This DVD item from Lions Gate was reviewed on 4-Nov-2008.
Cronos Reference DVD. Classifications : General Art House & International Genres DVD Video Mexico By Country Art House & International Genres DVD Video Gothic By Theme Horror Genres DVD Video General Horror Genres DVD Video Vampires Things . Click the following link to view the cover of Cronos. Related topics: 1994-05. General. Genres. DVD. Video. Mexico. By Country. Genres. DVD. Video. Gothic. requestid: d80aef0a-c02c-4c43-a1ff-916feb7969a1
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1) DVD DVD Cronos by Lions Gate. How my ratings work:
5 - I really liked/loved it
4 - I liked it
3 - Could´ve been better/worth a look
2 - Just didn´t live up to the potential
1 - Simply aweful
Reworking the vampire myth is no easy task, but writer/direcor Guillermo Del Toro pulls it off in this creepy, darkly funny, and surprisingly touching tale of a man trying to gain back his humanity (literally). The work that went into this film is amazing, especially the creation of the Cronos device. Instead of babeling on about how good the film is, I´ll just say that this is a movie worth watching.¤ 2) DVD DVD Cronos by Lions Gate. In my opinion, great movies can either break the standards or take them to higher new levels, some masterpieces can do both. This movie, along with "Near dark", is a standard breaker, no doubt about it. The rest depends on what´s your cup of tea, but if great thrillers are yours, this may interest you.
After classic gems like the mentioned Kathryn Bigelow´s "Near dark" and other "vampire" films that offered a completely different view, description, and perspective about this mythology in horror films, Guillermo del Toro made his major 1993 breakthrought in both mexican and international film industry with this aclaimed and awarded tale about the search for inmortality. The tools, the means, the moods and the atmosphere used by Del Toro in this film were highly original and unespected for this kind of genre.
The theory of vampirism is focused on a technological device, an ancient artifact like a golden mechanical beetle that contains an inmortal parasite insect that will grant inmortal life to the one that feeds it with blood. So, what we have here is the story of the host for this "Cronos" device, antique dealer Jesus Gris (federico Lupi), who found this artifact inside an old 16th century statue, and his grand daughter Aurora (Tamara Shamath).
The evolution of the tale is very interesting, not horrific or macabre, but insightful and in some ways disturbing. Jesus Gris eventualy discovers the price to pay for this miracle artifact, wich is being transformed in a blood sucking human parasite. The aversion to daylight and the agonizing thirst for human blood unchain the instincts of survival and moral struggle proper of the "innocent" victims of vampirism. The adittion of a cruel villan portrayed as a dying millionaire looking for the precious device, and his violent thug nephew Angel (Ron Pearlman)as the man in charge to obtain it no matter what, are the final complement to such deep and tense tale. Aurora is the innocent silent witness of the transformation of his grandfather, and a backup character in order to maintain Jesus´s humanity over the film.
Guillermo del Toro frequently uses this character formula in his original spanish-production films, like the following "The devil´s backbone" and his latest masterpiece in drama and fantasy "Pan´s labyrinth". Simple and very straight-forward, the movie flows to a climax i won´t reveal, of course, and delivers a great fresh new reference for the genre with very low budget but high levels of artistic quality. Dark, gothic and surrealistic, this movie tracends the psychological thriller standard right into the horror standards, thanks to a less scary, non gory, but sensitive tale in a more human level.
The Inmortality issue in this movie, is like the "sunlight" issue on "Near Dark". The story is about the same: The victim is infected, descents to the lowest levels of indignity and basic desires, the moral battle over the lost humanity, and the final rise from hell to protect the loved ones. What more classic than that?
Highly recomended for sensitive fans, the ones looking for something new, different and in a way, exciting for the horror genre. A little history lesson if you think about it.
Just not recomended for extreme gore and shocking horror fans, this is way too dramatic and could be boring compared to these choices. To each is own, but everybody is welcome anyway.
