I saw Pan's Labyrinth at the Cinerama Dome (Arclight) with Guillermo being there; he introduced it and discussed many aspects of it afterward. It was the first time I got to meet him; such a lovable man, great warmth, great love of film, a truly great artist.
And when he was kind enough to stick around for a bit; i asked him about that; I told him I'd read a few stories here about that screening, and all he said was "I'm still basically speechless even thinking about it", or words to that effect.
Can you imagine being in the room when something truly remarkable, a screening that feels like a game changer first unspools? That's why that screening is one of the ones i covet the most. Would've loved to have been there. It's funny; I remember that Arclight screening; people felt like they'd been hit over the head with a hammer by the film, I describe it as achingly beautiful. I know it really knocked me out and i remember thinking about how those other films he'd made seem to inevitably lead to Labyrinth. Everything seemed to have come together just so for the guy, and he was ready to hit an artistic home run.
I have people in my life here in SoCal; I haven't been able to get them to watch the film at all. It's a big world we live in. Their loss.
Anyway, i thought of that film and that time because of these posts, also the one above about Nouvelle Vague and it having a sort of "homecourt advantage" due to the subject matter and the screening location and audience. And while that's true, i just think that many films, and Pan's is another one, many films are just not as suited to succeed in certain cultures vs. others. Yeah; I wouldn't expect a film whose subject is the making of a French film, that's a film that the American Public isn't going to connect with. Some people will and will love it; some will see it that love French Film and won't love it, but most casual fans aren't the people this is aimed for, and that's just fine. I can't wait to see it. I've seen Breathless about a zillion times, and will have to give it yet another look before watching this, that might be fun too.
Good times. Wish I was in Cannes right now.
