That being said, it was one of the most amazing film experiences of my life, and it is easily one of my favorite films of alltime. Return of the living dead did it for zombies albeit comically, and the devils backbone does it here for ghosts. The devils backbone 2001 the bunch of orphans house. Set against the backdrop of the spanish civil war, director guillermo del toros third feature and first in his native spanish follows tenyearold refugee carlos fernando tielve, the newest resident of a warwracked orphanage. I couldnt put this book down, james babb wrote a novel that is engaging. Bitter over his wifes death due to what he believes was army negligence, capt. Interestingly enough, none of us had seen the devils backbone before. I found i liked the characters a lot, the plot was strong, the. Within this paradigm, a ghost may be a tragedy doomed to repeat itself time and again. The devils backbone 2001 junio valverde in the devils backbone 2001.
However, the supernatural elements in the devils backbone cannot be explained away by. Plot spoilers below the devil s backbone guillermo del toro, 2001 is a horrordrama film that is set during 1939 which was the last year in the spanish civil war. With the devils backbone, del toro pulls an amenabar by dishing out sophisticated war commentary with bonechilling dread. During the spanish civil war, the twelve yearold boy carlos is left behind by his family in an orphanage in the middle of nowhere. The devils backbone 2001 with english subtitles dvdbay. The devils backbone is not only one of guillermo del toro finest film, but its one of the best horror movies ever made with an intelligent plot that serves more purpose than to just scare you. The doctor of the orphanage keeps a collection of jars with preserved infants dead from spina bifida.
In intelligent genre fashion, the flick uses horror elements to comment and reinforce the. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film. This is a poetic piece of cinema that manages to expose the horrors of war through the lens of fantasy. It is quiet similar to pans labryinth in many ways, but stands as more of a horror film instead of a dark fantasy.
One of the most personal films by guillermo del toro, the devils backbone is also among his most frightening and emotionally layered. Set during the final week of the spanish civil war, it tells the tale of a twelveyearold boy who, after his freedomfighting father is killed, is sent to a haunted rural orphanage full of terrible secrets. A bomb is dropped from the skies above an isolated spanish orphanage, which leaves a boy bleeding to death in its mysterious, inexplosive wake. Released november 21st, 2001, the devil s backbone stars marisa paredes, eduardo noriega, federico luppi, fernando tielve the r movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 46 min, and received a score of. Devils backbone has a plot, but its not really a plotdriven film beyond the mystery of who killed santi and why. Del toros supernatural setting, one in which ghost stories and superstition are fundamental to the movie s plot and central themes, adds a beautiful backdrop to the film. The devils backbone guillermo del toro, 2001 jack taylor. Filmed in madrid, the devils backbone was the first time the director had shot in europe and the first film he worked with a set historical period.
From sony pictures classics, guillermo del toros haunting murder mystery and ghost story, the devil s backbone. It encompasses early french and spanish exploration, the french and indian war, the american revolution, the war of 1812 and the trail of tears. Nov 21, 2001 the devil s backbone is enriched by the contrast between the clammy, greenish light that infuses the orphanage by night and the parched orange glow of the daytime, a tonal contrast mirrored by. Described by guillermo del toro as being a sibling film to pans labyrinth 2006 this being the masculine brother film, and pans as the. Casares had in the science area, where he showed carlos a fetus with a deep red spinal column, and commented about how they used to preserve the fetuses in rum, as he fishes some out, saying they sell it to the locals to drink as a cure from all sorts of ailments. On its surface, the devils backbone is a ghost story the tale of a lonely boy who comes to an orphanage and finds a ghost. After carlos a 12yearold whose father has died in the spanish civil war arrives at an. It was independently produced by pedro almodovar as an international coproduction between spain and mexico, and was filmed in madrid. Devils backbone wilderness, a protected wilderness area in ozark. The devils backbone truly is a masterful film, one rife with both symbolism and story. The devils backbone is guillermo del toros most haunting tale. Formal aspects of the devils backbone include its iconography and tone.
Entwined within its plot is a coming of age tale, a story of revenge and a nice little section on what is a ghost. Blunt turned his attention to the rebel presence around nearby fort smith, arkansas. The devils backbone is not only one of guillermo del toro finest film, but its one of the best horror movies ever made with an intelligent plot. It is 1939, the end of three years of bloody civil war in spain, and general francos rightwing nationalists are poised to defeat the leftwing republican forces.
