Cronos (1993)

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writer:

Guillermo del Toro (screenplay)

Release Date:

May 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery

Plot:

A mysterious device designed to provide its owner with eternal life resurfaces after four hundred years, leaving a trail of destruction in its path.

Plot Keywords:

Eternal Life | Antique Dealer | Invention | Tycoon | Aging

Awards:

21 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Federico Luppi	...	Jesus Gris
Ron Perlman	...	Angel de la Guardia
Claudio Brook	...	De la Guardia
Margarita Isabel	...	Mercedes
Tamara Shanath	...	Aurora
Daniel Giménez Cacho	...	Tito
Mario Iván Martínez	...	Alchemist
Farnesio de Bernal	...	Manuelito
Juan Carlos Colombo	...	Funeral Director
Jorge Martínez de Hoyos	...	Narrator (voice)
Luis Rodríguez	...	Buyer
Javier Álvarez	...	Bleeding Man
Gerardo Moscoso	...	Drunk
Eugenio Lobo	...	Stoned Man
Adriana Olivera	...	Tango Student
Clementina Rojas	...	Tango Student
Tzinia Salgado	...	Tango Student
Luis de Icaza	...	Tango Student
Jorge Bolada	...	Tango Student
Ignacio Raiz Oviedo	...	Tango Student
Napo	...	Mimo (as Francisco Sánchez)
Laurencio Cordero	...	Watchman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Guillermo del Toro	...	Man Walking Dog (uncredited)

Directed by
Guillermo del Toro

Writing credits
Guillermo del Toro		(screenplay)

Produced by
Rafael Cruz	....	associate producer
Arthur Gorson	....	producer
Francisco Murguía	....	co-producer
Bertha Navarro	....	producer
Bernard L. Nussbaumer	....	co-producer
Julio Solórzano Foppa	....	associate producer
Alejandro Springall	....	co-producer
Jorge Sánchez	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Javier Álvarez

Cinematography by
Guillermo Navarro

Film Editing by
Raúl Dávalos

Production Design by
Tolita Figuero

Art Direction by
Brigitte Broch

Costume Design by
Genoveva Petitpierre

Makeup Department
M. Carrajal	....	makeup artist
Rigo Mora	....	special makeup effects artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Batan Silva	....	assistant director (as Sebastián Silva)
Joaquin Silva	....	second assistant director

Art Department
María Figueroa	....	art designer
Gilberto Avina Gomez	....	art apprentice
Gilberto Aviña Gomez	....	art department
Jorge Siller	....	art apprentice (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Asman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Fernando Cámara	....	sound engineer
David E. Fluhr	....	sound re-recording mixer
George R. Groves Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eric A. Norris	....	sound effects editor
Santiago Núñez	....	cable person
Randal S. Thomas	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Laurencio Cordero	....	special effects (as Laurencio 'Chovy' Cordero)

Visual Effects by
William Koshowany	....	optical line-up

Camera and Electrical Department
Carlos Silva	....	electrician swing

Editorial Department
Jennifer Dolce	....	first assistant editor
Phyllis Housen	....	assistant editor
Paul O'Bryan	....	associate editor
Chuck Winston	....	color timer

Other crew
Pablo Buelna	....	location manager
Mariana Gironella	....	script supervisor
Norberto Nava	....	security coordinator

Thanks
Pedro Armendáriz Jr.	....	special thanks
Lance Bird	....	special thanks
James Cameron	....	special thanks
Alfonso Cuarón	....	special thanks
Alex del Toro	....	special thanks
Emilio Echevarría	....	special thanks
Robert Littman	....	special thanks
Emilio Navarro	....	dedicatee
Carlos Slim	....	special thanks (as Ing. Carlos Slim)

Production Companies

• CNCAIMC
• Fondo de Fomento a la Calidad Cinematográfica
• Grupo Del Toro
• Guillermo Springall
• Iguana Producciones
• Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía (IMCINE)
• Servicos Filmicos ANC
• Universidad de Guadalajara
• Ventana Films (as Venta)

Distributors

• October Films (1994) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Cineplex Odeon Films (1993) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Cineplex-Odeon Home Video (1994) (Canada) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA (1994) (Canada) (VHS)
• MCP Sound & Media AG (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (France)
• Nelonen (1999) (Finland) (TV)
• Prime Films S.L. (Spain)
• Vidmark Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1996) (Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence and for language

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:18A | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:16 | South Korea:12 | Spain:18 | Denmark:16 | UK:15 (re-rating, 2010) | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Company:

CNCAIMC

Trivia:

The role of Jesus Gris was originally written for Max von Sydow.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Jesús searches for Aurora after she has taken the Cronos, as he walks through two doors, he stops. Behind him, reflected in the glass of the door, is crew and equipment.

Quotes:

[to Jesus, who is about to take the blood from her fingers]
Aurora Gris:Grandfather.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Midnight Movie Review: Cronos (#2.77)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Eloisa

A gem lies inside Cronos.

An antiques dealer finds a device that gives everlasting life, but with it comes a horrible price.

Cronos follows the story of a kind hearted Mexican antiques dealer Jesus (a well cast Frederico Luppi), who one day stumbles upon a huge golden mechanical bug that when applied to specific parts of his anatomy seemingly starts reversing the aging process. However lurking in the background are a demented man (played by a very haunting Claudio Brook) who realizes the potential of the mechanical bug's power and will stop at nothing to acquire it. Assisting him in his search to get the mechanism is his maniacal son Angel (Ron Perlman in one of his best performances).

Writer/Director Guillermo Del Toro proves that he could be one of the most innovative low budget mexican directors to come about since Robert Rodriguez. The scenes showing the inside of the cronos device are very sharply done and it seems you are actually looking inside the device. To compliment Guillermo on his writing, never before have I seen such an interesting spin put on the vampire/zombie genre. And in saying that I may be giving away too much of the plot.

Unfortunately due to low production cost, the movie moves along at a slow pace and without a lot of shock. It is, however, kept strong by first rate acting, especially by Jesus' little granddaughter (Tamara Shanath), who in my opinion, if given the chance, will grow up to be a very fine actress. Which is actually a great feat for all actors involved because this movie is a cross between drama and horror and requires fine acting.

All in all, this best picture winner at Cannes is a hidden horror gem that just pours out originality, and can really not be overlooked by any true horror or movie buff. The twists come aplenty and there is enough gore to suffice any horror fan. So for any person looking to rent a mindless gorefest rent C.H.U.D. But for those looking for a horror film with a little intelligence, do yourself a favour and pick up Cronos, it's well worth the rent.

Overall Rating: 7 out of 10