Cronos (Mexico)
Guillermo Del Torro is currently one of my favorite directors, which gives me great reason to make those aware of his early work. His first big production film was titled Cronos which was originally released in 1992. In the film a shopkeeper receives a statue that houses a gold relic. Upon inspection of the relic the shopkeeper is cut by a sharp object protruding from the relic. This cut turns the shopkeeper’s life upside down as he slowly transforms into a vampire like creature. To make matters worse there is another man who knows of the relic and has devoted his entire life to finding it. The man has a nephew played by the great Ron Pearlman who will do anything to get it. This was the first of many pairings between Ron Pearlman and Del Torro.
The film is pure Del Torro. Just as The Devils Backbone and Pans Labyrinth had children as either main or supporting characters, Cronos has a young girl who is the granddaughter of the shopkeeper. The granddaughter plays an integral role in the film as she knows her grandfather is changing but still loves him enough to accept his transformation. She ends up defending him and provides him aid as his body begins to rot away. If you’re a Del Torro fan you can’t pass up Cronos. Do yourself a favor and watch Del Torro’s first film you won’t be disappointed.
--Steven M. Duarte
