between Pacific Rim (his most commercially successful film worldwide) and The Shape of Water (his Oscar-winning film), released by Guillermo del Toro crimson peak— a film filled with themes and visually dazzling imagery dear to his gothic heart, but which failed to find a foothold with audiences or critics. Looking back at a new interview, he understands why the 2015 film was initially so misunderstood.
Del Toro explained in an interview with Vulture that it had to do with marketing: Audiences thought they were seeing a full-on horror film, rather than a harrowing period romance with supernatural overtones. “What do I want to do? crimson peak This is what I try to do in a lot of movies: make an action movie that works as a counter-action movie, or in crimson peaka gothic romance that defuses romance,” he said. In a later interview, he spoke more deeply about this: “I knew I wanted to make a lavish, beautiful operatic spectacle, with sets and melodrama and beautiful lighting, you know, just make it a kind of banquet. “
Unfortunately, as the director recalls, crimson peakHis unique sensibility proved difficult to market. “The pun that always haunted the movie was that it was sold as a horror movie,” he told Vulture, recalling that at the time he knew it was a “doomed” strategy. “I said, ‘You should be promoting romance, you should be promoting mystery. The last thing you want to do is promote it as a horror movie. We opened in October, and October is Halloween, so I understand why that happened. .
However, he was happy crimson peak has found its audience in the years since. “This movie connects on an almost molecular level with the people who love it,” he said. Not surprisingly, del Toro is among them. He called it “one of my favorite movies, very close to my heart.”
Guillermo del Toro’s next project will be his highly anticipated Frankenstein For Netflix.
Want more io9 news? Check out the latest release dates for Marvel, Star Wars and Star Wars, what’s next for DC Universe movies and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
