THE CURBSIDE CRITERION: CRONOS
(We here at Hammer to Nail are all about true independent cinema. But we also have to tip our hat to the great films of yesteryear that continue to inspire filmmakers and cinephiles alike. This week, “The Curbside Criterion” continues where HtN staff can trot out thoughts on the finest films ever made. This week Brad Cook bites into the new 4K release of Cronos, Guillermo del Toro’s first feature film.)
First movies by gifted directors are always interesting to watch, because you can often see the rough clay that was being molded into the excellent works of art that came later. One such case in point is Guillermo del Toro’s Cronos, which established his template for strange tales infused with bits of horror and folklore.
Released widely in 1993, Cronos focuses on an elderly antiques dealer, Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi), who discovers a strange, scarab-shaped mechanical device in the base of a statue. Upon activation, legs pop out to pin the device to his skin and a needle begins siphoning blood that’s filtered by a strange insect living inside. He finds his youth and vitality returning to him, although he gains an intense desire for blood too.
Meanwhile, a rich, dying businessman named Dieter de la Guardia (Claudio Brook) has been seeking the mechanism and sends his nephew, Angel (Ron Perlman), to buy the statue when he learns that it is in Jesus’s antiques shop. When an attempt to get rid of Jesus fails, we see the kind of abuse that Angel suffers from in the hope of becoming rich too when the old man dies.
This wasn’t Ron Perlman’s first movie, but it was the one that brought him into del Toro’s orbit and began a fruitful relationship that has seen the pair work together on six films. And Luppi, who died in 2017, went on to appear in a few more of the director’s movies too.
Cronos is also notable for having been made in the pre-digital era, when movies like this one were much harder to make. While it has plenty of rough edges, viewers should remember that all the special effects had to be practical. And, of course, del Toro was still honing his craft at the time, much like Robert Rodriguez was when he made the Cronos contemporary El Mariachi; both films share similar hallmarks.
This may not be a movie that people have been clamoring for on 4K Ultra HD, but it was shot on 35mm film, so it certainly has a level of detail that benefits from the upgrade. Del Toro supervised and approved the 4K restoration used here, of course, and you also get a Blu-ray disc with the movie and the bulk of the bonus features.
The lone extras found on both discs are a pair of commentary tracks, one with del Toro and the other with producers Arthur H. Gorson, Bertha Navarro, and Alejandro Springall. Both tracks are worthwhile listens, especially del Toro’s track, since he’s the kind of director who loves to talk about his work and always has worthwhile insights.
Here’s what you’ll find on the accompanying Blu-ray platter:
• Geometria (7 minutes): This a short film that del Toro made in 1987, which offers an even more revealing glimpse into the primordial ooze of his craftsmanship. You also get a short interview with him about it.
• Welcome to the Bleak House (11 minutes): Holy shit, I love his house. I’ve seen clips of del Toro talking about all the cool stuff he has, and this is a wonderful walk-through of his home and all the items found therein.
• Interviews (45 minutes): This is a nice little batch of interviews with del Toro, cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, Perlman, and Luppi. The first two chats occupy the bulk of the runtime here, which is fine since I’m always happy to hear more from del Toro and Navarro has plenty of interesting things to say too. And, yes, the Perlman and Luppi discussions are nice too.
A stills gallery and the original theatrical trailer round out the disc. The obligatory Criterion booklet features an essay by film critic Maitland McDonagh, director’s notes, and technical credits.
– Brad Cook (@BradCWriter)
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