History Fridge / PansLabyrinth

* Del Toro also menyioned at one point that the look of the Pale Man was inspired by his own experience of rapid weight loss after illness and feeling like his body was covered in loose skin. Leading to the disturbing thought that once, a long time ago, the Pale Man was a lot better fed...

* WordofGod from Del Toro himself, in the companion book to [[Film/TheDevilsBackbone]], is that the Pale Man represents "both church and state", particularly the Catholic Church: "He has a table full of food but will only eat children".

* WordofGod from Del Toro himself, in the companion book to TheDevilsBackbone, is that the Pale Man represents "both church and state", particularly the Catholic Church: "He has a table full of food but will only eat children".

* Franco would live until 1975. Given that Pedro and Mercedes are part of [[LaResistance the last republicans]] and the plot is set in 1944, what kind of life will they'll lead in the next decades?

* Franco would live until 1975. Given that Pedro and Mercedes are part of [[LaResistance democratic partisans]] and the plot is set in 1944, what kind of life will they'll lead in the next decades?

* With Vidal's parallels to the Pale Man, both Ofelia and Carmen get stuck in similar situations; they both exorcise their free will to make a questionable choice (marrying Vidal, eating from the Pale Man's feast), but the choice was born out of necessity (wanting a better life for her and her children, going without food for at least 24 hours). And both girls do so based on the enticing nature of what both antagonists offer them (food, clothes, riches compared to delicious food).

** It's even more poignant when you realize that Ofelia's only real choices in the film are between dying virtuously or dying miserably. The option of living never appears in the CrapsackWorld era of Spain post-Spanish civil war.
* Everyone says that Ofelia holds the IdiotBall when she eats the food set out at the Pale Man's table. How hard is it to resist the food that belongs to Mr. NightmareFuel when you ''know darn well'' the consequence of eating food of the Underworld! But... is Ofelia really that much more oblivious than her mother? Her mother who marries Captain Vidal, allows herself to be dominated by him body and soul, and must know how cruel he is, but is blinded by the wealth, comfort, and prestige that he offers. "Look at the beautiful clothes your father gave to us!"

** I've always wondered, how much choice did Ofelia's mother have in the matter? I haven't watched the movie in some time, but as I recall, Vidal first pursued her. I imagine it would be dangerous for a single, unmarried woman with a daughter living alone in Fascist Spain to spurn the advances of a sadistic, high-ranking official? Perhaps this is treading into WMG territory. In that sense, it would make sense for Carmen to attempt to warm Ofelia to Captain Vidal, knowing that he could literally hold the power of life or death over them.
** In a way, the juxtaposition of the Pale Man's table with the scene of frightened townspeople lining up to take the only food they could probably get, rations doled out by the Fascists, has some significance. Ofelia's mother is not to blame for seeking a way out of a dangerous situation and possible destitution; monsters manipulating hungry people with the promise of being well-provided for is hardly rare.

* A little symbolism during the scene where [[spoiler: Carmen is giving birth. While they await the baby's arrival, you can see Ofelia and the Captain seated side by side, yet in separate chairs. This subtly [[RuleOfSymbolism represents]] how the two are [[NotSoSimiliar disconnected]] from each other. Ofelia clearly wants to make sure her mother is okay, whilst the Captain couldn't care ''less'' about his wife as long as his son is born]].

* A little symbolism during the scene where [[spoiler: Carmen is giving birth. While they await the baby's arrival, you can see Ofelia and the Captain seated side by side, yet in separate chairs. This subtly [[RuleOfSymbolism represents]] how the two are [[NotSoSimiliar disconnected]] from each other]].

* A little symbolism during the scene where

* Adding to the above, Ophelia's second trial might have had a deeper meaning: it's meant to test if she's too mortal to resist human concepts, like hunger. An immortal underworld princess would have no trouble getting in and out like that. But a human girl? It's a surprise she got out of there at all, it not for a little ingenuity.

*** Take a look at the plants they're chopping up in the kitchen. They're mandrake roots - confirmed by Del Toro himself in the DVD commentary. In the absence of anything better, they were digging up mandrakes and eating them, so Ophelia getting hold of a mandrake root is perfectly mundane.

** But only Ofelia could see it move and hear its pained screams during the fireplace scene.

*** Maybe it's just my take, but the movie also seems to imply there's something magical about the food that draws her to it, suggesting that it wasn't entirely her decision to do so. Which actually potentially tracks with this parallel, given some of the questions that have been raised regarding the factors potentially surrounding Carmen's decision.

*** Not to mention, while I want to believe the OP didn't mean it, their words come off as [[UsefulNotes/VictimBlaming victim-blamey and rather... Offensive]] in regards to DomesticAbuse. Put yourself in Carmen's shoes -- a single mother who's [[UnequalPairing in an incredibly disadvantaged situation]] (war, destitution, illness, etc.) is surely [[TooDumbToLive going to openly rebel against a brute like Vidal]], who could easily hurt her. (Not likely ''kill'' her, since he needs to have a son and heir badly.) And yet the OP says Carmen "allows herself to be dominated in mind and soul" and "is blinded by his wealth, prestige and comfort"? Uh, nope, things aren't that easy -- Carmen was trying to cope with her and Ofelia's damn harsh situation, and definitely couldn't "fight back." One thing is a "weak female character" who has next to no agency/motivations/etc., and another is a "powerless female character" who is in a terrible situation and either cannot strike back or hasn't found out how... Like Carmen. (Ofelia does her best to handle self more actively, [[spoiler: even if trying to retrieve her brother gets her shot to death -- but then Mercedes finishes the job. ''Magnificently''.]])