I'm Alejandro Springall, and I'm here with Bertha Navarro,
producer of the film Cronos,
to celebrate the DVD release of this great first film.
We'd like to talk about our involvement as producers.
How this script came to us,
how Guillermo del Toro,
a very young man, only 27 years old,
convinced us to make his first film,
which was very important for Mexico,
a genre film,
a honor film, which is very uncommon
in the Mexican film industry.
Since we had committed to make a film
exactly the way Guillermo wanted to,
we had to search for ways to finance it,
in a very peculiar fashion for 1992, because -
in that big list at the beginning, ifs mainly private investors.
This has now become an alternative form of financing films in Mexico,
but back than it wasn't done.
I would like to stress the great freedom
that was given to Guillermo to express himself.
In order to meet all of his specific requirements,
and in order to bring Guillermo del Toro's obsessions to the screen,
which can still be seen in his films -
they started here, in this film -
this kind of financing provided total creative freedom
so we could help Guillermo achieve this visual strength,
this narrative which is so characteristic of him.
In Cronos you can already see the key elements
of his cinematography, of his obsessions.
You can see -
His obsession with religion.
Yes, all his religious obsessions.
Cockroaches.
And seeing things from a child's point of view.
This combination that Guillermo possesses
of nightmares and innocence.
Well, as you can see in the main credits,
there's a prominent international cast,
not at all common in that era, back in '92.
Well, from the moment Guillermo finished the script,
he always wanted to work with Federico Luppi.
Luppi had come here to do Tom Mix.
We contacted him. We sent him the script.
In fact, he made a fabulous comment, because he told Guillermo,
"its a very 'mineral' script."
Which none of us understood,
but we thought it was something worth appreciating.
It was his way of telling us he wanted to do the film.
He came from Argentina.
You probably noticed that Ron Perlman is in the film too.
They're actors that would work with del Toro again,
in his future films.
Guillermo maintains this creative relationship
with his collaborators,
like the cinematographer, his actors.
He tends to continue,
to keep working with the same people.
He's now working with Ron Perlman on his last film.
So -
Federico Luppi comes back in The Devil's Backbone,
and Guillermo Navarro would work with del Toro
in several subsequent films.
And you also produced The Devil's Backbone.
It's like del Toro has one great film in his life,
and now he's simply taking care of the details,
and he keeps preparing himself through his collaborations
with the people that he really believes understand him
and will be able to give him what he needs.
Here.
And Guillermo, in Cronos,
has already laid out
the themes he's interested in working on in the future.
Excuse me. Can I help you?
- Good morning. - Good morning.
What can I do for you?
Well, definitely, the obsession here
with religion
has a strong autobiographical element.
The children's relationship with their grandparents
is vary autobiographical for Guillermo too.
And owing to the lack of -
There wasn't an industry in Mexico
that could provid the special effects
that this film required.
So it was made in a very traditional way.
Open up your little eyes
This one is still missing. Put them in groups,
by size and shape.
If you provoke them,
it's worse, Aurora.
Six pieces were fabricated,
and each piece moved different parts
of this sort of Fabergé egg
that was found inside this statue.
De la Guardia Enterprises.
I wanted to point out the work
on the different locations and sets,
the work done by Tolita and Brigitte.
The old paper mill of Loreto
helped us enormously
to characterize the bad guy in the film.
De la Guardia.
We scouted endlessly.
We scouted thermoelectric plants
owned by the Federal Commission of Electricity, by Water and Power.
Until We got to this mill, luckily,
just before it was convened into a shopping mall.
And there, we were able to shoot
many scenes from the film.
The mill definitely became a multipurpose stage.
We had many sets there.
The same with the house.
And that allowed us,
while paying only one rent, to only one company,
to construct sets in advance,
so we could shoot in one part of the mill
while we were building in another part.
Also, Guillermo didn't need to travel great distances
to be able to go -
He would check every single plastic bag
on each of the archangels, as well as every single archangel.
Now, for example, De la Guardia's room
would appear again, in a vary similar way,
in the hospital in the film Mimic.
They're images that stick with Guillermo.
I think they're images from his childhood.
Because they would appear in several of his films.
