Pan's Labyrinth.
It directly plaigarises this film - exactly the same theme of children escaping the horrors of Franco's fascism into a fantasy world. In Pan's the grotesque monsters of the girl's imagination are far less frightening than the real monster of Fascism.
Has anyone seen these to films and observed the similarities?
Don't be so dramatic! These are indeed good companion films, but the similarities pretty much end after historical context and the thematic issues of childhood innocence and reality v. fantasy. Both films deserved to be seen, and Pan's is no more derivative than any other film. On the contrary, it is one of the most vivid and disturbing movie-going experiences you are likely to have this year or any other.
shareI agree. I just saw Pan's Labyrinth tonight and Spirit of the Beehive is one of my favorite films. Parallels can certainly be drawn, but making those comparisons is one of the fun things about watching films.
Pan's Labyrinth was reminiscent of Spirit of the Beehive--It most definitely wasn't plagiarizing it.
I did not really enjoy "El espíritu de la colmena" because it was too slow for my taste and I couldn't understand the plot very well (not until I read here in IMDB how it relates to the Franco era). I do acknowledge that it has beautiful visuals and great performances by the children, especially Ana. Do you think that I would like Pan's Laberynth? Is it less slow, and is the plot any clearer? I love very many Spanish films, I just didn't like this one very much. In case it makes a difference, Spanish is my first language.
shareI say give Pan's Labyrinth a shot. Pan's is a longer film overall but it's quicker in pace, much less subtle and more visual. Also, while both films are set in the Spanish civil war era, Pan's is set basically on the battlefield, so you get half the film focusing on Captain Vidal fighting the rebels etc. and the other half on Ofelia's 'adventure.'
sharewell, it's hardly an original idea is it? The director, seeing that he too is from Spanish speaking background, must had seen Spirit Of The Beehive. Doesn't he have any ideas of his own?
shareSo only one Spanish film maker is allowed to tell a story about children using fantasy to escape reality? The basic premise is pretty common...peter pan, alice in wonderland, the wizard of oz, narnia, etc, etc. It's the details in these stories that make them unique and original.
Jim Jarmusch's Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is obviously inspired in part by Jean-Pierre Melville's film, Le Samourai. You just know it when you watch them both. It doesn't mean Ghost Dog wasn't original. Look at Tarantino: every one of his films is pretty much a collage of influences. This doesn't mean his films aren't enjoyable and don't offer something new.
Spirit of the Beehive and Pan's Labyrinth are so different overall that making connections between the two should just make for interesting discussion. You make it sound like Pan's Labyrinth is some kind of insult to Spirit of the Beehive.
Well, it's not only a Spanish film about a child escaping reality. It is the also the gender and historical setting. Maybe I am overeacting, but I doubt he never saw the original and must have got inspiration from it, don't you think?
I wish Erice would direct more films too.
Wait, so it's a bad thing when artists are influenced by those who came before?
I get the feeling you're just here to make a fuss because you realized Pan's Labyrinth was obviously inspired by this film and nobody cares because it's super obvious. Del Toro has spoken openly about his love for Spirit of the Beehive, and his earlier film The Devil's Backbone is also highly reverential toward Beehive. Visually, Backbone is even more of a direct nod. I just hope you realize that it's not a crime for artists to drop homages to their biggest influences into their work.
This is very true. There are hundreds of ways to tell a story. Using beehives and/or minotaurs is just one way, folks.
I will distinctly remember my art teacher/boss telling us, his class, that there are no longer any truly original ideas. Humans have been around for thousands of years and to think that you, me, Enrice or Guillermo have a special, profound idea is hard to imagine. Now, this may or may not be true. But it's what I think.
I totally agree with the poster above, while we're at it, why don't we claim del Toro plagiarised Labyrinth? I mean childhood escapism and mazes? Plagiarism. Heavenly Creatures has that _and_ it was also directed by a heavy-set man with glasses! Get the copyright lawyers on that one too. All those "star-crossed lovers" movies and "rags-to-riches" stories must be 'plagiarized' from Shakespeare and Horatio Alger then...
