In the Realm of Guillermo

Explore the imaginative worlds of Guillermo del Toro in this four-week course taught by John Trafton

September 20 - October 11, 2018

The mind palace of Guillermo del Toro has many secret chambers. Some are filled with terrifying characters like the Pale Man from Pan's Labyrinth or the ghosts of Crimson Peak. Others contain more tender and sensual moments, like the romance between Elisa and The Asset in The Shape of Water. When we explore the rest of del Toro's head space, we are drawn further into fantasy worlds that are both familiar and unlike anything we've experienced before - worlds populated by giant robot warriors, vampire hunters, and, of course, Hellboy.

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This four-week class will journey into the fantasy worlds of Guillermo Del Toro, starting with the early Mexican horror film Cronos (1993) and ending with the recent award-winning film The Shape of Water. Taught by Seattle University Professor John Trafton.

Class Specifics:
In the Realm of Guillermo
Four Thursdays: September 20 - October 11
SIFF Film Center
$60 | $50 Members
SIFF Cinema passes, vouchers, and other discounts not accepted.

Class Syllabus
September 20: A long time ago...
Films: Cronos (1993) Mimic (1997) The Devil's Backbone (2001)

September 27: The Blood of the Innocents
Films: Pan's Labyrinth (2006) & Hellboy (2004)

October 4: Beautiful Monsters
Films: Blade II (2002) Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) Pacific Rim (2013)

October 11: If I told you about her...
Films: Crimson Peak (2015) & The Shape of Water (2017)

Class Workload:
A familiarity, and preferably recent viewing, with these films will provide the best outcomes for students in this course. There are no required readings but suggested readings may be emailed in advance of specific classes and a website will be created to help connect students to supporting materials.

About the Instructor:
John Trafton is a film historian and writer from the Seattle area. He is the author of several works on cinema history, including the book "The American Civil War and the Hollywood War Film." His work focuses on how history is portrayed on film, war and cinema, the Horror genre, and pre-cinema spectacle art. He has a PhD in Film Studies from the University of St. Andrews, and has taught cinema on both sides of the Atlantic for over six years. He is currently a Lecturer in Film Studies at Seattle University.