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Guillermo del Toro: Crimson Peak

October 18, 2015

DGA Q&As in Los Angeles and New York

Just in time for Halloween, Director Guillermo del Toro seeks to terrify audiences with his classical haunted house story Crimson Peak.

Set in the late 19th century, del Toro’s film tells the story of a young bride who arrives at her new husband’s ancestral home, a crumbling mansion in rural northern England. Once there, she discovers there is much more to her new husband than she suspected and even more to her new home than she bargained for as the house is also occupied by spectral entities and other secrets.

Following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles on October 6, del Toro spoke about the making of the film and the joys of creating ‘things that go bump in the night’ in a conversation with Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu [Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)]. del Toro also spoke about the film with Director Christopher Nolan (Interstellar) following the DGA membership screening of Crimson Peak in New York on October 17.

In addition to Crimson Peak, del Toro ’s filmography includes the features Cronos, Mimic, The Devil's Backbone, Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, and Pacific Rim; the pilot for the series The Strain; and episodes of the series Hora Marcada. He has been a member of the DGA since 1996.

Pictures & Video

photos by Shane Karns (Los Angeles) and Marcie Revens (New York) - print courtesy of Universal Pictures

View slideshow
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FULL TALK (32:24): Director Guillermo del Toro talks about his latest film, Crimson Peak, with Director Christopher Nolan.
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FULL TALK (31:09): Director Guillermo del Toro speaks about his latest film, Crimson Peak, with Director Alejandro González Iñárritu.
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HIGHLIGHT: Director Guillermo del Toro shares how he drew inspiration from his own relationship with death to guide Mia Wasikowska to show her character's grief for her father's death.
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HIGHLIGHT: Del Toro reveals how he came up with the idea for "the waltz" scene and how it had to be reimagined because of a budgetary consideration, a constraint that allowed him to envision a better scene to illustrate the courtship between two of the main characters.
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HIGHLIGHT: Del Toro discusses how he used physical instead of digital effects for all but one of the ghosts within the film, even modeling one of the ghost's mouths after Lucille (played by Jessica Chastain).
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HIGHLIGHT: Del Toro shares with Iñárritu his methodical process for preparing for principal photography, though still remaining flexible to new ideas during the shoot.
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HIGHLIGHT: Director Guillermo del Toro talks about how he wrote 8-10 page biographies for each character and shared them with production design, cinematography and wardrobe so that the "beautiful" elements supported the narrative of the film.
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HIGHLIGHT: Del Toro discusses the details of how he was able to establish a "living painting" in the film in part by creating two sets of furniture and props that were either 30% larger or smaller depending upon the strength of the character at a given moment.
Director Guillermo del Toro speaks about the making of Crimson Peak following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.
Director Guillermo del Toro speaks about the making of Crimson Peak following the DGA membership screening in New York.
Mia Wasikowska in Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak. – photo © 2015 - Universal Pictures
Director Guillermo del Toro discusses the challenges of making of Crimson Peak with Director Christopher Nolan (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in New York.
Director Guillermo del Toro discusses the challenges of making Crimson Peak with Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.
Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain in Guillermo del Toro ’s Crimson Peak. – photo © 2015 - Universal Pictures
Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu (moderator) asks Guillermo del Toro a question about the making of Crimson Peak.
Director Christopher Nolan (moderator) asks Guillermo del Toro a question about the making of Crimson Peak.
Mia Wasikowska in Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak. – photo © 2015 - Universal Pictures
Attendees in the DGA New York Theater audience applaud Director Guillermo del Toro for his work on Crimson Peak.
Members of the DGA Los Angeles Theater audience hear Director Guillermo del Toro speak about the making of Crimson Peak .
Jessica Chastain in Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak. – photo © 2015 - Universal Pictures
Directors Alejandro G. Iñárritu (moderator) and Guillermo del Toro pose for a photo following the DGA screening of Crimson Peak in Los Angeles.
Directors Guillermo del Toro and Christopher Nolan (moderator) pose for a photo following the DGA screening of Crimson Peak in New York.

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