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The Devil's Backbone | 
| Director: Guillermo Del Toro
Actors: Federico Luppi, Marisa Paredes, Inigo Garces, Eduardo Noriega, Fernando Tielve
Studio: Columbia TriStar
Category: DVD
List Price: CDN$ 18.05
Buy New: CDN$ 11.81
You Save: CDN$ 6.24 (35%)
New (14) Used (2) from CDN$ 11.81
Rating:  12 reviews
Format: Import, Ac-3, Dolby, Ntsc, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: COLD05676D
ISBN: 1404958754
UPC: 043396056763
EAN: 9781404958753
ASIN: B000274TLW
Theatrical Release Date: November 21, 2001
Release Date: July 27, 2004
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW - Shipped within 24 hrs via Airmail from the USA - Average 5 to 10 workdays delivery time. Excellent customer service. NEUF - Envoy? par avion des USA sous 24 hrs - Livraison en moyenne de 5 a 10 jours ouvres. Service clientele en francais.
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| Editorial Reviews:
From Amazon.com
Seething passions, wandering ghosts, and an unexploded bomb fill this beautifully filmed tale of war and suspense. Though IThe Devil's Backbone/I was advertised as a horror movie in the States, it's really more of a drama that happens to have ghosts in it. During the Spanish Civil War, young Carlos is abandoned at a completely isolated orphanage. The tensions therein have been building for years, exacerbated by the unexploded bomb resting menacingly in the courtyard. Bullies scheme, tempers flare, and a ghost that visits Carlos's bed seems to be the key to it all. The movie is full of excellent performances, especially by Marisa Paredes as the gruff-but-kind headmistress, Federico Luppi as the handyman with secrets to keep, and Eduardo Noriega as the benevolent professor who likes to keep deformed fetuses in jars. A rich, satisfying drama with some good, spooky fun thrown in. I--Ali Davis/I
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 excellent, 2 thumbs up to del toro July 31, 2002
JB (NY)
the devil's backbone... is a great movie....although it is misleadinga as a horror movie(it is more of a thriller) one can only pray that there are more complete movies like this one made in hte future...the acting is top notch, the plot and directing are too...if anything this movie deserves a 10 out of 5p*note that the review that compares this movie to scooby doo is a little off...if scooby doo was like this movie, than i doubt it would be viewable by little children
Superb Ghost Story July 30, 2002
Kim Anehall (Chicago, IL USA)
Devil's Backbone a cerebrally chilling story about Carlos. Carlos is brought to a secluded orphanage during the Spanish Civil War unknowing of his fathers death. The orphanage has huge undetonated bomb in the middle of the yard, which they say has been disarmed. Upon arrival, Carlos discovers that there is something haunting him besides the other boys of the orphanage. It is a mystery to Carlos why 'it' is haunting him, but he intends to solve the mystery.
 STYLISH SPANISH GOTHIC... July 28, 2002
Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle)
Well directed by Guillermo Del Toro, this is a stylish, Spanish gothic film with remarkable performances by the entire cast. The entire film takes place during the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s in a remote, ramshackle school in the middle of nowhere that houses boys who have been displaced by the war. Many of them are orphans. An unexploded bomb, courtesy of the fascists, lies half buried in the courtyard of the school, a stark reminder of what is happening beyond the boundaries of this isolated spot.pOne such boy, Carlos (Fernando Tielve), who is unaware that his father was killed in the war, is brought to the school by his tutor and left in the care and custody of its one legged headmistress, Carmen (Marisa Paredes). A Leftist, she is a passionate woman who has been funding the Left in its losing battle against the fascists. Cesares (Federico Luppi), one of the professors at the school, is a kindly, older man who befriends the bereft and bewildered Carlos. He is also an incurable romantic, in love with and devoted to Carmen, yet too much of a gentleman to consummate his passion for her. She. too, however, has a secret passion, and it is not him. pAs the new kid on the block, Carlos attracts the attention of the school bully, Jaime (Inigo Garces), but manages to hold his own against the bigger and older boy. It is just as well, as there is something else going on at the school that demands both their attention. It seems that Santi (Junio Valverde), a boy who has been classified as missing, is eerily making his presence felt. Moreover, the school handyman, Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega), the handsome "prince without a kingdom" much like the devil himself, appears to be up to no good, while Conchita (Irene Visedo), the school's young housekeeper, has set her cap for him.pAmidst the war, the haunting, and the destructive violence of Jacinto, Carlos unexpectedly comes of age. Jaime, who is part of Carlos' rite of passage, matures into a natural leader. What they must face together will ultimately bind them in friendship. This is a complex, multi-layered film, dealing with themes of anger, betrayal, greed, love, and hate, all of which are played out and lead to the stunning climactic ending.pMarisa Paredes gives a rich, three dimensional performance, as Carmen, a woman who is tired by the ongoing civil war and who finds herself questioning the leftist cause, the very cause that she financially supports, while harboring a secret passion. Federico Luppi imbues his character, Cesares, with a depth of emotion that simmers just below the surface, as well as with an old-fashioned grace that is touching. Eduardo Noriego, as Jacinto, gives an emotional portrayal of evil, yet manages to infuse a certain poignancy in his character. The children all give very good performances. This deftly directed, well acted film is worth watching. pThe DVD offers a widescreen version of the film with first rate audio and visuals. Along with a commentary by the director and the cinematographer, it offers an interesting featurette on the making of the film from the point of view of the director, Guillermo Del Toro. This is a DVD well worth having.
