The Nameless (1999)

The mutilated body of a six year old girl is found in a water hole. The girl is identified as the missing daughter of Claudia. However, only two pieces of evidence could be used to identify... See full summary »

Director:

Jaume Balagueró

Writers:

Jaume Balagueró, Ramsey Campbell (story)

Stars:

Emma Vilarasau, Karra Elejalde, Tristán Ulloa

16 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Emma Vilarasau	...	Claudia
Karra Elejalde	...	Massera
Tristán Ulloa	...	Quiroga
Toni Sevilla	...	Franco
Brendan Price	...	Marc
Jordi Dauder	...	Forense
Núria Cano	...	Policía
Isabel Ampudia	...	Secretaria
Carles Punyet	...	Jefe
Aleix Puiggalí	...	Tipo malcarado
Susana García Díez	...	Chica piscina (as Susana García)
Pep Tosar	...	Toni
Carme Capdet	...	Monja
Manel Solás	...	Hombre silla de ruedas
Víctor Guillén	...	Hombre flaco (as Víctor Guillén 'Buby')

Storyline

The mutilated body of a six year old girl is found in a water hole. The girl is identified as the missing daughter of Claudia. However, only two pieces of evidence could be used to identify her; a bracelet with her name on it near the crime scene, and the fact that her right leg was three centimeters longer than her left. All other methods of identification were removed from her body. Five years later Claudia, now addicted to tranquilizers, receives a phone call from someone claiming to be her daughter, asking for her mother to come find her before 'they' kill her. Other mysterious clues show up, further indicating that Claudia's daughter is indeed still alive, and very much in danger. Claudia, a run-down ex-cop, and a parapsychology reporter put together the clues to discover Angela's whereabouts.

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Plot Keywords:

stockholm syndrome | good versus evil | rotting corpse | torture | suicide | 

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Taglines:

Trying to reach the limits of evil... But evil has no limits.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, graphic nudity and language

Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

12 November 1999 (Spain)

Also Known As:

The Nameless

Box Office

Budget:

€900,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmax S.A., P.C. Joan Ginard

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Number #190 in Fangoria's Top 300 Horror Movies of All Time.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Claudia: What are you going to do?
Ángela: I'll call you...

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Connections

References Se7en (1995)

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Soundtracks

My Black Dress
Written by Mariona Aupí and Jaume Garcia
Performed by Fang

User Reviews

Atmospherically chilling and taut thriller

Claudia Gifford receives a call from the police to tell her they found the body of her six-year-old daughter Angela. Her body was brutalized and she seems to have been chosen for sacrifice by a cult they call "The Nameless". But five years later Claudia receives a telephone call from supposedly her dead daughter and that she needs her mum's help. So with the help of an ex-cop, she investigates more into this mystery and because of it, dire and disturbing consequences occur.

Effectively tense, alienating and involving is what comes to my mind when I describe the Spanish film "The Nameless". The film's stark lighting, slick detail and gloomy awe just had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. It does have a little amount of ghastly violence and some explicit visuals and material that aren't for the faint hearted. Though, that's not what got on my nerves but more the use of dull and lifeless colour tones that pull you into cold-hearted paradise, tension builds subtly with eerie quietness, the chilling sound effects just put you on the edge with also a beautifully faint score that drowns you with emotion and that definitely puts you into a false state of mind. Mostly it was piano backing, which sorrow and pain develops from the notes potently. The depressing state of it sucks the life right out of you!

For me the plot is one of its few weaknesses, as at times situations that occurred just didn't add up and it does get a bit schematic. The first half builds on the story and suspense, but in my eyes the second half is where the plot (not suspense) became patchy and kind of faulted by the way side. The theories (about the cult) that are thrown up are indeed absorbing and the whole set-up kept me glued to proceedings as the plot is basically just glazed over without any real substance to back it, but at least it moves in a fairly snappy pace. This was due to tight editing that's swiftly unnerving and also fluid camera shots. The performances are reasonably bland, but hey this is such sombre film so you kind of accept it. Anyhow, these cardboard characters are haunted and scarred by ghosts of loved ones that fill their memories. The stylish film-making for me really added to the moody atmosphere. Evoking a sense of doom and coldness with its brood shadows filling every corner of the set and they seem to have something evil lurking within them that just eats away at you. Some scenes I was just waiting for something bad to happen, as you can just tell, but even so it still kind of gets to you. Even a humming sound would nag away at me, though I don't know if I was hearing things or that it was from the film? Towards the end you get a usual twist that didn't surprise me much, but the second one to end it was something that left me rather blank, just like the plot pretty much did. You can also see plenty of influences from other films with its story, visuals and atmosphere.

Overall, a neatly made psychological thriller that builds tremendously on atmosphere, thrills and mystery.