The DVD edition? Nah! Just standard and regular as it can be for 90% of these movies. Look for it and enjoy the choice of edition you want, it´s all good.¤ 3) DVD DVD Cronos by Lions Gate. Guillermo del Toro´s first feature film Cronos places a new spin on the familiar vampire genre. The film touches on what it means to be human and on man´s quest for eternal life. Immortality is presented to Jesus Gris (Frederico Luppi) through the Cronos device. This device created by a 16th Century alchemist promises eternal life albeit at quite a price.
The film which one numerous awards is quite good with excellent attention paid to details. The supporting cast includes Claudio Brooks as a dying industrialist and Ron Perlman as his henchman nephew Angel.
The film is filled with cinematic in jokes and also contains quite a bit of Mexican and religious symbology. In his first film del Toro tackles many of the subjects that run throughout his later more mature works. While not as powerful as his efforts in Pan´s Labyrinth this is a film that is well worth seeing even if it is somewhat expensive and difficult to find.
I viewed the Lions Gate 10th Aniversary Edition which features a director´s commentary and a producer´s commentary in addition to several making of featurettes and an interview with del Toro. The special features are excellent across the board.
Seek it out you will be glad you did.¤ 4) DVD DVD Cronos by Lions Gate. Guillermo del Toro made a splash in 1993 with "Cronos," which he directed at the tender age of 29. Perhaps if I could go back to 1993 and see this movie for the first time, I´d give it 5 stars. Unfortunately, I didn´t see this movie until 2008 and after I´d seen del Toro´s recent masterpiece, "Pan´s Labyrinth." I gave "PL" five stars, and I just can´t put "Cronos" in the same league.
Essentially a thoughtful, religious vampire story, "Cronos" tells the tale of an elderly antiques dealer, Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi), who innocently discovers the "Cronos device." This machine, a beetle-like contraption made out of gold and with a nasty bug lurking in its wheels, was the creation of a 14th-century alchemist. As Senor Gris learns, the bite of the device imparts immortality, but at a gruesome price. Only the love of his granddaughter, Aurora (Tamara Shanath), provides Senor Gris with the strength and salvation he needs and deserves.
"Cronos" clearly proves that del Toro is a filmmaker to be reckoned with, and the movie deserves its cult status. If you´re looking for a solid horror film that creates legitimate tension but never settles for the "jump-out-from-just-outside-the-frame" gimmicks, you could do much, much worse. But despite the solid comic performance of Ron Perlman as a frustrated strong-arm man, one cannot say that "Cronos" is del Toro´s best work. He has made better movies since then, and he will continue to do so. But virtually every filmmaker in the world wishes he could have cranked out "Cronos" right out of the gate.¤ 5) DVD DVD Cronos by Lions Gate. An old antiques dealer discovers a mechanical insect (the Cronos device) in the base of a 16th century statue, and in the process stumbles upon the secret to eternal life. Unfortunately, immortality does not come cheap (does it ever?) and the price is that the old man must stay away from sunlight and drink human blood.
As is blatantly obvious from the above synopsis, "Cronos" is a novel spin on the classic vampire story. The storyline has a lot of potential, but unfortunately, that potential is never realized. Instead, the audience is forced to suffer through a dreary, slowmoving story, where little happens and with an ending so abrupt that I found myself exclaiming aloud "that´s it?" as the credit started to roll. The best thing about this film is Ron Perlman, as the gold-digging American nephew of a man determined to obtain the Cronos device, but his appearances are few and far between.
"Cronos" was the debut feature of Mexican horror director, Guillermo del Toro, which was subsequently followed by a number of American horror movies including "Mimic" and "Hellboy". Having now seen both "Cronos" and "Mimic" (one of the worst horror films I have ever endured), I do not feel inspired to see any of del Toro´s more recent efforts.¤ Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 2-Dec-2008, 1594350183031398101826, 231-65B-QVB-LWB-QCB-YOB-8 
Cronos, DVD, Image © Lions Gate
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