While doing some research for the latest The Pop Culture Cafe podcast I came across the trailer for Guillermo del Toro’s new film, The Shape of Water. As with a del Toro movie you step into another world from Guillermo mind. But is it a totally original?  I got trapped down the YouTube rabbit hole after watching the trailer.  I came across a short film from Norway, The Space Between Us. The Space Between Us was a short film by the Netherlands Film Academy in 2015.  Now after watching each trailer does it each have a similar feel and look.

The Shape of Water
An other-worldly story, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1963. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Hawkins) is trapped in a life of silence and isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment.

We follow Juliette, a cleaning lady in a research institute called Beacon. The world of Beacon is a desolate place where the remainder of the human race is forced to use oxygen masks to survive because of severe air pollution.

In their search for finding a new way of living they manage to capture a sea creature, they name Adam that could prove vital in mankind’s salvation. The short film explores the theme self-sacrifice in a fast paced action, sci – fi setting. The main selling point is the VFX done by a crew of 10 students at The Netherlands Film Academy

Now I am not shitting on Guillermo del Toro here. But I did find from these two trailers I find it hard to believe that  del Toro did not come across film and a germ of a idea came about.

What do you think?