Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has made some of the most compelling monster movies ever. Earlier in his career, del Toro gained critical acclaim for directing the 2006 dark fantasy film Pan’s Labyrinth, which features some of the scariest and unique character designs along with a nuanced story.
During an interview, del Toro opened up about his work on the movie. He admitted that a real-life horror experience served as inspiration. del Toro revealed how his upbringing in Mexico impacted the film and the true ghost story that influenced his take on the material. Here is what del Toro had to say about the inspiration behind Pan’s Labyrinth.
Guillermo del Toro revealed a real-life story that inspired Pan’s Labyrinth
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pan’s Labyrinth is a 2006 dark fantasy film that received critical acclaim. It grossed $83 million (via Box Office Mojo) and earned del Toro an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
During an interview with The Guardian, del Toro discussed the movie’s conceptualization, admitting that a real-life horror story he experienced as a child inspired it. The director revealed that as a little kid, he used to sleep in his grandmother’s house.
del Toro explained that every midnight he experienced a faun coming out of the wardrobe. While the director admitted that he must’ve been lucid dreaming, the experience was very real for him as a child.
I would see the human hand of the faun come out from the armoire, then the smiling face of a goat, and then the hairy leg of a goat.
The Academy Award-winning director made the above statement, recalling that the ringing of a nearby temple’s bells triggered the experience. Furthermore, del Toro also admitted to fearing monsters under his bed because of a carpet his parents had brought. As a result, del Toro’s vivid imagination as a child was responsible for his experiences with monsters as a child.
Guillermo del Toro explained how his childhood impacted Pan’s Labyrinth
Although the filmmaker’s encounters with monsters weren’t real, del Toro explained how they were likely a manifestation of a troubled childhood. In the same interview, del Toro talked about his upbringing in Mexico admitting to have a screwed up childhood.
I had a pretty screwed up childhood, living in Mexico. I don’t know if it’s because I was living in Mexico and I’m a Mexican, but I have had a life full of very, very f***ed up and strange things.
The Hellboy doulogy director made the above comment, explaining that his personal experiences impacted his movies, including Pan’s Labyrinth.
Furthermore, del Toro added that he spent most of his life recuperating from his childhood experiences, detailing his experiences with Mexican culture and certain horrifying incidents as the inspiration for his movies. As a result, it is easy to understand why del Toro’s movies feel so personal despite their fantastical nature.
Pan’s Labyrinth is streaming on Paramount+.
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