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Guillermo del Toro Blu-ray Triple Box Set in October

15 October 2010

You may have picked up that we're big fans of the cinema of Guillermo del Toro here (not too hot on Hellboy, but we'll let that ride), and the news that Optimum are soon to release a box set containing Blu-ray editions of three of his best films – Cronos, The Devil's Backbone and Pan's Labyrinth – has had us twitching with anticipation.

Cronos (1993)

The earliest of the movies in the box set is an inventive and compassionate reworking of vampire mythology, a story of family loyalties as well as alchemy and vampirism.

An old antiques dealer, Jesus Gris, finds a mechanical device called the 'Cronos device'. Whilst holding the Cronos it springs open and its metallic legs pierce Jesus' flesh. Once 'bitten', he develops a craving for human blood, and his body grows more and more youthful with each drink. As the addiction spreads through his body, he realises he desires the blood of his innocent granddaughter...

Cronos is peculiarly compassionate, approaching the question of immortality poetically as well as horrifically and humorously.

Blu-ray extras:

  • Geometria short film (new extra);
  • Guillermo del Toro interview (new extra);
  • Director's notes (new extra);
  • Gallery;
  • Guillermo Navaro interview;
  • Audio commentary with Guillermo del Toro
  • Original Guillermo del Toro interview.

 

The Devil's Backbone (2001)

2001's The Devil's Backbone is a deliciously dark horror that tells the tale of a remote Spanish orphanage during the final days of The Spanish Civil War. Its young inhabitants are brutally terrorised by a spirit that stalks the building's dark decaying hallways. A story of orphan children battling for survival against the spirit-world building up to a grisly, explosive finale where the children unravel the truth behind the spirit's haunting.

Blu-ray extras:

  • Video Prologue by Guillermo Del Toro (new extra);
  • Of Ghosts And Fauns: Del Toro's Spanish Civil War;
  • Behind the scenes featurette;
  • Special effects featurette;
  • Trailer;
  • Storyboards;
  • Biographies;
  • Audio commentary by Guillermo Del Toro.


Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Released in 2006 to critical acclaim, Pan's Labyrinth mingles real life politics and social drama with fantasy and magic to create a masterpiece of modern cinema. An imaginative gothic fairytale for adults set in Spain during World War II, Pan's Labyrinth is a beautiful, charming, graphic and deadly story of a young girl's journey to her own fantasy world, created in order to escape a cruel and harsh reality. Entering a mysterious and enchanting world of fairies, fauns and giant frogs, she is told she must accomplish three gruesome, assignments before being able to see her father again.

Blu-ray extras:

  • Motion comics (new extra);
  • Video Prologue by Guillermo Del Toro;
  • The Guardian Interview at the NFT with Guillermo Del Toto;
  • The Power of Myth;
  • DVD Comic Sketches: The Pale, the Fairies, the giant Toad and Pan;
  • El Fauno y Las Hadas;
  • The Colour and the Shape;
  • Storyboard/thumbnails;
  • VFX Plate Compare: Guillermo Del Toro and the Green Fairy;
  • Director's Notebook;
  • The Melody Echoes the Fairy Tale;
  • Mercedes' Lullaby;
  • Poster Gallery;
  • Trailer.

The Guillermo del Toro Blu-ray Triple Box Set will be released on 25th October 2010 by Optimum Home Entertainment at the RRP of – wait for it – £74.99. Ouch.