To the first poster, get a grip on the concept of plagiarism. Having somewhat similar thematic elements (and they are indeed only somewhat similar) is so far from actual plagiarism, I don't know what say. Maybe get a dictionary, or even a school's printed policy on cheating. Pan's Labyrinth is so far from being a remake, let alone being plagiarized...seriously, look up 'plagiarism'.
Ok, so all of you people who critisize Guillermo for creating Pan's Labyrinth, seriously, go to school. There is this crazy concept called Archetype. Now for those bitching about plagarizm and such - look at every story ever told, there are only a few basic plotlines, three universal plotlines. The beauty of each story is in the details within the givin plot. Yes Guillermo did use similar themes, however he also add many different ideas and concepts, along with tremendously different and interesting imagery. Before you go and whine about plagarism perhaps it would be an intelligent idea to understand storytelling just a little bit more.
sharewoah, hold on there, that is a very structuralist reply, that's an old school. Stories are just stuff that happens. These two had similar stuff happen. pan labyrinth is def inspired by this, but also all the other span civil war movies, and thats cool, the good parts of pans labyrinth were the gore and the monsters anyway. *beep* plots, who cares.
shareI don't think Pan's Labyrinth is a remake, but the films share obvious similarities. El Espiritu de la colmena uses film in the way that Pan's Labyrinth uses fairy tales. Erice's film is of course less violent, and I think it is more introspective. I really enjoyed both films, and I hope that if Pan's Labyrinth does good at the box office that more folks will seek out this film as well.
shareYes, I immediately thought of Spirit of the Beehive -- and Harry Potter -- and Lord of the Rings (the faun was very Entish at the beginning, altho less so). Nevertheless, Beehive is a fine movie, and Pan is too -- in principle. In practice, the gore was unwatchable for me, and I am in my 60s. Perhaps, in view of the comments on the Pan list about the R rating, it should be restricted to those UNDER 25.
shareYou're an idiot. Practically all modern Spanish filmmakers have been influenced by this movie. Guillermo del Toro has even acknowledged that this is one of his favorite films and that it has inspired a lot of his work, including Pan's labyrinth.
shareAnd did the other filmmakers make films so similar? Or did they leave it be? (no pun intended);)
shareThe only idiot is you. Sure all modern spanish films are influenced by this movie and all german films are influenced by Metropolis and all american sci-fis are influenced by Kubrick's Space Odyssey right? My opinion is Pan's labyrinth is so much "influenced" that it can almost be called remake - however remake that relies instead of on beautiful imagenery of rural Spain and innocency of the main actress on the CG tricks and senseless violence. I love The Spirit of the Beehive and I was not impressed by Pan's Labyrinth.
shareCome on Petr, let's be fair, I'm sure I am not the only idiot.
shareI'm surprised no one has reflected on the possibility that del Toro is simply revisiting themes from one of his previous films, the magnificent El Espinazo del Diablo(The Devil's Backbone).
shareHey, i was writing a paper on pan's labyrinth and i was listing details about post civil war spain, when i realized that spirit of the beehive and pan's labyrinth have similar qualities. I've noticed that you're absolutley right. My paper isn't about pan's labyrinth anymore, but the similarities it has with spirit of the beehive considering we watched that film during class. Alittle weird to me .
shareI think you're confused on what a remake actually is...movies that have somewhat similar themes of symbolism aren't remakes...just because its Spanish and stars a young child. Pan's is a completely original movie. Del Toro himself admits that he's been inspired by this movie. But to call Pan's a remake is retarded.
share[deleted]
It's funny how we view the borrowing of ideas and themes differently depending on how they are used. If the resulting work is inferior to the original, it's a tribute. But let it be a work of art that eclipses the source? well, then it's just awful, nasty plagiarism.
As someone who's had his work openly plagiarized at least dozen times in the last 15 years, I'll say this. The creator can usually tell the difference.
Kel
http://imdb.com/name/nm1485711/
Professional [?] on closed course. Do not attempt
I thought you were gonna say Tideland :)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0410764/
Pan's Labyrinth is such a bad movie, especially in hindsight, when one is not distracted by all the hype & undeserved accolades. It seems as if everybody back than were somehow hypnotized into loving it, I bet none of those critics who sang its praises would think the same if they were forced to view it again today.