El Espinazo Del Diablo AKA The Devil’s Backbone [2001]

El Espinazo Del Diablo is yet another Spanish movie involving ghosts. The first one reviewed was El Orfanato. Directed by Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Cronos, Mimic) who considers it his most personal film, it features his unique directing style along with some stunning cinematography. It’s somehow really dreamy but with this menacing vibe floating around. With Pedro Almodovar as the producer and Guillermo as the director, this movie could not be bad. Set during the Spanish Civil War, it’s packed with tension coming from all sides. However, when you’re making a movie like this, there’s one element that you simply must not fuck up. And that element is storytelling. Guillermo weaves his story and characters with attention to detail, maintaining the pace of the movie. This way, the viewer doesn’t have to do any extra work, just to enjoy.

The story is set in 1939 in Spain, in a remote orphanage. Final days of Spanish Civil War are turbulent and brutal, with Franco’s forces slowly taking over Spain. At the same time, in the orphanage, a ten-year-old boy named Carlos starts seeing something, something that should not be alive. There are lots spooky situations and suspenseful moments. Also all the characters are very convincing and real, so they all contribute to that spooky vibe that movie possesses. I especially liked the unexploded bomb, it is just existing there in the middle of the yard, like it is waiting for the right time. It was looming over the orphanage along with war, poverty and all the other stuff.

Director: Guillermo del Toro

Cast: Eduardo Noriega, Marisa Paredes, Federico Luppi, Irene Visedo, Juan Carlos Vellido, Adrián Lamana

Fun Facts: Was strongly inspired by the director’s personal memories, especially his relationship with his uncle, who supposedly came back as a ghost.

Rating:

IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0256009/