I’m sure you will all get sick of me rattling on about “Pan’s Labyrinth” soon (if not already), but this recent interview with writer/director Guillermo Del Toro bears mentioning. In it Del Toro talks about main character Ofelia’s view of the world.

“[Ofelia's view of the world is] completely pagan. She reflects nothing more and nothing less than the way I viewed the world as a kid. I was brought up Catholic but my personal cosmology was completely pagan…I think it has a lot to do with the fact that Mexico and Spain have a certain view of life that is similar in the sense that they have death, brutality, the nature – you know, you live with them and you embrace them in a different way than First World countries would. With syncretism in Latin America, you can embrace a religion by mixing it with your own gods. And then, there’s a lot of Celtic culture in the north of Spain, and there are a lot of beautiful pagan legends in Galicia, and in Asturias and in all those places. They combine them with the Catholic religion very cleanly.”

I dare say that this may be the best movie to incorporate a Pagan world view since the original Wicker Man. Don’t miss this one!

Previous posts on the subject:
12.27.2006 – Pan’s Labyrinth Topping Year-End Lists
11.02.2006 – Pan’s Labyrinth Trailer
10.16.2006 – Entering Pan’s Labyrinth
5.28.2006 – Entering The Labyrinth

Tags: Guillermo del Toro, Paganism, Pan's Labyrinth