TITLE:
An analysis of how Guillermo del Toro uses social outsiders as political commentators in The
Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth
LAYOUT:
– Introduction – the subject matter
– Aim – to identify how Guillermo del Toro uses social outsiders as political commentators in his
indie films and why
– Introduction to Guillermo del Toro as a filmmaker, his filmography and his unique style
– Difference between his ‘Hollywood’ and indie films
– The Shape of Water – synopsis of the film – historical context (Civil Rights era America but also
relates to the Trump administration and movements such as #BlackLivesMatter – similar
conversations are still being had about race decades later) – analysis of the protagonist (Eliza –
deaf (disabled woman)) and what makes her a social outsider and how her character and others
such as Zelda (black woman) and Giles (gay man) are used to comment on the state of society
– Pan’s Labyrinth – synopsis of the film – historical context (post Spanish civil war era) – compare
the 2 films
– Conclusion
LINKS TO INFORMATION/REFERENCES:
– book: Pan’s Labyrinth by Mar Diestro-Dopido
– magazine: Little White Lies – edition 73 from January/February 2018 (I have photocopies of this I
can send you if you don’t find it online)
– magazine: Sight and Sound – volume 28, issue 3 from March 2018 (I have photocopies of this I
can send you if you don’t find it online)
– Pan’s Labyrinth – http://screenprism.com/insights/article/what-does-pans-labyrinth-have-to-sayabout-
fascism-in-1944-spain
– TSOW – https://variety.com/2018/film/in-contention/oscars-how-the-shape-of-water-rallied-aconsensus-
1202719566/
– TSOW marginalised identities – https://www.michigandaily.com/section/mic/qa-guillermo-deltoro-
marginalized-identity-shape-water
– TSOW – https://www.shortlist.com/news/the-shape-of-water-guillermo-del-toro-metoo-race-lgbt
– TSOW white privilege – https://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/the-shape-of-water/269399/theshape-
of-water-reveals-the-greatest-movie-monster-is-white-privilege
– TSOW left wing – https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/02/shape-water-liberal-film-oscarcontentder/
– TSOW and politics of the Oscars – https://harpymagazine.com/home-1/2018/2/26/the-shape-ofwater
– TSOW – https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/nov/30/guillermo-del-toro-the-shape-of-water-isa-
much-needed-ode-to-the-other
– TSOW monsters meet social justice – https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/11/shape-watersocial-
justice-preaching-americans-are-monsters/
– TSOW story analysis – http://www.baboulene.com/the-shape-of-water-story-analysis/
– TSOW GDT explains the characters – https://screenrant.com/shape-of-water-charactersexplained/
– TSOW analysis – https://narrativefirst.com/analysis/the-shape-of-water
– TSOW political metaphor – https://www.instyle.com/reviews-coverage/movies/shape-waterreview
– TSOW characters – https://industrialscripts.com/elisa-shape-of-water/
– TSOW what the audience may have missed – https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/postnation/
wp/2018/03/02/the-shape-of-water-isnt-just-a-fish-movie-its-about-the-latin-americanexperience/?
noredirect=on&utm_term=.683aaa26f037
– TSOW GDT explains the deeper meaning – https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/
guillermo-del-toro-on-the-deeper-meaning-in-the-shape-of-water-1.699621
– TSOW politics – https://watchingamerica.com/WA/2018/03/19/politics-in-the-shape-of-water/
– PAN use of theme – https://beyondstructure.com/the-use-of-a-theme-in-pans-labyrinth/
– PAN depths of Spain – https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2007/01/laby-j11.html
– PAN monster and evil/politics – https://www.indiewire.com/2017/02/guillermo-del-toro-panslabyrinth-
villain-pale-man-institutional-evil-thrives-tweet-1201778052/
– PAN – https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/nov/17/2
– GDT and his love of monsters – https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/aug/03/guillermo-deltoro-
bleak-house-home-lacma-exhibit
– GDT on PAN – https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/nov/05/features.review1
– TSOW critique of Trump – http://theconversation.com/the-shape-of-water-an-allegorical-critiqueof-
trump-93272
– TSOW monster/feminism – https://www.spiked-online.com/2018/03/09/the-creature-from-thefeminist-
film-studies-lecture/
– TSOW what we may have not understood – https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/
wp/2018/03/02/the-shape-of-water-isnt-just-a-fish-movie-its-about-the-latin-americanexperience/?
utm_term=.b21a6085097e
– TSOW symbolism – http://media.pauline.org/Resources/Blog/ArticleID/3583/Symbolism-in-The-
Shape-of-Water-Redeeming-the-Marginalized
– TSOW more symbolism – https://www.gradesaver.com/the-shape-of-water/study-guide/symbolsallegory-
motifs
– GDT TSOW passion project – https://www.indiewire.com/2017/11/the-shape-of-water-guillermodel-
toro-aquatic-cinematography-1201901222/
– TSOW reflective of today – https://www.screendaily.com/features/guillermo-del-toro-on-how-theshape-
of-water-reflects-todays-casual-racism-and-sexism/5124817.article
– Explaining the endings – https://filmcolossus.com/single-post/2018/01/11/Explaining-the-end-of-
THE-SHAPE-OF-WATER-the-origins-of-Elisa-the-similarities-to-PANS-LABYRINTH-andwhether-
or-not-Elisa-actually-died
– IMPORTANT – PAN history – http://www.widescreenjournal.org/index.php/journal/article/view/
66/111
– PAN interpretation – http://popupchinese.com/pans-labyrinth.html
– PAN antifascism – http://sdonline.org/47/the-antifascist-aesthetics-of-pan’s-labyrinth/
– PAN civil war – https://www.richardsilverstein.com/2007/01/19/pans-labyrinth-allegory-ofspanish-
civil-war/
– PAN fantasy vs fascism – https://www.wired.com/2007/02/pans-labyrinth-/
– IMPORTANT PAN – https://tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14636204.2013.841046?src=recsys
– IMPORTANT PAN – https://tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17570638.2016.1200318?
src=recsys
– TSOW and disability – http://politicalcritique.org/world/2018/the-shape-of-water-and-disability/