Set against the backdrop of the spanish civil war, the devils backbone is both a chilling ghost story and a tale of the triumph of good and innocence over the evils of the darkest human behaviours. Del toro began work on the devils backbone in the wake of two terrible. Cronos whispers of the greatness this story achieves but the devil s backbone is the film where del toro was able to speak with his own voice, free from studio trappings. The film takes place at an isolated orphanage on a hot, dry plain in 1938 when the fascists are clearly in the ascendancy. Nov 02, 2017 plot spoilers below the devils backbone guillermo del toro, 2001 is a horrordrama film that is set during 1939 which was the last year in the spanish civil war. But devils backbone is still very much its own unique beast. Writing this plot is a little tricky because the film tends to try and stuff in a few subplots along the way none of which add that much to the overall experience. Okay, so we have a geezer named bert wall who was a historical writer who lived in the devils backbone. The film moves slowly, but that is a definite advantage to it. The devils backbone is rooted in the legacy of victor erices the spirit of the beehive 1973.
Oct 19, 2018 the devils backbone is a solid drama that infuses horror stylings plot elements into a nonhorror plot to great effect. Jul 30, 20 the devils backbone equates the legacy of history with the mythology of the living dead, providing a powerful metaphor for the way in which the past informs the present, and therefore shapes the future. It was directed by burt kennedy scripted in the style of the dirty dozen 1967, and designed as a vehicle for yugoslavian theater and film matinee idol bekim fehmiu, the film featured an ensemble cast of wellknown american actors. The devils backbone is hardly a horror film and even though it has some supernatural element, it is really a drama instead.
I was surprised to see just how similar director guillermo del toros the devils backbone was to his later film pans labyrinth, just with it being about a little boy instead of a girl. Casares had in the science area, where he showed carlos a fetus with a deep red spinal column, and commented about how they used to preserve the fetuses in rum, as he fishes some out, saying they sell it to. It is a film about repression that celebrates, albeit in heartbreaking. It would be very difficult to walk away from this film without being deeply touched by how the director has explored personal issues within the context of a very engaging. Synopsis this spooky film is set in a refuge for children whose parents are hoping to save them from the fighting during the spanish civil war. The devil s backbone is not only one of guillermo del toro finest film, but its one of the best horror movies ever made with an intelligent plot that serves more purpose than to just scare you. Sep 20, 20 the story of a child taken to a new, dangerous place during the spanish civil war is repeated in pans labyrinth 2006, which del toro says is the sister film to the devils backbone. The film takes the form of a mockumentary recapping the life of bert wall, a resident of devils backbone, texas and his sons quest to unearth the truth behind the strange stories leading up to his questionable death. A 12yearold boy sees a ghost at an orphanage during the spanish civil war. The devil s backbone 2001 after losing his father, 10yearold carlos fernando tielve arrives at the santa lucia school, which shelters orphans of the republican militia and politicians, and. Guillermo del toros historical thriller and supernatural horror film the devils backbone is clearly the work of a film artist with an immense imagination. The synopsis below may give away important plot points.
I wouldnt recommend it for halloween night as its not a fullblown horror film like i said, but its good for a watch sometime this october, or any other time of year. The finest of them is victor erice s spirit of the beehive, shot two years before franco s death, and the devil s backbone, written and directed by the mexican guillermo del toro and produced by. Dinner and movie at highland country club, weds, october 28. Nevertheless, it is so often being considered as horror since it has a ghost in it, that i felt like it deserves a word here. Confident that they had cleared confederates from the indian territory of modernday oklahoma, federal commander maj. The devil s backbone is a mesmerising and inventive addition to the ghost story tradition. It has a lower budget than all of his other moviers. Viktor kaleb deserts the cavalry and disappears into the southwestern wasteland. But according to the writerdirector, it was also inspired by a reallife experience that. Told the ground rules by the steely and onelegged headmistress, carmen marisa paredes, carlos tries to. Kaleb mounts up and rides away from the fort back into the desert. The iconography that the film shares with the horror genre includes an isolated setting, carmens marisa paredes missing limb blood, the dead fetus in a jar, and weapon props like jacintos eduardo noriega gun and jamie s inigo garces knife. The devil s backbone is a humble adventure into the hard lives of those who lived in the shadow of a war that had long since ended.
After carlos, a 12yearold whose father has died in the spanish civil war, arrives at an ominous boys orphanage he discovers the school is haunted and has many dark secrets that he must uncover. Through indepth interviews with del toro and the cast and crew of the film, the devils backbone book details both the making of one of del toros best films, and del toros insights into filmmaking as a whole. However, the supernatural elements in the devil s backbone cannot be explained away by imagination. The devil s backbone is enriched by the contrast between the clammy, greenish light that infuses the orphanage by night and the parched orange glow of the daytime, a.
