‘The Devils Backbone’ is set in Spain during the final days of the Spanish Civil War. Francisco Franco’s fascists have victory within their sights, and in a small orphanage the children from Republican families await their fate. In an effort to fool the fascists Casares (Frederico Luppi) ... Read review
As Guillermo Del Toro films goThe Devils Backboneis a defining moment in his career, ... more
breaching the gap between International Art House and mainstream Hollywood success, it being his last film beforeBlade 2. Based within an orphanage during the Spanish ...
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As Guillermo Del Toro films goThe Devils Backboneis a defining moment in his career, ... more
breaching the gap between International Art House and mainstream Hollywood success, it being his last film beforeBlade 2. Based within an orphanage during the Spanish ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
From acclaimed Mexican horror maestro Guillermo Del Toro comes The Devil's Backbone a ... more
truly terrifying spine-tingler combining state of the art special effects with towering performances from a combination of Latin legends (Federico Luppi and Marisa...
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A deliciously dark horror, The Devil's Backbone tells the tale of a remote Spanish ... more
orphanage during the final days of the Spanish Civil War whose young inhabitants are brutally terrorised by Santi, a decomposing spirit who stalks the building's dark de...
Set in Spain during the time of the Civil War, Casares and Carmen run a home for orphaned ... more
children. They receive a child named Carlos, who has been abandoned by his parents and soon Carlos is tormented by strange visions... Spanish dialogue with subtitles.
If you're after something a bit more magical than the current crop of gory, torturous ... more
horror movies, thisGuillermo del Toro Collectionmight be just what you're looking for. Del Toro weaves together dark fairy tales with bleak reality in each of these three movies, creating films which are clever, beautiful and incredibly haunting. Although del Toro has made more high profile movies--HellboyandBlade 2, specifically--his Spanish language movies are clearly his real passion. More personal than his superhero movies, each of these films has something to say.The earliest of the movies isCronos. Released in 1993, it's a story of family loyalties as well as alchemy and vampirism. 2001'sThe Devil's Backbonesees a group of orphans battling for survival in a world populated by bullies and ghosts, with war torn Spain providing a stunning background; whilePan's Labyrinth, released in 2006 to critical acclaim, mingles real life politics and social drama with fantasy and magic to create a masterpiece.Pan's Labyrinthwon three Oscars, though it also deserved the other three it was also nominated for.With each successive film, Del Toro's filmmaking has grown ever more mature and powerful, and this boxset perfectly showcases an incredible talent.--Sarah Dobbs
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Production Year: 2000 - Horror - Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Carmen Electra, Anna Faris, Kurt Fuller, James Van Der Beek, Keenen Ivory Wayans
Advantages: Tense, spooky and atmospheric horror Disadvantages: Some slightly hammy dialogue
...is set in Spain during the final days of the Spanish Civil War. Francisco Franco’s fascists have victory within their sights, and in a small orphanage the children from Republican families await their fate. In an effort to fool the fascists Casares (Frederico Luppi) and Carmen (Marisa Paredes), an old couple who run the orphanage, have erected a giant crucifix on its roof, hoping to disguise the institution as a Catholic school. In the courtyard ... ...into the dirt.
A young boy named Carlos (Fernando Tielve) has just been made an orphan (not that he knows it) and is being transferred to the remote orphanage. He is a likeable, studious boy but his welcome from the other children is less than friendly. He has been assigned bed number 12 - ’Santi’s Bed’ and the children of the orphanage worryingly whisper amongst themselves. Carlos later learns that Santi (Junio Valverde) once lived ... more
‘The Devils Backbone’ is set in Spain during the final days of the Spanish Civil War. Francisco Franco’s fascists have victory within their sights, and in a small orphanage the children from Republican families await their fate. In an effort to fool the fascists Casares (Frederico Luppi) and Carmen (Marisa Paredes), an old couple who run the orphanage, have erected a giant crucifix on its roof, hoping to disguise the institution as a Catholic school. In the courtyard an unexploded fascist bomb sits ominously on its nose, embedded into the dirt.
