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The Devil's Backbone [2001]
from Optimum Home Entertainment
starring Marisa Paredes, Eduardo Noriega (II), Federico Luppi, Fernando Tielve, Íñigo Garcés
directed by Guillermo del Toro

Features:

• PAL
• Widescreen

Editorial Review:

As Guillermo Del Toro films go The Devil’s Backbone is 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 (Cronos and 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

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• Great film, piss poor DVD
  This isn't a review of the film, which is excellent, what really annoyed me were the subtitles. They're completely out of sync with the dialogue, sometimes with a delay of a couple of seconds, which was really distracting and means that you often can't tell who's actually speaking. The subtitle even freezes for a couple of minutes half way through at the worst possible moment, completely distracting from what's going on. Such a shame for a film that's so technically perfect.

• a decent film that drags at times
  The devils backbone is a spanish film directed by guillermo del toro who found international success with pans labyrinth,this film was released 5 years prior to that and while its good it doesnt have the unending quality that pans labyrinth does,it is unfair to compare perhaps but i give warning as many have bought this on the strength of the 2006 film.
  This film is set in an orphanage for young boys during the spanish civil war of the 1930s,there is good and evil at play here and something not of... more info

• PAIN IN THE DEVILS BACK (BONE)
  I WAS DISAPPOINTED. SOME OF IT WAS CHEAP. SOME IF IT DID NOT TALLY. I THINK IT LACKED STORY, AND SO WAS FULL OF CHEAPNESS AND STUFF THAT DID NOT TALLY. COULE BE BETTER. C MINUS.

• The Devils Backside More Like
  After watching Pans Labyrinth which is fantastic we read the reviews about this Del Toro film and decided to buy it. What a complete waste of money, the people who regard this pathetic attempt at a chilling ghost story as five star are definitely delusional. The story plods along at a painfully slow pace it's terribly predictable and honestly it's so boring it's difficult to stay awake. The ghost although well done appears only a handful of times and we guessed who dunnit in the first fifteen minutes. Save... more info

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