Director Guillermo del Toro, known for his fantastical, emotional cinema, offered a rare glimpse into the personal obsessions that have driven his career, including his fifty-year journey to finally adapting the classic horror tale, Frankenstein. The conversation revealed the deep, early influences that shaped his artistic vision and his surprisingly serene perspective on mortality.

Del Toro’s unique cinematic voice is profoundly shaped by his childhood fascination with classic monsters and a strong emotional conviction that rejects modern cynicism.

The director traced his lifelong devotion to Frankenstein back to a single, profound moment of cinematic discovery during his youth. In the recent Marrakech Film Festival, Guillermo del Toro recalled a pivotal moment at the age of seven when he watched Boris Karloff's iconic performance as Frankenstein’s monster. He was immediately captivated.

The director described this viewing experience, as reported by Variety, with spiritual language, declaring, “That was religion. That was my church.” He elaborated on the deep, personal connection he felt.

Four years after this initial cinematic conversion, del Toro found a paperback copy of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, and was so engrossed that he read the entire book in one sitting, solidifying his future creative path.

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Despite his films often dealing with the terrors of the unknown, the director shared a surprisingly tranquil and even positive outlook on the subject of death.

During the nearly two-hour conversation at the festival, del Toro candidly turned his attention toward the topic of mortality, expressing a lack of fear. He declared himself "a big fan of death," prompting applause from the audience of journalists and film students.

Del Toro also spoke about the emotional grandness he sought in his films, aligning himself with the Romantic poets who were unafraid of expressing deep emotion, even if it risked being labeled as "ridiculous" by cynical modern sensibilities.

Guillermo del Toro passionately articulated his belief in embracing strong emotions in filmmaking, noting that, as a Mexican, emotion is central to his identity. He observed a current trend in civilization where emotion is hidden, resulting in a "horrible moment" where cynicism is often mistaken for intelligence.

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What other elements of Guillermo del Toro’s creative process or filmography would you be interested in exploring? Let us know in the comments below.