And that's Guillermo's most attractive side -
We also have to put in perspective the fact that this is,
probably, the only first film with such a high budget,
as well as the fact that we gave him nine weeks to shoot.
Usually, with first films,
if you go to a location,
it's because that location will provide most of the sets -
Sure, you have to decorate them,
but here we built almost every single set.
Therefore, we had to give a director with such a strong vision
enough time to prepare, along with his collaborators,
down to the last detail,
which I think we can appreciate in each frame and in each cut,
and we needed those nine weeks.
Are you looking for something in particular?
It's unique.
It's not my money.
I'll wrap it for you.
We did two re-recordings,
a temporary one, which we urgently needed
in order to submit the film for a competition
that took place in Mexico City,
to try to win, because them was a cash prize
that would be very useful for finishing the film.
And that's how it happened. We completed the film with that prize.
And we redid the soundtrack and everything.
- Of course. - And yours too.
- How about this one? - No.
- And this one? - That one.
That one.
You like it too?
A present. And thanks to both of you.
Good luck.
No, honey, it's not chocolate.
Something like this happens once in a lifetime.
Once in a lifetime.
Well,
nothing happened.
Look, it's funny.
What do you think it is?
Here, Guillermo, in his first film,
reached the limit of what he might be able to do in Mexico,
in his industry,
that's the reason why he had to go work in other industries
which could provide him with more resources, more options,
and the specialized technicians
that would allow him to create his films.
Stay away from it.
Don't be scared.
Get me a box.
One, two, three. And one,
two.
One, two, three.
Now, listen carefully. This is seven in four.
We'll start with this leg, Manuelito.
And one, two, three and four,
five, six and seven.
One, two, three, four. Don't grunt, Manuelito.
- Excuse me. - And...
I think if I had an accomplishment as a producer,
it was being aware
of the stature of the talent
that Guillermo already had.
I mean, I sensed that there was a great director there,
and, well,
I was proven right,
both by time and by his career.
And I'm very happy about that.
It's almost...
the biggest reward
that I had making this film,
to see that I was supporting a great director.
And that conviction
is something that gives me a lot of pleasure,
to have insisted on it, to have seen it through.
We did have lots of money problems.
We couldn't finish the film at one point,
it got more expensive than we thought.
Anyway, looking back,
all of this was definitely worth it.
But that wasn't your only accomplishment, Bertha,
I think that in this film, besides the director,
you helped to shape many more people.
You can't forget this is the first feature film
of Salvador Parra,
who has now even won a Goya award.
Yes.
Also Brigette, who enjoyed complete creative freedom
to showcase her skills as art director.
All the collaborators in Cronos have made great careers for themselves.
Guillermo Navarro is already working
in the big leagues,
Brigitte has an Oscar, Parra, like you said.
There were a lot of young people who were assistants
who are now mainstays in the Mexican film industry.
And also yourself.
You have done many films.
There's also the postproduction aspect,
which is worth mentioning later on.
And the amount of patience you showed
when del Toro and l
were taking the film into postproduction -
We were a couple of kids, really.
And you helped and supported us
so we were able to pull the film through.
The postproduction was truly complex.
It got developed in Les Angeles.
And the music was done in London.
Del Toro traveled to London. It was recorded at Church Studios
with a great composer, Javier Álvarez.
And we had to coordinate -
I mean, it got to the point where we had to coordinate
between London, Los Angeles and Mexico.
Please, please.
Be very careful. I beg you, please.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
No.
I'm okay, darling.
I'm okay.
Good morning.
- I'm reading. - There's too much light.
It's incredible, you know?
Baby Vizcaína died at 92...
Do you like it?
No.
You look...
different, a lot younger.
Exactly. That's the point. That's how I feel.
Where's Aurora? - Don't you want breakfast?
I'm not hungry.
Hey, do you like it or not?
- Yes, I do. - Good.
I'm glad.
DE LA GUARDIA ENTERPRISES ANGEL DE LA GUARDIA
Hi, Mr. Gris!
How are you? Okay?
You destroyed my shop!
You don't know what you're getting yourself into.
Almost 40 years ago,
I found this manuscript.
Forty years.
They are the notes,
the inscrutable writings
of a 16th-century alchemist.