A young boy named Carlos (Fernando Tielve) has just been made an orphan (not that he knows it) and is being transferred to the remote orphanage. He is a likeable, studious boy but his welcome from the other children is less than friendly. He has been assigned bed number 12 - ’Santi’s Bed’ and the children of the orphanage worryingly whisper amongst themselves. Carlos later learns that Santi (Junio Valverde) once lived in the orphanage but he disappeared on the same night that the bomb landed. According to the children his spirit can be seen roaming the orphanage and strange noises are often heard coming from the dank cellar. As the days pass Carlos becomes more and more aware of the presence of Santi and he starts hearing noises during the night. Carlos is convinced that the spirit has something to tell them and he is determined to find out what Santi has to say.
At the same time Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega), the charismatic groundskeeper has his eyes on a cache of gold hidden at the orphanage thatis used to fund the Republican's war effort. He’s engaged to the orphanage’s cook, but that doesn’t stop him sneaking into Carmen’s room at night. Their lovemaking is a torment to the impotent Casares, who adores Carmen but can no longer satisfy her. Jacnito is of course, only interested in the gold and his late night visits are used to find out more about the whereabouts of the gold.
‘The Devil’s Backbone’ or ‘El Espinazo del Diablo’ as it’s called in Spanish, is a stylish and atmospheric horror from one of the masters of the genre - Guillermo del Toro. It is a gloomy, yet smartly paced, off-beat horror but at the same time it is a compelling, delicate and beautifully drawn allegorical yarn. The film works ceaselessly at creating its Civil War setting and tries to turn most of the events of the film into allegorical episodes. One very obvious example of this is the defused bomb in the courtyard - a suggestion that the frail normalcy of life at the orphanage may explode at any minute. The mood of the film is set immediately by an introspective opening sequence which asks “What is a ghost?” The answer? “A tragedy condemned to repeat itself again and again? Something dead that appears at times alive? Or a sentiment suspended in time like a blurry photograph trapped in amber?” A truly chilling opening which sets the scene perfectly. In the main the action is concentrated around the old and dilapidated orphanage. The film is expertly shot and is bathed in a yellowy orange light that smoothes the images to a fine glossy finish. For the scenes that occur during the night Del Toro uses a starker blue tone, which helps to create a really claustrophobic feeling as Santi stalks the emptied halls.
This is a film that from the very outset marks itself as ambitious; combining a boy’s adventure story, a classic ghost story and some high brow political allegory all in one film. It would have been very easy for Del Toro to lose his way with this film but at no point does the film lose direction or impact. Any director of a ghost film is also faced with the problem of how to portray the ghost. Put a single foot wrong and the effect produced is laughter rather than scares and it is certainly a fine line to traverse. Thankfully Del Toro handles the images of Santi brilliantly. The spirit is glimpsed only briefly but appears as a transparent, hollow eyed child, that shimmers and wavers as if it were underwater. Blood flows from a wound in his head and his whispers are heard throughout the orphanage. As far as the horror goes Del Toro keeps it short and punchy. He gives us punctuated bursts of suspense and surprise interspersed with quieter more introspective scenes illustrating the turmoil caused by the Civil War rampaging across the country. As such what Del Toro creates is not an out and out horror film but something that hints at a horrific event. Del Toro uses tense scenes and a sense of danger (through Carlos) to create a nerve jangling experience. As Carlos explores the ruinous orphanage in the foreboding gloom you can literally feel the suspense and danger hanging from every scene.
Another aspect of the film which really impressed me was the standard of acting. All the actors put in good performances and really help to bring the story to life. Playing the central character Carlos, Fernando Tielve puts in a great performance, particularly in the beginning of the film. When he arrives at the orphanage he is singled out by the other children and Tielve’s performance is very convincing as he tries to win the other children’s trust. Towards the end his performance is slightly impaired by some hammy 'child actor' dialogue but no so bad as to mar his overall performance. Frederico Luppi is also great as the intellectual Professor who is tormented by his wife’s affair with the handsome groundskeeper. Likewise Marisa Paredes puts in a good performance as the sexually frustrated wife who turns to Jacinto to satisfy her needs. She also brings a certain comic aspect to the film with her false leg and helps to lighten the mood when things start to get overwhelmingly gloomy.