This is the movie that really established him as the genre force he is today. The devil s backbone truly is a masterful film, one rife with both symbolism and story. The film takes place in spain in the final days of the civil war. The devils backbone 2001 a to z horror horror movie. It also has a young main protagonist and takes place during the spanish civil war. Casares and his wife carmen run the orphanage and the former orphan jacinto, who lives with the teacher conchita, is responsible to take care and for the maintenance of the place. But with comparing the two, i would say pans labyrinth is a far better film with its gothic fantasy elements, over. The devil s backbone, a mournful and beautiful new ghost story by guillermo del toro, understands that most ghosts are sad, and are attempting not to frighten us but to urgently communicate something that must be known so that they can rest. Synopsis after losing his father, 10yearold carlos fernando tielve arrives at the santa lucia school, which shelters orphans of the republican militia and politicians, and is taken in by the steely headmistress, carmen marisa paredes, and the kindly professor, casares federico luppi. After losing his father, 10yearold carlos fernando tielve arrives at the santa lucia school, which shelters orphans of the republican militia and politicians, and is taken in by the steely headmistress, carmen marisa paredes, and the kindly professor, casares federico luppi. Sep 29, 2019 the devils backbone is a 2001 ghost story set at an orphanage during the spanish civil war. In the devils backbone, del toro explores the nature of what the supernatural and ghosts really are and how they can affect the land of the living years after a person leaves this mortal. All manner of insight into the devils backbone and its sister film are offered on the. The devil s backbone is the story of one of americas earliest wilderness thoroughfares.
Dec 21, 2001 the devils backbone, a mournful and beautiful new ghost story by guillermo del toro, understands that most ghosts are sad, and are attempting not to frighten us but to urgently communicate something that must be known so that they can rest. According to guillermo del toro, this movie is the spiritual sibling of pans labyrinth this movie takes place. It does happen here in hbos the plot against america. The devils backbone moved me more than pans labyrinth did. Devils backbone, texas is a paranormal themed found footage horror film released in 2015 that is writtendirected by jake wade wall. Devil s backbone rock formation, a rock formation near charlestown, indiana devils backbone highland county, virginia, a small mountain in highland county, virginia devils backbone new york, a mountain in the catskill mountains devil s backbone state forest, a state forest located in shenandoah county, virginia. The devils backbone explained follow me on twitter to hear my thoughts on current films.
I like it when a film delves into its subject material and attempts to give something of an explanation. Viktor kaleb is offered a pardon and reinstatement in the cavalry if he agrees to lead a special forces group in a raid against an apache stronghold into mexico. Behind the devil s backbone the story of a child taken to a new, dangerous place during the spanish civil war is repeated in pans labyrinth 2006, which del toro says is the sister film to the. Set during the endgame of the spanish civil war, the devils backbone was a labor of love for del toro, who has frequently described it and its sister picture, pans labyrinth 2006, as his favorite and most personal movies. Marisa paredes, federico luppi, eduardo noriega fernando tielve, guillermo del toro. The devils backbone, a mournful and beautiful new ghost story by guillermo del toro, understands that most ghosts are sad, and are. A mixture of politics and film which wont be a regular occurrence but, as a spaniard myself, i felt inclined to do this video. The orphanage, which also serves as a school to the resident children, is home to several dozen other boys, as well as carmen. If youre still concerned about the film s appropriateness for anyone in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you more closely examine our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film s content. Its near the end of the spanish civil war and tenyearold carlos fernando tielve has been left at the santa lucia school that houses orphans of the conflict. Apr 20, 2001 entwined within its plot is a coming of age tale, a story of revenge and a nice little section on what is a ghost. In 1997, mexican filmmaker guillermo del toro went hollywood with the horror film mimic. The devils backbone is guillermo del toros most haunting. Carlos has just arrived and been given the bed of a missing child, who may or may not have something to do with the bomb in the courtyard and the mysterious things happening around the place.
Franks spoiled movie endings the devils backbone aka. The slow pace allows us to get to know, and even care for the characters before the horror starts, and this makes the horror all the more potent when it does start. In january, 1996 unsolved mysteries featured a story on landowner. Nov, 2017 filmed in madrid, the devils backbone was the first time the director had shot in europe and the first film he worked with a set historical period. With avery atchley, savannah atchley, marilyn baxter, michaela beach. The devils backbone 2001 guillermo del toro synopsis. Devils backbone is easily my favorite del toro film. The story follows a young boy called carlos who arrives at the santa lucia school after the death of his father who fought in the civil war. May, 2016 the bottled imp takes a look at guillermo del toro second feature film the devils backbone realised in 2001 directed by guillermo del toro and written by guillermo del toro, antonio. It stars fernando tielve, inigo garces, and eduardo noriega. The devils backbone, a mournful and beautiful new ghost story by guillermo del toro, understands that most ghosts are sad, and are attempting not to frighten us but to urgently communicate something that must be known so that they can rest. The story follows a young boy called carlos who arrives at the santa lucia school after the death of his father who fought in the civil. Finally, most of the material takes place in a remote orphanage at the end of a civil war.
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