The Devil's Backbone
2001 · Movie · R · 108 min · ★ 7.3 · 86% critics
In 1939 Spain, a newly arrived boy is sent to a remote orphanage as the civil war closes in. As he navigates rivalries and uneasy adult tensions, he becomes drawn to a mysterious presence in the halls, pushing him to uncover buried wrongs and face the dangers of the living as much as the dead.
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Details
- Original title
- El espinazo del diablo
- Years
- 2001
- Release date
- 2001-04-20
- Language
- Spanish
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 86/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.3/10 (1,358 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a moody, tragic ghost tale that’s more war drama than jump-scare horror, with lingering sadness and tension; Not for you if you need fast thrills like The Orphanage.
Pros: haunting atmosphere; rich historical backdrop; memorable ghostly imagery | Cons: slow, methodical pacing; emotional distance for some; horror elements subdued
Themes
- spain
- orphanage
- spanish civil war (1936-39)
- gothic horror
- ghost
- political repression
- 1930s
- isolated place
- supernatural being
- ghost child
Cast & crew
Marisa Paredes
as Carmen
Eduardo Noriega
as Jacinto
Federico Luppi
as Dr. Casares
Fernando Tielve
as Carlos
Íñigo Garcés
as Jaime
Irene Visedo
as Conchita
José Manuel Lorenzo
as Marcelo
Francisco Maestre
as 'El Puerco'
Junio Valverde
as Santi
Berta Ojea
as Alma
Directed by Guillermo del Toro