The star of the show though, is definitely Eduardo Noriega who is superb as the ‘snake in the grass’ type character, Jacinto. On the surface he is the charming and charismatic fiance to the resident maid but beneath his false exterior lurks a much darker character. Fuelled by greed, the malicious Jacinto will stop at nothing to get his hand on the gold that is reportedly hidden within the orphanage. When nobody is around he is violent and abusive to the children and in one scene he recklessly attacks Carlos when he finds him snooping around in the cellar. I feel I should also mention Junio Valverde who plays the rather limited role of Santi. To be honest he has very little do other than look spooky but he certainly pulls this off with a little help from some excellent special effects.
Overall, ‘The Devil’s Backbone’ is a must for fans of the horror genre and certainly puts one over on similar Hollywood efforts. The film plays in Spanish with English subtitles which I know will put some people off but I highly recommend that you give this film a go. When I read the film outline I was expecting a normal run of the mill ghost story but what I found was a much deeper and more involved story which really got me thinking. The film also has its fair share of scares though, and it simply wouldn’t be a horror film without those jump-out-of-your-seat moments. Essentially what Guillermo Del Toro has produced is a chilling but ultimately satisfying tale which entertains for its entire duration .
Advantages: Gripping, Well acted, Brilliant Historical Drama/Ghost Story Disadvantages: None
...Spanish film released in 2001. The dialogue is Spanish with English subtitles. It is directed by Mexican born Guillermo del Toro who made his name in Spanish horror (e.g Cronos) and has more recently directed Blade II and Hellboy.
Story
+++++
“What is a ghost? An emotion, a terrible moment condemned to repeat itself over and over? An instant of pain perhaps? Something dead which appears at times alive? A sentiment suspended in time… like a blurry ... ...Luppi) begin this tale of the Santa Lucia school during the last days of the Spanish Civil war. The imposing stone building is set on a remote plateau and shelters the orphans of the Republican militia.
One day a Republican fighter brings 10 year old Carlos (Fernando Tielve) to the school because his father has been killed, but Carlos does not know this and is told he is just to stay for a short while. Carlos is soon confronted by Jaime (Íńigo Garcés), ...
buzios 22.12.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Devil's Backbone (DVD)
The devil's backbone - Guillermo Del Toro.
I first got into Guillermo's work having watched Pan's labyrinth. How ironic it was that that was his most recent work, and I worked from it, backwards to his humbler beginnings. Guillermo is possibly better known for his work on Blade 2, and also cult classic, Hellboy. His passion is definitely for fantasy, and having watched Pan I simply adored his style, so immediately went to my local HMV and got them ... ...I received a copy of the Devil's Backbone for only seven pounds.
What the critics said - "Magnificent performances all round. An intimate and captivating ghost story" - Hot Dogs Mark Wyatt.
"Breathtaking. Contains more substance and style than a dozen Hollywood movies" - Empires Colin Kennedy
"A gutsy, first-rate, full blooded ghost story, as elegant as it is brilliantly realised" - Total films Simon Crook.
Praise indeed, but is it worthy of ...
giksy21 05.08.2008 (15.08.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Devil's Backbone (DVD)
Advantages: See text below! Disadvantages: No, more below, keep going...
...and shake my fist at the cloudy sky above, it really does. What, you may ask, has stirred such an intense feeling of frustration in your local neighbourhood Ben? The curse of the blockbuster movie, that’s what. For every Monsters Inc. there’s a Lord Of The Rings, but despite their quality (or lack of), they share one common thread. The thread of FILLING THE CINEMA SCREENS. I’m no stranger to supply and demand, I can understand that ... ...deluge of “popular” films, means the little fellas rarely get a look in. Films like Ghost World and Croupier have been relegated to ridiculous one-off late night screenings ON A WEEKNIGHT, and that’s if you’re lucky! So thank the stars above that Leicester has an independent cinema, where such productions are rife, if only for (roughly) a 3-day showing period, and at cheaper prices than the O-dear-on. If it weren’t for ...
peppersinclaire 11.02.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Devil's Backbone (DVD)
Advantages: Great Special Effects Disadvantages: Subtitles that move too darned fast!
