Thursday, C4, 1:40am
Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water is a breathtaking fairy tale wrapped in the aching textures of Cold War America. At its heart, the film is a story of otherness, a love letter to outsiders and the marginalized. Sally Hawkins delivers a hauntingly beautiful performance as Elisa, a mute woman whose tender connection with an amphibious creature (Doug Jones) transcends language and biology. Del Toro’s visual storytelling, awash in shades of green and blue, evokes both the murky depths of the ocean and the hidden lives of his characters, grounding the fantastical in the intimately human. The film earned critical acclaim, including the coveted Best Picture Oscar, cementing its place as a modern cinematic masterpiece.
The film’s soundtrack, composed by Alexandre Desplat, is an emotional anchor, enhancing the dreamlike quality of del Toro’s vision. Desplat’s score is a masterclass in whimsy and melancholy, weaving together delicate piano melodies, swelling strings, and a lilting accordion that feels like a breath from another time. The opening track, "The Shape of Water," sets the tone with its waltz-like rhythm, echoing the fluidity and fragility of Elisa’s world. Desplat’s music dances between the film’s moments of romance and suspense, deepening the narrative’s emotional resonance. It's a soundtrack that doesn’t just accompany the film—it becomes its voice, particularly poignant given Elisa’s muteness.
The use of period music also plays a vital role in grounding the story in its 1960s setting. Tracks like "You’ll Never Know" by Renée Fleming (a reimagining of the Harry Warren classic) connect Elisa’s quiet yearning to the broader history of cinematic romance. The inclusion of big-band numbers and jazz standards further enriches the texture of the film, underscoring its thematic interplay of nostalgia and innovation. Together, del Toro and Desplat craft an auditory world that mirrors the film’s visual splendor—a delicate balance of the magical and the mundane, of hope and heartache. The result is an unforgettable sensory experience, a testament to the power of storytelling through sound and image.
- Daisy Rae