We excitedly countdown to the 72nd Festival de Cannes with a different prize winning film each day.
Cronos, 1993
Mercedes-Benz Award – Guillermo del Toro
One of the first things I did when the Criterion Channel launched this month, was to get up to date with the films I didn’t have the opportunity to watch when Filmstruck was alive. One of those films was Guillermo Del Toro’s debut feature film, Cronos. It premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 1993. And competing in the 32 nd International Critics’ Week, where it won that category major’s award.
Going in, I knew so little about this film, besides the fact that it was directed by Del Toro. At least an element of fantasy had to be involved somehow. For a debut film, it amazed me the way that Del Toro already dominated his craft. Having watched most of his later films, I could already identify some of the elements present in films. Like his Oscar-winning take, The Shape of Water (2017), and my favorite film of his to date, Pan’s Labyrinth (2006).
“Del Toro’s fascination for the occult is noticed quickly.”
Like I predicted, this film had a lot of fantastic elements. But I was surprised the most to find some religious allegories in it too. Something the director admits is a rarity in most of his work. Details like the names of the main characters, Jesús Gris (literally Grey Jesus) and Ángel de la Guardia (guardian angel), are an evident, but careful example of this.
Another example of this are that the wounds made to Jesús coincide with the stigmata suffered by Christ in the moment of his passion. Del Toro’s fascination for the occult is noticed quickly. As this story begins like a species of Tutankhamen cursed artifact story, and turns into one of the most unexpected vampire tales ever told in cinema. I was in awe of how the director defied our expectations and satisfy us with something so odd, but that works great.
It works because he treats his audience respectfully and trusts us to get by ourselves the story he wants to tell. He challenges us to interpret the symbolisms threw throughout the film and the actions of the main character. There are various indications that Jesús is indeed becoming a vampire. But it isn’t until he dies and resurrects (another religious allegory) that we can confirm our suspicions.
The use of certain colors is done with a purpose. You can see most of the time the background is either in shades of blue or in light warm colors. Red is barely used and if it’s utilized it’s done so we can focus in something the director wants us to see. One example of this use is in the bathroom scene in the New Year’s Eve party. Jesús gets “hypnotized” by a tiny pool of blood left by a nose-bleeding man in the sink.
“The sound effects of this movie are to die for.”
All around him is in black, white, and grey, except for those insignificant drops of blood, which fascinate Jesús so much. When his urges are left unsatisfied, thanks to an unwelcoming guest, he is surprised to see literally a big dot left on the grey marbled floor. We then proceed to watch how this pathetic vampire in the making succeeds to gets his first taste of blood.
The sound effects of this movie are to die for. Especially those involved with the antique artifact, the Golden Beetle, because of how similar it sounds to a working clock, something Del Toro wanted to be emphasized. The relationship of time, infinity. The musical score is very good too. It’s dark and tenebrous, and it seems to be present in the right place at the right time. It doesn’t feel invasive. It can be argued that it’s a character itself, although I believe it helps more to create the atmosphere Del Toro wanted for the film.
And how can we talk of a Del Toro film without mentioning the great make-up effects involved? From Jesús’s peeling skin to the insect living inside the artifact, the make-up team did an outstanding job making us believe these were the real deal.
“Visually stunning and story-wise easy to follow, Del Toro began his career with a film that inspired him to be a better filmmaker.”
The most impressive element about this film though is Guillermo Del Toro’s security as a first- time feature film director. He already had some short films in his record and a TV gig before Cronos. This is not unheard of, as recently as 2017 and 2018 we had the debuts of filmmakers to watch. Like Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, Boots Riley, and Bo Burnham, to mention a few. And they all have demonstrated security and control of their craft, and Del Toro is as good or even better.
Even when a financial problem hit the set, putting in jeopardy the whole movie, he managed to maintain control. And convinced everyone that everything was going to be fine. Hollywood actor Ron Perlman, a constant collaborator of the director, began trusting him in that moment. Even when he could have left the set and let everything burn while he had a more secure job elsewhere.
This is a special film. It might not be as spectacular and flamboyant like other vampire flicks, but it works perfectly. It’s like an anti-vampire movie if you think about it. Cronos has all the elements to make it one, but without all the clichés that make it predictable. Visually stunning and story-wise easy to follow, Del Toro began his career with a film that inspired him to be a better filmmaker. The one we’re accustomed to see masterfully crafting fantasy through fantasy a world, only his imagination can ever create. Hopefully the future will paved for more fantastic tales from this master and lover of the craft.
