Emilie Meyer
Guillermo del Toro's 2006 dark fantasy film 'Pan's Labyrinth' depicts a variety of monsters and creatures, both in the real world and a mythical one. The film follows the young protagonist Ofelia, who interacts with these creatures in an overgrown, abandoned labyrinth. One of the most notable monsters in the film is the Pale Man, a humanoid monster with eyes on his hands, inspired by the Japanese mythological monster, the Tenome. The Pale Man is depicted as a child-eating monster, with a terrifying appearance and a vile appetite for defenseless children. Another creature, the Faun, serves as Ofelia's guide but is also considered one of the most horrific creatures in the film. The film also features a giant toad, fairies, and a mysterious stick insect.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Pale Man |
| Skin | Pale, elastic |
| Eyes | In the palms of his hands |
| Appetite | Small, defenseless children |
| Portrayed by | Doug Jones |
| Inspired by | Japanese mythological monster Tenome |
| Represents | Institutional evil feeding on the helpless, the Church, corruption in the world |
| Other Monsters in the Film | The Faun, a giant toad, stick insect/fairy |
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![Pan's Labyrinth (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81PNPArXZkL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
The Pale Man's eyes
The Pale Man is a monster in Pan's Labyrinth, a 2006 Spanish dark fantasy drama film. The Pale Man is described as a vile, hideous, and rebarbative humanoid monster with pale elastic skin and eyeballs in the palms of his hands, giving him a terrifying appearance. The eyeballs on his hands are a feature shared by the Japanese mythological monster the Tenome, a name that means "hand eyes". The Pale Man is depicted as a child-eating monster, with paintings in his lair depicting him eating children one by one. This interpretation is supported by a pile of children's clothing and shoes in his lair, indicating that he consumes his victims entirely.
In the film, the protagonist Ofelia is sent to the lair of the Pale Man as part of a quest to prove herself worthy. She is warned by the faun, who may be the true form of the Pale Man, not to eat anything from the luxurious banquet served at the sleeping Pale Man's table. Ofelia is hungry and cannot resist, even when the fairies try to persuade her not to eat. As soon as she turns away, the music becomes darker, signalling that something is about to happen.
The Pale Man is considered one of the most unique and horrifying monsters in the film, with his strange and threatening presence felt from the moment he is introduced. The Pale Man represents institutional evil feeding on the helpless, with some interpreting him as a representation of the Church. The character's design, combining complex makeup and animatronics, contributes to his terrifying appearance and the overall impact he has on the viewer.
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The Pale Man's lair
The Pale Man is a child-eating monster and the secondary antagonist of Guillermo del Toro's 2006 fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth. The Pale Man's lair is a place of horror and temptation. It is filled with a banquet of food, including a tempting bunch of grapes, that is very inviting to hungry children. The lair is also where the Pale Man sleeps, with his eyes removed from his hands. The eyes are a terrifying feature shared with the Japanese mythological monster the Tenome, or "hand eyes".
The protagonist, Ofelia, must enter the lair to retrieve a dagger as part of her quest to prove she is not an ordinary human. She is warned not to eat any of the food, but she cannot resist and eats two grapes. This wakes the Pale Man, who places his eyes into the palms of his hands and sets off to find and eat Ofelia. She watches in horror as he devours two of the fairies accompanying her. Ofelia and the remaining fairy escape through a door drawn with a piece of magic chalk.
The Pale Man's preference for children over the feast has been interpreted as a criticism of the Catholic Church. The character's design and lair contribute to the film's themes of ambiguity, where the line between real and fantasy is blurred, and the audience is left questioning what is real and what is imaginary in Ofelia's journey through the labyrinth.
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The Faun's intentions
The Faun in 'Pan's Labyrinth' is a mysterious creature with ambiguous intentions. He is portrayed as a guide and a mentor to the protagonist, Ofelia, but it is challenging to discern whether he is a friend or foe. The Faun believes that Ofelia is the reincarnation of Princess Moanna and gives her a book containing three tasks that she must complete to acquire immortality and return to her kingdom.
However, the Faun's intentions are not always clear. He becomes irritated with Ofelia when she neglects her tasks, and his body seems to tower over her in her small bedroom. Additionally, there is speculation that the Faun may be connected to the Pale Man, either as his creator or as the monster himself in another form, as they are both portrayed by the same actor, Doug Jones.
The Faun's true intentions remain ambiguous, leaving it open to interpretation by the viewers. Some see him as a helpful guide, while others find him odd and scary. Ultimately, the Faun serves as a complex and intriguing character in the film, adding to the fantasy and mystery of 'Pan's Labyrinth'.
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The Toad's role
The giant toad in Pan's Labyrinth is one of the monsters that Ofelia, the film's protagonist, encounters in the mythical world. The faun, who acts as Ofelia's guide, gives her three tasks to complete in order for her to acquire immortality and return to her kingdom. The first task involves retrieving a key from the belly of the giant toad. The toad is described as a "gross beast" that is not intelligent. It is also said to be the creator of all the destruction in the film.
To complete the first task, Ofelia is accompanied by three fairy guides and equipped with a piece of magic chalk. The faun instructs her to get the giant toad to ingest magical stones, after which she will receive the key. The toad is depicted as a monster that vomits, which disgusts viewers. The toad also represents the wealth of the world, devouring the tree from the inside and depriving others.
The toad is one of the many monsters that Ofelia encounters in the film, including the Pale Man, who is the secondary antagonist and a vile, hideous, and rebarbative humanoid monster with a hunger for small, defenseless children. The faun, who is covered in moss and seems excited to see Ofelia, also becomes increasingly irritated with her as the film progresses.
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The Captain's true nature
In the 2006 dark fantasy film Pan's Labyrinth, the true monster of the story is not the Pale Man, the Faun, or any of the other fantastical creatures that inhabit the film's mythical world. Instead, it is Captain Vidal, Ofelia's cruel military stepfather, who hunts down the Spanish Maquis resisting the Francoist regime.
Captain Vidal's clean and civilized image hides a ruthless and chaotic nature. He is willing to kill anyone who stands in his way and change the rules of the game at any time without warning to get what he wants. This makes him even more of a monster than the film's fantastical creatures, who operate within a strict set of rules. For example, the Faun tells Ofelia that she must not eat the food in the Pale Man's lair, and if she follows this rule, she will be alright.
The Pale Man, a vile, hideous, and rebarbative humanoid monster with pale elastic skin and eyes on his hands, is a secondary antagonist and represents institutional evil feeding on the helpless. He is inspired by the Japanese mythological monster, the Tenome, which also has eyes on its hands. The Faun, a mysterious creature who believes Ofelia is the reincarnation of Princess Moanna, may also be a form of the Pale Man, according to director Guillermo del Toro.
While the Pale Man and the Faun are certainly horrific and terrifying creatures, Captain Vidal is the true monster of Pan's Labyrinth because he represents the worst of humanity. He is a reminder that the monsters we create in our imaginations are often less frightening than the ones that exist in the real world.
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Frequently asked questions
The monsters in Pan's Labyrinth include a faun, a giant toad, a Pale Man, and fairies.
The faun is covered in moss and has a pair of horns.
The Pale Man is a pale-skinned humanoid monster with eyeballs in the palms of his hands.
The Pale Man is the secondary antagonist of the film. He is a child-eating monster.
