Every frame of The Shape of Water positively glows with director Guillermo del Toro’s affection for films of a bygone era. It’s both a period romance and a monster movie, since it follows a mute Sally Hawkins as she falls in love with a strapping fish-man imprisoned at the secret facility at which she works as a janitor. But even beyond that, del Toro sneaks his Hollywood homages into all the little details, like this scene where Hawkins and her gay neighbor Richard Jenkins are inspired to do a little two-step while watching a classic movie on television. It’s adorable but thanks to Jenkins and his dryly vulgar aside, it’s also earthy: del Toro is careful never to let his cinematic passion become something too twee. Press play on our exclusive clip below, and you can check out the rest of the acclaimed fantasy film December 1, when it opens in select theaters.