Pan's Labyrinth: Mercedes Escapes Scene Analysis

Explore how mise-en-scene and cinematography are used to create meaning from one scene in Pan's Labyrinth.

Within the scene, Mercedes escapes from Captain Vidal, by stabbing him and mutilating him, after he threatens to harm her with his weapons. This scene is used to present people's need to be free from fascism after the Civil War. The scene begins with an establishing shot of a medium close up of Captain Vidal's hand going to grab a weapon from the table and as he picks it up the camera tilts up to follow his hand. This could imply to the audience that the weapon gives him power over Mercedes, similar to how the Spanish Government's followers and weapons held power over the country by threatening them. Within the mise-en-scene, back lighting is used in this shot to create a mysterious or dark tone for the scene, foreshadowing the horrific actions shown within it. There is then a straight cut to a medium close up of Captain Vidal holding a weapon. A low camera angle is used in this shot to establish his power in the relationship between him and Mercedes. This links to men's power over women at the time and how they would often intimidate them. In this shot, there is a high key light focused on him, which contrasts to the dark palette of the scene. This is interesting as he is only highlighted when he is threatening someone, revealing the true intentions of fascism.
There is then a straight cut to a medium close up of Mercedes with the camera level to her (no angle). As we see Mercedes at the same height, and Captain Vidal from a lower angle, at this moment in the scene we are put in Mercedes' shoes, evoking sympathy from an audience for her and displaying her as a protagonist or a good guy.

Later, a medium close up of Mercedes is used, followed by an eye line match of the back of Captain Vidal. This further emphasizes the director's intentions to show the scene from Mercedes' perspective as it shows the audience the brutal and horrid interpretation of the Spanish government that the Spanish people had to endure. Then there is a straight cut to a close up of Mercedes' hands, using the knife to set herself free. Match on action is then used, as there is a straight cut to Vidal's hands grabbing a weapon, therefore increasing tension as it show that they are both armed, implying that they are now on the same level and making the audience intrigued as to who will be the first one to strike the other.

There is a sudden straight cut to a close up of the Captain. As he is in the middle of the speech, this shows how much he believes he is powerful and adores himself, as the shot has made him the main focus in the frame. Side lighting is used in this shot to implying something is creeping up behind him, such as Mercedes. As she stabs him in the shoulder, there is a straight cut to a medium close up of the Captain. The transition from close up to medium close up suggests that Mercedes' wound has shocked him out of his power and he is now becoming aware of his weakness, due to the audience being able to see Mercedes within the shot. There is then a straight cut to a close up of Vidal's wound and it is revealed that it was in his left shoulder, the same arm that was picking up the weapon. As we've already established, the director used Vidal's weapons as a representative of the followers that support fascism, aiding the government in it's power. As Mercedes disarms the hand holding the weapon, the tone of the scene changes and Mercedes is presented as the most powerful from here onwards. This is to suggest that when the guerrilla forces (Mercedes) are free and have the right to oppose their opinion, they take away the government's  power above the people as they can lose followers. This therefore explains the ongoing motif of mouths within the film, as the government would want to take away the people's freedom of speech in order to remain in power.

In terms of mise-en-scene, a mid shot is then shown of Vidal using a low key light to highlight only him and darken everything behind him. This weakens Vidal, showing how, he has no one behind him so support or protect him from Mercedes, further emphasizing how the Spanish Government would become weaker if the guerrilla forces took their support from them. There is then a close up of his shoulder when she stabs him a second time. As both stab wounds are in his left arm, the arm of his ring finger, it could therefore imply that Mercedes is freeing herself from the expectations women have within marriage, or especially related to men. This therefore contrasts to the patriarchal views of the fascists, representing another way in which the opposition undermines their beliefs. As Mercedes stabs him a second time, there is a straight cut to a medium close up of the Captain, and the camera has now become handheld. This implies that the director has now switched the perspective to Vidal's as the unsteadiness of the camera highlights how weak he has become from the wounds. The director may have used this to allow the audience to see the power that Mercedes' anger and oppression has given her, over Vidal. The camera follows Vidal down onto his knees, presenting him as powerless due to how low he is. Then there is a straight cut to a mid shot of Mercedes from a low angle. This angle now presents Mercedes as the powerful character as (in terms of mise-en-scene) she is standing over him, suggesting dominance. As she speaks to him, the close up of Vidal starts to zoom into his face, suggesting how she is isolating and weakening him with her words as no one has ever defied him before, showing how oppressive and controlling that the government have previously been.

As she slices the side of his mouth, she presents the recurring motif of mouths within the play. This motif is used as the oppression of the fascist society forced people to keep their opinions against fascism to themselves, and therefore keep their mouths shut, restricting what people were allowed to say out of fear of persecution. Therefore, Mercedes cutting his mouth is shown as an act of defiance against fascism as an open mouth would be a symbol of freedom of speech.