...better pass on my opinion.
The Devil’s Backbone (El Espinazo del Diablo) is actually a Spanish language film which has been subtitled, which is just as well for me as languages are not my strong point! The film would probably be placed in the horror genre and is really just a ghost story – all be it a very good and rather scary one. It was directed by Guillermo del Toro, who s probably better known now for directing Blade 2, and stars Frederico ... ...in a Spanish orphanage during the final days of the Spanish Civil War. A large, unexploded bomb sits in the courtyard and serves as a constant reminder of the war going on. The story begins with the arrival of a new orphan – Carlitos, whose father has been killed but he does not yet know. As he makes the orphanage his home we are introduced to the various characters including the three teachers, a number of the orphans and the rather insidious caretaker. ...
AP80 08.11.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of The Devil's Backbone (DVD)
Set in Spain during the time of the Civil War, Casares and Carmen run a home for orphaned children. They receive a child named Carlos, who has been abandoned by his parents and soon Carlos is tormented by strange visions... Spanish dialogue with subtitles.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
Optimum Home Entertainment
Release date
25/03/2002
No of Discs
1
Catalogue No
OPTD 0010
Screenwriter
Pedro Almodóvar, Guillermo Del Toro, Antonio Trashorras, David Munoz
Special effect Sequence Breakdown, Storyboard To Screen Sequences, Behind The Scenes Featurette, Theatrical Trailer, Potimum Trailer Showreel
Aspect Ratio
Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish
Professional reviews
Review
"...Throughout, Del Toro has composed vivid and riveting images that he has combined with an engrossing story, and the impressive performances of the entire cast keep DEVIL'S BACKBONE unabatingly compelling..." (Box Office, p.58, 01/12/2001)
"...Richly atmospheric....Del Toro builds excitement, dread, and melodrama in equal layers..." (Entertainment Weekly, p.70, 07/12/2001)
"...Mr. Del Toro takes an almost sensuous delight in weaving aural and visual textures of fear....Mr. Del Toro provokes your screams and shudders, but he also earns your tears..." (New York Times, p.E13, 21/11/2001)
"...THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE remains the work of a great stylist with a uniquely disturbing attraction to, and vision of, the frontier between life and death..." (Sight and Sound, p.38-46, 01/12/2001)
"...Del Toro keeps things tense and, most importantly, keeps you guessing....Del Toro has crafted a creepy, lyrical movie that surges between unspeakable brutality and heart-bruising sentiment..." (Total Film, p.101, 01/12/2001)
DVD Description
During the Spanish Civil War, newly orphaned Carlos (Fernando Tielve) is taken to a school for the children of those who died fighting against fascism. He is given the bed that formerly belonged to Santi, a boy who recently died during an attack in which a bomb dropped, landing in the school's courtyard undetonated--a constant reminder of impending danger. As the amputee headmistress (Marisa Paredes, ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER) and the embittered caretaker Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega) engage in a love affair, the headmistress' cuckolded lover--the impotent but benevolent school doctor (Frederico Luppi)--sits by passively. After Santi's ghost repeatedly reveals itself to Carlos, another student spooks him with a dark secret about the boy's death. War surrounds the school, violence infests it from within, and Carlos sets out to avenge the death of Santi. Taking on themes such as the brutality of war and the loss of innocence, Guillermo del Toro's (MIMIC) film skillfully combines elements of war, gothic horror, melodrama, and adventure to create a work that functions as both a genre film and a politically resonant piece of nostalgia. THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE uses history as a means of transforming what would otherwise be a routine ghost story into a powerful and affecting statement.
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