49/35
A mysterious device designed to grant its owner eternal life resurfaces after four hundred years, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. In an interview included in the Criterion version of this film, Ron Perlman talks about how Angel was supposed to speak fluent Spanish. Ron Perlman tried this, but Guillermo del Toro found his reading to be completely unusable. So the character was changed to an American expatriate who hates being in Mexico so much that what little Spanish he does speak is deliberately spoken badly. When Jesús searches for Aurora after she has taken over Cronos, walking through two doors, he stops. . Behind him, reflected in the glass of the door, are the crew and equipment.. [discussing why Deiter wants Cronot] Jesus Gris: He thinks it will help him live longer. Angel de la Guardia: [laughs] That asshole does nothing but shit and piss all day, and he wants to live longer? The US video release added explicit nudity. While the primary American theatrical version includes the prologue and dialogue in English, the aftermarket version is entirely in Spanish. Featured in Masters of Horror (2002). Die Schöne Müller by Franz Schubert Arranged by Charlotte Georg (as Lee Ashley) BMI Editor: Software Music BMI Courtesy of Capitol Productions Music – Ole Georg. Seriously underrated on this site, Cronos is a gripping story that captivates the viewer throughout its duration. Guillermo Del Toro’s first film is a thought-provoking, heartbreaking story that above all manages to be fresh, captivating, and unique, while also managing to capture the feel of horror movies in the same mold as The Shining, making it a family movie first and a horror movie second. Cronos is not really at the slasher end of the horror market, and it doesn’t come close to the filthy assault that the choreography provides. What Cronos does manage to achieve is an assault on the mind and soul, which is the essence of what a horror film must achieve if it is to leave a lasting impression. Based on this, I can see to some extent where the mediocre rating comes from, it’s not a bloodfest, it doesn’t scare for a moment and there are no unnecessary scenes of measuring eyes with rusty hatchets, but as any true horror fan knows, these are just sideshow attractions to superior horror films like The Shining, like The Fog and Cronos, if not quite the beginning, really come close. There are three things about this film that stand out in particular and make it undoubtedly worth watching. The most subtle is the commentary on US-Mexico relations that Guillermo Del Toro has woven throughout his film. It offers an interesting depiction of how he and no doubt many Mexicans feel about their encounters with the US, that they are always trying to be dominated and have to rise to their own capabilities in order to succeed. The most obvious is the very significant Christian reference and intentional name play. Our protagonist, an antique dealer, is named Jesus for simple reincarnation issues, but there are a lot of « my God », « my Lord » and more similar comments in the film, which is undoubtedly a subplot by the directors to show the good that still emanates from our protagonist. Jesus’ granddaughter and wife are named Aurora and Mercedes, and because they know the meanings of their names, which are « dawn or first light » and « grace », it gives the films finale a sense of completion. Finally, noteworthy is the acting of Federico Lupi and Tamara Shanath, who provide the necessary gravitas even in movement, if not through song, to convey the deep emotional bond between grandfather and granddaughter, which, when all else is removed, is the main driving force of this story and the one that keeps you coming back for more.