Cronos

This is one wacko horror movie. Guillermo Del Toro, who has now become one of our greatest directors, made this unnoticed masterpiece without much hoopla. It is the story of Jesus Gris and his family. He is a kindly grandpa who runs a curio shop. Inside one of the angel statues is a metal scarab which has magical powers. The beginning of the film tells of an alchemist who discovered a way to immortality. Unfortunately, there is a price to pay to keep the body going. There are incredible images in this film. Cronos, of course, is the god (sometimes known as Saturn) of time. There are images of time all over this. Even the turning of the gears like in a watch whenever the scarab fixes itself is an image of time. And, of course, time is the enemy of us all and is the enemy of the adversaries in this film. Ron Perlman is the scene stealer her in all of his craziness, playing a sociopath who cottons to everything his master does (his master is terminally ill) hoping to receive his master's wealth eventually. There are touching scenes with the little girl, Aurora and Mercedes, the wife. But all in all this is something that once seen will never be forgotten. I wonder if it started out as a nightmare.