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Movie Analysis:

"Pan's Labyrinth"

Analysis by Dramatica User's Group, Mexico City
Led by Armando Saldaña Mora

As part of a Dramatica seminar in Mexico City, a group of professional screenwriters put Guillermo del Toro's dark fairy tale through the Dramatica structure. (Click here for the storyform)

Here's the result (full of SPOILERS, I'm afraid).

PAN'S LABYRINTH completely separates the Overall Story from the other throughlines to the point that they seem parallel plots, each with their own Protagonist, Antagonist and other archetypes. Actually, it's a single story and the multiple characters are only sides of the players' complex personalities. The imaginative girl OFELIA, for example, has the motivation of a Protagonist, but the purpose of a Guardian. Housekeeper MERCEDES on the other hand has a Guardian motivation, but the purposes of a Protagonist.

The Overall Story is set in the harsh reality of Spain post Civil War [OS Throughline of Situation] and its plot is centered on CAPITAN VIDAL's obsession of conceiving a male child that would follow his and his father's footsteps [OS Concern of How Things Are Changing]. The other throughlines happen in a magical world of fairies, fauns and monsters--or perhaps just in Ofelia's vivid imagination [OS Issue of Fantasy Vs. Fact]. PAN conceals his true identity in order to manipulates Ofelia, the rest of the characters and the audience itself [IC Throughline of Manipulation] to the point that none is completely sure of what is really happening here.

After Ofelia follows a disguised fairy into this magical realm [Story Driver of Action] Pan declares the child a magical princess stranded on Earth. In order to reclaim her throne, he gives her three trials [Story Limit of Optionlock] to make sure her "essence is intact" [MC vs IC Throughline of Fixed Attitude].

Ofelia goes through the endeavors [MC Throughline of Activity] resolving each with her fair judgement [MC Problem Solving Style of Logical] and disciplined obedience [MC Problem of Trust]. At some point however, her instincts betray her and she disobeys Pan [MC vs IC Concern of Impulsive Responses]. Ofelia loses any possibility of being transported to the magical kingdom and is abandoned in the cruel real world of a vicious step-father who despises her.

Pan gives Ofelia another chance and asks her to shed the blood of Capitan Vidal's new born son. She takes the baby to the sacrifice place, but her merciful nature impedes her to harm him in any way and disobeys Pan once more. Vidal believes her intentions were to kill his son all along [OS Problem of Trust] and shots Ofelia right there.

Sacrificing herself turns out to be the right choice for Ofelia and she's transformed into the magical princess she always dreamed of [MC Resolve: Change]. Vidal falls into an ambush and, though his son survives, the baby is adopted by the rebels and will never know who his murderous father really was [Story Outcome of Failure]. In the final scenes, Ofelia is transported to the skies and is reunited with her magical father and glorious existence away from the cruel reality awaits her [Story Jugment: Good], even if it's just in her mind.

 

 

Copyright © 1994-2007 Write Brothers, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Based on theories and materials developed by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley
Dramatica is a registered trademark of Screenplay Systems Incorporated. Patent #5,734,916; #6,105,046