Guillermo del Toro - New Book Looks Inside the Mind of a Legendary Director

James Jean artwork for The Shape of Water — *Artwork by James Jean, created for the launch of The Shape of Water*

Dark fairy tales, gothic horror, amphibious love stories and Spanish Civil War history – surely no other director has spanned quite so many genres while achieving this level of critical success. A fan since Pan’s Labyrinth, I was thrilled to read a new, in-depth look at the work of visionary auteur Guillermo del Toro.

Empire magazine film critic Ian Nathan explores Del Toro’s early years in Mexico and his beginnings in special effects, before looking at each of his films in detail. From his debut vampire fable Cronos and the chilling Devil’s Backbone, to the dark allegory of Pan’s Labyrinth, gothic romance of Crimson Peak, Oscars smash The Shape of Water and everything in between.

We also get a look at upcoming film noir Nightmare Alley, a remake of the 1947 cult favourite based on the novel by William Lindsay Gresham. Set for UK release in January 2022, the film follows the rise and fall of a con man (played by Bradley Cooper) at a seedy travelling carnival.

This fascinating coffee table book offers behind the scenes anecdotes, insights from Del Toro himself (taken from a huge number of sources over the years) and explanations of the recurring motifs and obsessions we see again and again in his films. Otherworldly experiences from his early years in Mexico and the shocking kidnap of his father go some way to explaining this exceptional, macabre mind.

Showcased throughout Bleak House, Del Toro’s personal museum, we also find out about the array of artists, authors and directors that have shaped his career. H.P. Lovecraft, Arthur Machen, William Hope Hodgson, Alexandre Dumas, Mary Shelley and many more.

Victor Erice’s The Spirit of the Beehive is identified as a major early influence, combining Del Toro’s beloved Frankenstein and the fascist monsters of the Spanish Civil War.