It's a fascinating text.
It's written backwards, in Latin.
It describes a very peculiar mechanism,
an invention that prolongs the life of the person who uses it.
But there are rules,
precise and very strict rules
about its usage.
- An insect? - That's the stroke of genius.
An insect is trapped in the device.
It's like
a living filter.
You think so? I mean, after all these years.
Who says insects aren't God's favorite creatures?
Christ walked on water,
just like a mosquito.
The matter of the resurrection
is related to ants, to spiders.
They can remain inside a rock for hundreds of years
until someone comes along and frees them.
Of course.
All of this is very enlightening, but why tell me?
I'm dying, Mr. Gris.
I'm going to show you something.
The scalpel has been eating away at me bit by bit.
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, psychotherapy.
Look carefully, my friend.
Half of my body is here, in this case.
And the other half
is already on the menu...
or is being devoured right now, while we talk.
No! That's mine!
You used it?
- It was an accident.
Angel!
Oh, Mr. Gris.
De la Guardia!
We both have something to lose.
Mr. Gris?
Impossible.
I put it here, damn it!
Aurora! My God.
Aurora?
I know you have it.
Aurora.
Aurora?
Here we have the presence of the girl.
The presence of children in del Toro's films
is a key component
It's extraordinary,
because the children seem to have more strength. more wisdom
and better judgment, often, than the adults.
That's right.
And it's also a more innocent perspective,
which allows him, perhaps,
to enter other dark realms of some sort.
Exactly. A child's perspective,
which is also a logic that's put forward from the beginning.
Once you're Within that logic,
anything could happen.
And it constantly has you -
It's the fresh perspective which all of his films posses.
After looking all over, I went in the bathroom
and found many little bits of tobacco.
They were floating in the toilet.
Just little bits.
I think he understood later that destroying my cigarettes
didn't help matters at all.
But at least, I understood that he was worried.
And he understood that I had understood.
You know what?
I don't know what's wrong with me.
But I think it's best if we're together.
- Jesús. - Just a minute.
- I need your help. - Just a minute.
Hurry up, darling. We're going to be late.
Who are you, little one?
A god?
You're very good for me.
I don't know why this dress doesn't fit. I wore it for last year's dance.
I'm almost ready.
How could I change so much in so little time?
Do you remember?
Do I remember?
My love I can't believe it's all over
The quality of the film continues to amaze me
in that it was done with a level of care -
All the -
All the scenes carry an enormous strength.
The scale of del Toro's ideas
is always huge.
You have to build enormous sets, to deal with complex arrangements.
There's never a simple scene
in Guillermo films.
That's what architects call vectors.
- That's amazing. - That's it?
The small parts always support the large ones.
- But what holds it up? - It's not a play on words. The pillars...
- Teacher. - I'll be right with you, Manuelito.
- Cheers. - Cheers.
What's wrong?
Is something wrong?
- I'll be right back. - Where are you going?
To get a drink.
It's hot.
This always happens to me.
- Are you feeling better? - Yes.
Every time I drink, I have to pee.
I've been listening to this music since I was a little boy.
What a fucking decadent party.
Really.
Give me a fucking break.
Look what they did here.
The party got crashed by some Argentinean
or a Peruvian, shit.
You break your back all year long to go to a nice party...
Fuck.
I'm leaving.
Nine, eight, seven,
six, five,
four, three, HAPPY NEW YEAH - TIGERS CLUB
two, one!
It has been a pleasure, an honor for Day Radio,
to bring to your homes
the traditional live broadcast of the Tigers Club annual party.
We're always thinking of you and wishing you the vary best.
May all your New Year's resolutions have a most joyous outcome
and open the most wonderful paths to you.
Here, in HPLM's sound booth,
we feel honored, overwhelmed -
yes. Why not say it - overwhelmed with joy
to hear from you, to answer your calls.
Mrs. Lorenza wants to send her warmest regards to the whole family.
And she wishes the very best for us all.
Mrs. Lupine Raquel sends everyone her wishes
for glory to God in heaven, peace on earth and goodwill.
How beautiful.
You.
What the fuck does the old man want with it?
He never told you?
He thinks it will help him live longer.
Leave me alone.
