Stars: Marisa Paredes, Eduardo Noriega, Frederico Luppi, Inigo Garces

Director: Guillermo Del Toro

Summary: 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.

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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As Guillermo Del Toro films go The Devil's Backboneis a defining moment in his career, breaching the gap between International Art House and mainstream Hollywood success, it being his last film before Blade 2. Based within an orphanage during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s, the film is driven by its characters and, just like his previous films (Cronosand Mimic), it draws on the supernatural to outline and re-define exactly what it is that drives them.

Although Del Toro insists that this is not a film about the Civil War, by trapping and threatening its inhabitants the orphanage inevitably becomes a mirror for the events outside. These four walls become a place of protection for boys who have been orphaned during the war, a place for them to lead a relatively normal existence full of school life, bullying and adventure. Their main source of the latter being Santi, a young ghost who haunts the halls looking for revenge for his recent murder. Yet the pivotal character who evokes real fear in the children is not the spirit, but the greedy, selfish Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega), a former orphan, whose experiences have left him with deep emotional scars. With a strong cast and even stronger imagery (created by cinematographer Guillermo Navarro) Del Toro whips up a hauntingly effective film about love, life and the afterlife.

On the DVD:entering the extras literally through the keyhole, there are several opportunities to obtain a deeper understanding of this disturbing film. A "Behind the Scenes" featurette includes the cast's own character profiles and interpretation of the story, as well as Del Toro explaining his thoughts about the film and how he achieved some shots. Two of the sequences—"Aerial Bombardment" and "The Ghost"--can be seen in further technical detail, with film footage and computer animation combined to make a whole scene. A selection of storyboards can also be viewed which run alongside the soundtrack to the scene, with the option to intercut between storyboard and finished film. A theatrical trailer, a picture gallery and written biographies are standard. The film and additional features are in Spanish with English subtitles and menu. With Dolby 5:1 sound and a widescreen picture, the film not only looks and sounds, but also feels fantastically chilling. --Nikki Disney

Aspect Ratio:	Wide Screen
Main Language:	Spanish
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Special effect Sequence Breakdown, Storyboard To Screen Sequences, Behind The Scenes Featurette, Theatrical Trailer, Potimum Trailer Showreel
Subtitles:	English
Year:	2001
Release Date:	March 25, 2002
Runtime:	103 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	O P T D 0010
Keywords:	Subtitled, General, Wide, Screen, Diablo, Del, Spanish, Drama, Horror, Occult, Sci, Fi, Devil's, Backbone, Espinazo
Genre:	Horror/Occult