So, I was totally going to write this sooner….but, well, this weekend did not go as planned. So, here it is, and you can all finally calm down now that I’ve posted something new.
Where was I? Ah yes. Friday. We (meaning G and I) decided to go see Pan’s Labyrinth. We invited some friends, and wound up deciding to meet our friend Sageincave at the theater for the 7 o’clock showing. As a bonus, Doug Jones was slated to be there (more on that later). During the day, whilst talking to G on the phone, I mentioned he should look into getting tickets online. I wasn’t sure how popular it was going to be, and wasn’t sure what the capacity of the theater would be, so thought it would be a good idea. I knew we probably wouldn’t be able to get to the theater super early, as we needed to grab a bite to eat and drop off some things that we are loaning to a local theatre company first.
So, we get to the theatre a bit before seven as planned. We decided that in the name of efficiency, I would be dropped off to find our friend and pick up the tix. We pull up to a line from the door of the theater to the end of the block. I kid you not. G gives me his wallet so that I have the CC we put the tickets on, and ID, and anything else I could possibly need. I notice as I get out of the car that there is an automated box office machine in the lobby, however, it has an out of order sign on it. I pray to the gods that I don’t have to wait in the crazy long line of ticket buyers and pop into one of the lobby doors. I ask quickly if I need to wait if I’ve purchased my tickets online. The guy tells me that there is someone taking e-mails for those people. I go outside to find this guy with a clipboard. I give him G’s email address, and he tells me to go inside. Ho-kay. So, my next mission was to find our friend, since we picked up a ticket for her as well. I check the mondo line, and do not see her, fortunately, as I turned around, I see her come out of the lobby. I explain to her what I know to be happening, and we determine that she will grab us seats, while I wait for G.
I proceed to wait. And wait. I start to panic mildly. I have no phone on me. They are holding the start of the movie, but will he make it? Did he think he had to wait in line? I check the line. No sign. Finally….he comes in. We race into the theater to find our seats. We do this just as the previews are starting. Whew. G explains that he found parking super far away, because every lot and ramp within reasonable distance was full. While the trailers are playing, he goes to get the necessary popcorn and soda to get us through the flick.
First off, the trailers. I now want to see The Host. It looks scary and funny and awesome. There was also a trailer for a flick that looked crazy and awesome all at the same time, but I cannot remember the title to save my life. It is an Asian western. All bright colors and music, and bizarre and pretty all at the same time. And The Namesake, both because the lead was just a weird killer on Law & Order: SVU and because I have a love in my heart for all things Indian.
Finally we get to the film. It was beautiful, disturbing, hopeful, and thought provoking. You go through nearly the whole film trying to figure out how the hate and violence in the world has affected the mind of the beautiful Ofelia. There is the classic wonder if Pan is good or evil. Finally, as Chris Hewitt of the Pioneer Press said, it shows that adults need fairy tales just as much as adults. I highly recommend it, but you do need a strong stomach. I need to see it again, because there was a lot to digest.
As I watched it, I wondered if Pan was actually a flesh in blood person in a costume, or if he was a flesh and blood person that was in a computer friendly suit that was CGI-ed over. Well, at the end of the film, it was obvious. Doug Jones came out for the question and answer portion. He is tall, and rail thin. As he got up on the stage, I could tell that there must have been some serious make-up involved, because he was Pan. It was amazing. The way he moved was amazing. Not only that, he was fantastic….funny, sweet, and genuinely thankful that people like his work and support him. I found out during the Q&A that he was Mac Tonight in the McDonald’s campaign, that both characters make-up (Pan and the Pale Man) took five hours each to get into, that he doesn’t know Spanish, and that he memorized all of his lines in Spanish and rattled them off. (later, on my own, I found out that he was a mime in a troupe called “Mime Over Matter” and that the mechanics inside the head he wore for Pan blocked out other sound, so he also learned all of Ofelia’s lines so that he could cue his own lines correctly).
Post Q&A we went upstairs to get autographs. Now, I would like to fancy myself all cool and sophisticated, but I get around someone who is that freaking talented and cool, and I lose any semblance of cool that may have ever existed inside of me. I would love to have something witty and relevant without being pretentious ready to roll off my tongue, but it’s never gonna happen. So, I managed not to giggle, I said “thank-you” when he told me he liked my hair, and hopefully my hand wasn’t too sweaty when he shook it. He really is very sweet and genuine, and if you get the chance to meet him, I am sure you would say the same.
He’s even sweet enough that I won’t hold the fact that he will be the Silver Surfer against him.