 Not what I expected July 21, 2002
That one guy (USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
When I first saw the cover of this DVD, I noticed the tagline: 'More frightening than The Others.' Being a big fan of that film, I picked this one up with some pretty high expectations.brThis movie is a bit of a thriller, but using the term 'frightening' is a misnomer. The plot is pretty basic, but the acting is top-notch, as is the filmography.brWithout giving too much away, as the plot developed I was reminded of old Scooby Doo cartoons. The theives want the gold, one of the caretakers turns out to be greedy and abusive. In the end, 'I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for those meddling kids!'brOh, yes. The ghost. Displayed prominently on the cover of the DVD, pick it up and your staring into the eyes of a creepy, evil demon kid. Make no mistake, this character is secondary in the story. He pops up from time to time to give clues as the storyline develops, but, as another reviewer stated, a horror film this is not. A good story, but if you're looking for a scary film, move on. I wouldn't have been so disappointed if I would have picked it up in the 'drama' section as opposed to the 'horror' section. I wish marketing departments would stop trying to mislead potential renters and buyers. It just makes the final outcome more disappointing. I was reminded of 'House of the Spirits' in the end. Again, definitely not a bad film, but different than you might expect. Want a decent thriller with a bit of a predictible plot? Pick it up. Want some frights and chills? Stick with 'The Others.' I know I will.
Um dos dez melhores filmes de 2001 July 21, 2002
Ary Luiz Dalazen Jr. (Fortaleza, CE Brazil)
(Portuguese Language) The Devil's Backbone traz novo folego para o genero horror, que encontrava-se em franca decadencia gracas a fiascos recentes como Resident Evil e a serie Panico. Parecia que aquelas velhas e empoeiradas estorias de terror que realmente assustavam e envolviam estavam extintas mas coube a The Devil's Backbone, um filme espanhol com pequeno orcamento, resgatar toda a dignidade perdida das producoes de antigamente, revelando o talento do diretor Guillermo Del Toro, que surge como um cineasta bastante original e criativo. O filme narra as desventuras do menino Carlos, que na decada de 30, durante a guerra espanhola, e mandado para um orfanato situado no meio do quente deserto, sob os cuidados de Carmen (Marisa Paredes),uma professora amarga que perdeu uma das pernas e Casares, o bondoso e camarada diretor do estabelecimento.La ele tambem conhecera os outros garotos, e o revoltado e odioso Jacinto, um rapaz de seus 30-35 anos que cresceu no orfanato e que nutre um grande odio pelo local e pelas pessoas que o criaram.Depois de algumas noites, carlos sentira a presenca sobrenatural de Santi, um garotinho que desapareceu estranhamente na mesma noite em que uma gigantesca bomba caiu no patio do orfanato, sem explodir. Os meninos criaram varias teorias para explicar o que houve com Santi, mas, aos poucos, a verdade ira revelando-se, claro que com a ajuda do espirito do garoto, que quer se vingar do responsavel pela sua morte. Embora o fantasma de Santi exerca uma funcao importantissima na trama, este e apenas o pano-de fundo para a narrativa maior, que envolve amores nao correspondidos, ambicao, o ardiloso Jacinto e uma fortuna em ouro escondida no local. Com uma fotografia perfeita, Del Toro transporta a plateia para a decada de 30, trazendo todo o desespero da guerra visto atraves dos olhos de criancas confinadas em um orfanato amarelado, sujo e empoeirado.O deserto e mostrado em tons pasteis de forma tao maestral que voce quase e capaz de sentir o calor do lugar. As atuacoes sao perfeitas, maravilhosas, todos estao no mesmo nivel, Marisa Paredes da uma performance marcante como a carente Carmen, Eduardo Noriega brilha como o malvado Jacinto.O filme, apesar de trazer um tom sobrenatural,e mais um drama psicologico, pessimista e muito, muito triste, que certamente consagra-se como um dos dez melhores filmes de 2001.
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