Guillermo jotted down ideas into that would eventually form the world of Pan’s Labyrinth. It’s mainly for the art you’ll want to check this one out, as the writing is primarily in Spanish and nearly impossible to read due to distance and his handwriting. But some of the rough sketches he did that were later made into three-dimensional figures for the film are pretty amazing.
Then you have a whole episode of The Charlie Rose Show that features Guillermo with fellow Mexican filmmakers Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. The discussion focuses on the friendship of the three, how they assist one another when each is making a film, and other such subjects. It’s pretty good if not a bit dry, though I can’t see too many people making it through the whole thing. Rose did plenty of research but doesn’t really come off as a true fan of any man’s body of work.
The last significant feature here is the web comics, which tell the backstories of the Giant Toad, the Pale Man, Pan and The Fairies. They’re just quick two-panel comics that are animated to give some history of these fairy tale creatures. From there you can also see multiple galleries, storyboard/effects comparisons, production design sketches — pretty much every element that was created to bring this fantastical world to life.
I know I don’t need to tell you that the Pan’s Labyrinth DVD is worth getting, but I might as well just to be sure. If you’re a fan of this movie, this disc is a must-own. If you missed its extended theatrical run (for shame because this movie works very well on the big screen), you need to make amends by buying the DVD right away when it’s released. It’s very hard to find someone who doesn’t love this movie for at least one element, though most people find it to be a beautifully horrific and touching movie from start to finish. The DVD complements it perfectly, and New Line should be thanked for giving it such a lavish treatment.
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