One day I hope to attend a film festival. But, alas, I am but a lowly peasant in the world of cinema, and can only continue to hope. That’s not such a terrible thing, though. It’s exciting to watch as movie blogs put out their scorecards and rankings of the screenings they saw on any given day or week of a festival. Right now, we are witnessing the reactions and reviews coming in as the 78th Venice Film Festival rages on, and soon, we’ll either get to see these movies on the big screen, or rent/purchase them for viewing at home. What a time to be alive for a fan of movies (seriously, this is one of many reasons as to why I love autumn and the end of summer so much.)
Any guesses as to which movie might be awarded the top award this year? The prized Golden Lion has gone to many a prestigious film, including Akira Kurosawa’s “Rashomon,” Laurence Olivier’s “Hamlet,” Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain,” Darren Aronofsky’s “The Wrestler,” Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” and the film I want to bring attention to today, Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” which was awarded the top prize on this day in 2017.
I remember not fully understanding “The Shape of Water,” fully when I first saw it, but now, it is my favorite recipient of the Golden Lion that I have seen thus far and is one of my personal favorite winners of Best Picture at the Oscars. In the times we live in, I urge you to seek this film out.
Guillermo del Toro has to be one of the most imaginative filmmakers working today, and with this picture, he proves to also be one of the most graceful storytellers as well. His love for the classic sci-fi/horror films such as Creature from the Black Lagoon is at the forefront here, with the design of The Amphibian Man” being a clear homage to the Gill-Man, as well as the central romance being inspired from that film as well.
As I said before, with the times we are living in, a movie like this seems all too important. Like many, I was originally put off by the idea of the “fish love story” that was central to the movie, but of course, there’s more than meets the eye here. Not only is the romance sweet, and believable, but there are also themes that resonate today. Despite being set in the 1960s, del Toro described the film as being about our current issues, such as hating and fearing each other. He brilliantly uses the narrative frame of the Cold War as a way to bring about a fairytale-esque way of telling a relevant story, without being preachy or heavy-handed. Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to such a fairy tale, as this movie feels like a perfect companion to 2006’s “Pan’s Labyrinth.”
Sally Hawkins shines so brightly in the lead role, Michael Shannon is a legitimately terrifying villain, Octavia Spencer is magnificently delightful (as always) and even under a mountain of prosthetics and makeup, Doug Jones finds a way to bring life and charm to “The Amphibian Man.” But, the performance, character, and subplot that sticks out the most is Richard Jenkins’ Giles, a homosexual advertising illustrator. Jenkins plays this role with such grace (and such heartache,) and the way we see him struggle socially, romantically, and with his work makes you really latch on to him. He’s a window into the struggle many feel, whether it be with one’s social life or work, or with being rejected for one’s sexuality (in today’s world as well as in the 60s.) He’s a loner, and that’s why his friendship with Sally Hawkins’ Elisa feels so earnest. Let’s not forget about some other aspects that solidify this as a masterpiece: the cinematography by Dan Laustsen, and the Oscar-winning original musical score by Alexandre Desplat.
Everything about this movie just screams, “This is what cinema is all about!” A story like this, being told in such a way, is why I love movies so much.
Jared Douglas Tonsfeldt
I’ve loved movies all my life and it’s a dream come true to be able to share about my views on film! My favorite Director is Alfred Hitchcock and my favorite movie is Dr.Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
