Guillermo del Toro

As Autumn’s chill begins to set in, we find ourselves naturally drifting towards all things pumpkin spice and spooky. Rather than stories of heroes or romance we turn towards the macabre and the unexplained, but what if there were those who told tales from the in between? Of heroic monsters and the kind faces that can also bump in the night. Enter Mexican filmmaker extraordinaire, Guillermo del Toro. Creator of Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, and the upcoming retelling of Pinocchio. Del Toro is a man who sees the strength in the outcast and the humanity in the creature which is what makes his characters, despite their monstrous appearances, feel the most real.

Actions often speak much louder than words, in the absence of being able to have dialogue convince the true nature of your characters, how they behave and handle challenges set for them often speaks far louder than any sulking attitude. The juxtaposition of the two create an interesting dynamic that can push the character forward towards positive growth or further into what could be a villain's backstory.

Any artist will tell you freely how much they put of themselves into their work. Whether it be a story of a boy that never grew up mirroring your listlessness in adulthood or a heroic character resembling a guardian you grew up with, being able to show and write words you could never properly express before is a freeing part of writing a story. Having the core of a story be around a strong conviction of life only empowers the overall meaning and reception.

As the oldest form of record keeping and entertainment, storytelling will always hold a very sacred place in the history of humankind. It can be daunting realizing how integral sharing tales is to our species, but I find it to be a very unifying thing. Being able to write a story, no matter how silly or serious, is an important part of the human experience and regardless of your own criticisms of your works, is something to be congratulated and appreciated.

What is your favorite classic Halloween monster?
Why do they mean so much to you?