The Devil's Backbone (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Very good thank you

I've seen this movie several times and it holds up every time as an emotional, haunting film. I love a good ghost story and this movie serves that up very well! The characters are compelling, even Jacinto, who is so messed up and evil (but somehow you feel sorry for him). There are twists in here that are surprising, too. I love Guillermo del Toro's movies but I think this one is my absolute favorite.

A Gothic Murder Mystery in a Spanish orphanage. Well done, visually inviting story with ghost! English subtitles. Glad I bought it!

You probably know the Sixth Sense, The Others, The Woman in Black. But you probably have not heard of The Devil's Backbone. There is a reason this movie is getting the Criterion treatment: its is probably one of Del Toro's best films. Set in the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, a group of boys discover a horrible secret about the death of a little boy who haunts their orphanage. Like many of Del Toro's films there is a political message here, but a love story as well--the political and the personal intersect, and its here that you get great storytelling. This film is considered by many to be Guillermo Del Toro's bookend to his newest film Pan's Labyrinth and you'll probably notice close similarities. But dont think that the ghost story is entirely the locus of the film, it is the stories of the lives of its characters that makes this movie shine.

Before he got really big he was doing great "smaller" flicks like this that show his style and story-telling. Without giving up the story the movie is about a boy left at an orphanage during the Spanish civil war. While there he uncovers a mystery that remains unsolved but through his ability to communicate with the deceased victim the truth unfolds. More of a story-telling than a gotcha or boo thriller type movie. And, reading an essay on the movie to understand the symbolism regarding del Toro's position on the war and socialism makes it all the more interesting.

This is one of my favorite films and Criterion delivered a perfect edition of it.

Some people think horror is about busty teens and young rebels being picked off by mysterious killers or lots of gore from a made up creature. Well this film has neither so stay away.What you do have is a stunning film with great actors playing real people with real issues. Three or four stories are interwoven perfectly, set off with great imagery...all set around the Spanish civil war and the haunting corridors of an orphanage for abandoned children.While the film does contain a ghost -the murdered child, Santi- the real horror of the film comes from the greed of certain adults who occupy the orphanage with the children.This film is intelligent poetry on screen -mortality, love, hate, jealousy, greed and redemption are all explored.This film puts many films to shame just for having a great story at it's core.

This Film is a must , for fans of Beauty and Terror , Which seems to be Guillermo Del-Toro Trade marks , I was fortunate to purchasea signed Blu Ray Criterion . Del-Toro is an excellent Artist in his own , and it shows in this film , He has a way with directing chiddenso as to see the story from a child's point of view , Especially where scene's of Terror or horror to Adults would be running scared , The child is seeing , not horror , but instead hiding , the child or children are curious , a kindred spirit . The real horror is outside , with the living who willing to murder a child for just being in the way. Guillermo Del-Toro shows us, in this remarkable film .Thank you everyone : For giving me your time.