Guillermo del Toro Film as Alchemic Art [Paperback]

A critical exploration of one of the most exciting, original and influential figures to emerge in contemporary film,Guillermo del Toro: Film as Alchemic Artis a major contribution to the analysis of Guillermo del Toro's cinematic output. It offers an in-depth discussion of del Toro's oeuvre and investigates key ideas, recurrent motifs and subtle links between his movies. The book explores the sources that del Toro draws upon and transforms in the creation of his rich and complex body of work. These include the literary, artistic and cinematic influences on films such asPan's Labyrinth,The Devil's Backbone,CronosandMimic,and the director's engagement with comic book culture in his twoHellboyfilms,Blade IIandPacific Rim. As well as offering extensive close textual analysis, the authors also consider del Toro's considerable impact on wider popular culture, including a discussion of his role as producer, ambassador for 'geek' culture and figurehead in new international cinema.

Acknowledgments
Introduction

Part 1
Chapter 1. Influences and Intertexts
Chapter 2. Accented Fantasy and the Gothic Perverse
Chapter 3. Fan as Filmmaker

Part 2
Chapter 4. Twisted Genres:CronosandMimic
Chapter 5. Trauma  Childhood History:The Devil's BackboneandPan's Labyrinth
Chapter 6. Gothic Superheroes:Blade II,HellboyandHellboy II: The Golden Army
Chapter 7. From Development Hell to the Pacific Depths:The StrainandPacific Rim

Bibliography
Filmography and Comicography
Index

Keith McDonald holds a PhD from Birkbeck College, University of London, UK, and is the Head of Programme for Media, Film Studies and Mass Communications at York St John University, UK. His research interests include popular culture, cult cinema and digital media.

Roger Clark taught literature and film in UK Universils+