Cronos Film Techniques

Near the conclusion of Hellboy II, we find the eponymous hero at death’s doorstep. Hellboy is laid at the feet of his personal Angel of Death, a shrouded, veiled monstrosity whose ragged wings are festooned with a series of enormous, amber eyes. Elizabeth Sherman, Hellboy’s partner, cradles his unconscious body in a pose reminiscent of the Pietà, an aesthetic emphasized by the magical spearpoint thrust into Hellboy’s side. Even as Liz pleas for Hellboy's life, she is confronted by an ominous truth: as Anung-un-Rama, a demon messiah, Hellboy is destined to destroy the world of men. By saving Hellboy's life, Liz may be sentencing millions to death. The Angel grants her request, but offers a word of warning. “The time will come,” the apparition …show more content…
In Cronos, a 28 year old Guillermo Del Toro puts his cards on the table with astounding skill and confidence. Many of the themes and techniques which will enrich his later work are not only present, but developed well beyond the nascence one might expect given Del Toro's relative lack of experience.

Shot in Del Toro's native Mexico, Cronos tells the story of Jesus Gris, an elderly antiques dealer who discovers a strange, scarab-like device hidden within a 16th century statue. Jesus soon discovers that the device, the masterwork of a gifted alchemist, holds the key to immortality. Cronos bestows its gift, but at a terrible cost: Jesus has begun to change in horrific, fundamental ways.

As Jesus struggles to maintain his humanity, a dying millionaire in possession of the alchemist's tome traces Cronos to Jesus' shop and sends his sadistic nephew to retrieve the device. In a failed attempt to strong arm Jesus, the thug kills the antique dealer. Jesus awakens in the morgue, faced with the horrible realization that Cronos won't let him die. Jesus has become a monster, blessed with immortality but cursed with a thirst for human