Guillermo del Toro: Things to know about directors' Forms of Water ", which received the" Oscar "

Who is Guillermo del Toro?

In short, one of the greatest storytellers in the history of cinema and one of the three most well-known Mexican directors of our time. The other two - Alejandro González Iñárritu ( "Survivor") and Alfonso Cuaron ( "Gravity") - a long-standing colleagues and close friends del Toro.

With the latest Guillermo at the dawn of his career working on television horror anthology in the spirit of "The Twilight Zone" entitled "The appointed time". Whereas Iñárritu helped him with the installation of "Pan's Labyrinth" - one of the major masterpieces del Toro. In 2008, these "three comrades" founded his own production company called "Cha Cha Cha Films", has been producing low-budget Mexican cinema.

First, however, del Toro is known for his solo pictures, themes, one way or another revolves around horror (real or fictional) children's fear, the fabulous worlds and, of course, monsters. It is the latter Guillermo made largely in kinomanskih cult circles and have made an important part of his unique directorial handwriting.

It turns out, it removes only the scary stories with monsters?

Not at all. The filmography del Toro can find the film adaptation of the comic book ( "Blade 2" film series "Hellboy"), movies historical theme ( "Pan's Labyrinth," "Devil's Backbone"), or, for example, a Hollywood blockbuster with a budget of under $ 200 million ( "Pacific Rim"). But the monsters and otherworldly forces are always present in every film director from the very first staging of a video made by the age of eight, before the current victor "Forms of Water".

Take at least one of his early short films "Geometry" - filmed in the spirit of "Jumble" the story of a schoolboy who decided to take the exam with the help of spirits. It Guillermo ridicules not only the mystical horror genre, but also endemic preoccupation with spiritism and occultism in Latin America. In this sketch a lot more funny than scary, at the same time always there and the main hero of the occasion - the real demon from hell.

What is special about the director's style of Guillermo del Toro, besides monsters?

At the Del Toro has affected the whole world culture, starting with the anime and American B-movie and ending with the Victorian Gothic novels and prose of Lovecraft. Filmography director is so diverse that it is difficult to identify, even two similar pictures. In this case, Guillermo often returns to the same themes important to him, whether it's the story of growing up amidst the horrors of war ( "Devil's Backbone," "Pan's Labyrinth"), painful the fight against the virus or the disease ( "Chronos", "strain"), the invasion of monsters ( "Mutants", "Pacific Rim"), or the adoption of the monster within himself ( "Chronos" film series "Hellboy", "Shape water").

What unites all of his work?

This is truly man-made product. Del Toro is not only self-wrote the script (by own or other people's ideas), but also creates a completely design of monsters and special effects in his films.

Even before his directing career, he has more than 10 years has been the designer of special make-up in one of the best Hollywood experts Dick Smith ( "The Exorcist") and even founded his own company in this area. Since then, every monster in films del Toro not only a figment of his imagination or computer graphics, but and the creation of the hands of the director, often made in the old-fashioned technique of animatronics and prosthetics.

Is del Toro is only now become famous?

Not really. Already with his first film "Chronos" he was admitted to the official program of Cannes, where he was nominated for the prize for best debut - shock start for the beginner. After that, the director more than once called on the world's major film festivals, and in 2007 even nominated for "Oscar" for "Pan's Labyrinth."

The paradox in the case of del Toro is that the career he almost did not get significant awards and professional recognition, though it has long been loved by critics and audiences. The reason for that is the fact that Guillermo had never been involved in any particular category of cinematic world.

So enthusiastic new opportunities, he often indulged with his head in Hollywood scam (which included both cash failures, such as "Pacific Rim", and creative failure - "Mutants") than regular spoil the festival's reputation author.

Only in 2017 with the "form of water," del Toro deservedly took a firm place among the most famous directors of our time: in September he He received the prestigious "Golden Lion" at the Venice Film Festival - the first of his career the award of a major international film festival, and has now taken and "Oscar".

He had to look in the first place?

To be honest, all the tapes Guillermo unique. Therefore, each of his films, many film fans await with impatience. In del Toro can find cinema for all tastes. Nevertheless, the most accepted and probably the best in his filmography are considered to be two films: "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Water Form". And in many respects they are similar.

The action of "Pan's Labyrinth" takes place in 1944. The film tells the bloody tale of the lost princess on a background of the Spanish Civil War. "Forms of Water" - the same magical story about a silent cleaning woman, fell in love with an experimental "Ihtiandra" caught the US military in 1963.

Both paintings - the injustice and cruelty of his time, but also the miracle of love that can withstand any horrors. The first film is more rigid, and requires at least approximate knowledge of Spanish history, to look into the details. Second perhaps the most audience of copyright movies del Toro (what they say he received awards and almost unanimous positive feedback), and you can watch everyone.

And if these movies will seem overly sentimental (what del Toro does not hide), we can safely put it "Pacific Rim" - a real boyish frenzy of robots and monsters made no worse than the "Transformers" Michael Bay.

Is Del Toro has not removed a single bad film?

He took off, but with some reservations. For example, many viewers did not appreciate the attempt Guillermo act in the "Gothic film" hence the low rating from a ghostly "Crimson Peak," and the equally stretchy in narrative terms "Chronos". On the other hand, critics seriously abused del Toro for rattle-kidding "Pacific Rim", while many viewers (including the author), he fell on the soul.

Truly a failure in his career Mexicans believe only one tape - blunt and secondary Hollywood thriller "Mutants", produced by the now notorious brothers Weinstein. However, even this can be found fans. Among them, for example, the legend of the American film critics Roger Ebert.

I know who Guillermo del Toro, and seen all his films. What else can I see?

Advance reservation that one is very similar to del Toro in modern cinema does not exist. And thank God. But if you have had enough of Mexican filmography, then here are some ideas.

Some movies del Toro vaguely reminiscent of early Alejandro Amenábar, especially his "Thesis" and the iconic "Others" with Nicole Kidman. Sure, friends Guillermo, Cuaron and Inarritu, also experienced its influence, given their close creative relationships. But perhaps the most followers of the director can be called two directors: the Spaniard Juan Antonio Bayonne and Argentine Andres Musketti whose "Shelter" and "Mom" is obviously still the aesthetic achievement of "Labyrinth Faun. "

By the way, both career was launched support producer del Toro. Therefore it is not surprising that elements of his style are almost all projects to which Guillermo somehow had a hand. The most interesting of them - "Insight", "Do not Be Afraid of the Dark" and "Chimera" by Vincenzo Natali.