While his name may evoke a pang of disappointment in the gaming community right now following the unfortunate cancellation of Konami’s Silent Hills, Guillermo del Toro remains a fan favorite among filmic circles, and upon accepting the Irving M. Levin Directing Award during the International Film Festival in San Francisco, the illustrious filmmaker talked to fans about his career, the conclusion to Pan’s Labyrinth and how he managed to secure an R-rating for the upcoming Crimson Peak.
Firstly, on the topic of Pan’s Labyrinth, the director took questions from the audience, with one eager fan asking whether he intended the ending to the cult Spanish horror to be viewed as pessimistic or optimistic. In response, del Toro stated that “I think it says more about you than it does about me, how you asked the question.”
For the uninitiated, the film ended with Ofelia saving her brother and effectively cementing her place in the fantasy world. Whether or not she belonged there and if the underworld itself is real ultimately comes down to your own interpretation.
As for Crimson Peak, the beloved Mexican filmmaker revealed that he “dropped everything” in his pursuit of the project, as the prospect of directing an R-rated horror movie was something he simply couldn’t pass up. In fact, Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam backed his former boss ahead of Crimson Peak‘s arrival, claiming that the gothic picture may very well be the best film del Toro has ever done.
It’s beautiful, it’s him absolutely in his wheelhouse. It’s a classic Gothic romance set against a backdrop of this very rural house in the middle of nowhere. Everybody did a great job, Jessica [Chastain] absolutely killed it, she’s wonderful in the film. I think it’s one of Guillermo’s best films, if not maybe his best film.
Del Toro’s latest is already no stranger to praise, with the likes of Joe Hill and Stephen King himself singing the film’s praises as Crimson Peak nears its release on October 16, 2015.