Guillermo Del Toro's The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth: Studies in the Horror Film - Softcover

"The work of Guillermo del Toro has always seemed ripe for academic examination. And this book, focusing on the twin peaks of _The Devil's Backbone_ and _Pan's Labyrinth_, delivers. The essays are rich, but the prize here is a series of interviews with del Toro's collaborators, culminating in three with the man himself. Indispensable for GdT fans." --Chris Hewitt, _Empire_ (print, July 2016)
"The density of del Toro's world has never been more apparent.... The 416-page volume tackles a striking range of cerebral topics, from forgotten World War II history to the philosophy of ghosts. The book is divided into two parts, the first of which contains ten essays by a bevy of scholars ... to unpack a film-specific theme, such as the lullaby motifs of Javier Navarrete's _Pan's Labyrinth_ score or the eerie significance of amber... Some of the entries venture too deep into the academic weeds for casual readers, but wider themes emerge; Anna Taborska's 'To Capture a Ghost' contrasts the evolution of cinematic spooks in Western and Eastern cultures, while editor Danel Olson's 'Pleasing Spectral Fathers' asks what it takes to elevate a film's villain from a forgettable heavy to cinematic icon. The second half of the book compiles 21 interviews wth cast and crew members... The volume is bolstered by previously unpulbished photos, Centipede's trademark attention to production quality, and an introduction by del Toro himself. It's not for casual fans, but anyone hoping for an expertly guided tour through the loftier realms of del Toro's imagination will not be disappointed." --April Snellings, _Rue Morgue_ (print, July 2016)
"Packed with thoughtful essays and insightful interviews with the writer/director and many of the incredible talents involved in the projects ... [and] edited by Danel Olson, who previously edited the impressive and thorough _Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining': Studies in the Horror Film_. Says del Toro: 'Sometimes I'm very pleased to find that people are reading the movies the way I consciously wrote them, and then I'm very surprised and happy that other people -- for good or for bad, I don't care -- interpret them differently. They are my movies only insofar that I made them... The essays are quite brilliant in terms of speaking about the movies in the context of social and historical war.'" --Gerry Gallo, _Famous Monsters of Filmland_ (print, Sept./Oct. 2016)