Do what you have to do, but leave me alone.
Get up!
So quiet.
My God, so much blood.
All that blood is mine.
I'm dying-
Unbelievable.
Everything's upside down.
And I'm dying.
Alone.
Don't let me die today.
I'm in so much pain.
I can endure a lot more. A lot more.
Oh, Aurora.
Wow, Tito. Wow.
The forehead is turning out...
Perfect.
It looks totally normal.
It's your best work yet. - Fuck, yeah.
There's a technique to this.
I'm giving it shape.
texture,
color.
You have to be a fucking artist.
Yes.
But don't go to so much trouble. We're going to cremate him.
What?
Fuck me! What do you mean we're going to burn him?
You should've told me before I fixed the fucker, God rest his soul.
Nobody respects my work here. Why didn't you guys let me know?
You! Why didn't you let me know?
The widow changed her mind.
It looks like the guy didn't make preparations.
He didn't buy a niche, or a grave plot, nothing.
They're all the same.
The bastards think they'll live forever.
Motherfucker.
Look at that.
Was it a lively wake?
We won't send you to heaven like this.
Naked, with lipstick smudges all over.
They'll think you went whoring.
Here you go, buddy.
Coma in, sir. Come in. Make yourself at home.
Tito, Mr. De la Guardia is -
was a friend of the deceased.
He wants to see the body one last time.
Of course.
Medium or well done?
HE ISN'T DEAD HE JUST LEFT EARLY
THE FAMILY OF JESÚS GRIS THANKS YOU
FOR BEING WITH US DURING THESE TRYING TIMES
Hello?
Yes?
Mercedes
The world seen through the eyes of a child.
Guillermo, deep down, is still a child.
He has retained this freshness of a child,
to narrate his adventures,
because he has -
His mind is filled
with strong and brutal images.
and, at the same time, tender and very loving images.
Dear Mer... cedes.
It's vary hard to write these lines to you.
I want you to know that,
somehow,
for some reason,
I'm still alive.
And being alive is vary painful.
I'm burning with thirst.
And everything feels foreign to me,
the day.
this house...
and you.
Aurora will stay with you.
She will leave you this letter.
By the time you read it,
I will have gone to a kind of appointment
to resolve unfinished business.
If I've lost everything, at least I'd like to know why.
Just today I realize how much I miss you.
I hope to find you hare when I come back, willing to see me,
regardless of my appearance.
Love,
Jesús
Aurora.
For God's sake, what are you doing here?
I told you not to come, Aurora.
Put that away.
Don't you realize they could kill us?
Don't you realize we're in danger?
It works.
I knew you'd be back.
If you're looking for the missing pages,
you're wasting your time.
I ate them.
You talk about eternity.
Look at me, look at my skin. It's rotting. It's falling to pieces.
What? What are you talking about?
Look.
What's happening to me?
You've been reborn.
Why is this happening?
Why this new skin?
And don't answer with riddles!
You talk about insects,
about alchemists, about devices.
But what am I missing?
Blood.
Human?
I can break the device, smash it to pieces.
I don't give a damn about eternity!
I don't want to live forever. I just want out of this.
I don't trust you.
I don't think you have a choice.
Give it to me, darling.
Give it to me, I know what I'm doing.
But first...
my way out.
Ready. Cut.
Camera.
My God, Aurora.
Let's go, okay?
Let's go.
Please.
Angel.
Oh, Mr. Gris.
Mr. Gris.
Go on.
Go on!
Come here.
Angel!
What the fuck do I have to do to kill you?
You've got more to lose.
For me, it's just pain.
Grandfather.
No!
Cronos would go on to be what gives Guillermo del Toro
his international career, his widespread reach,
because he has a lot to express.
And I'm sure we'll be seeing many of his works in the future.
Jesús Gris.
Finally, we gave everything to this film.
We made a tremendous effort,
but we truly gave it a lot more
than what was usually given to a Mexican film at the time.
Nowadays, when films are made,
it's standard to do it that way,
with those kinds of costs and more professional productions.
But we were the ones who blazed a trail
and gave -
again, really gave Guillermo
everything that he needed to make Cronos possible.
IN MEMORY OF JOSEFINA CAMBEROS