The Nameless (1999)

5 years after a mom's 6 y.o. girl is murdered, she gets a phone call from someone claiming to be the daughter. An ex cop and a reporter help. A secret group called The Nameless may be behind it all.

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

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Quotes

Santini: Look at the table, Claudia. I'm sure that's all you see. A table. Because you can't see beyond - within. There are things within the table, Claudia, but you can't see them. Termites. They are devouring it little by little. But no one knows. They never rest, and do it in silence. Until one day the table breaks. That's the secret. If you could see within me, you'd see the same thing. I'm full of flies, Claudia. They're devouring me little by little, and no one knows. You can't imagine the pain. ...

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Connections

References The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Creepy and eerie Spanish Horror/thriller with good performances and magnificent filmmaking

Good and unsettling Catalan terror/thriller by expert filmmaker Jaume Balaguero and based on the British novel "The Nameless" by Ramsey Campbell . More spine-tingling from the director of ¨Darkness¨ , a convincing sense of impeding dread and essential to any effective Horror-Thriller . Some years after a little girl was killed when her mummy named Claudia (Emma Villarasau) , addicted to tranquilizers , seemed to have started to recover , but a phone call once again shatters her existence : "Mummy, it's me... come and get me". Helped by an ex-cop named Massera(Karra Elejalde) and a parapsychology journalist named Quiroga (Tristan Ulloa) who is expert in the supernatural, she sets out on a desperate search for encounter her daughter . Other mysterious clues appear , indicating that the daughter is indeed still alive , and very much in risk . Later on , they discover incredible deeds : a sect of the occult with conceal things and dark secrets which rejects its own name , called ¨Nameless¨ and wishes the essence of pure evil.

The official English title is The Nameless -but the correct translation is "Los Sin Nombre", which to me is far more creepy- lives up to Jaume Balaguero's reputation . This suspenseful and frightening movie was produced by the successful Catalan producers Julio and Carlos Fernandez from Fantastic factory ; it displays relentless horror , thrills , intrigue , shocks , hard-edged drama , plot twists , creepy images and some gore when crime takes place . Director Jaume Balagueró (Rec, Rec 2, Fragiles , Darkness and the recent "while you sleep" or Mientras Duermes) uses that uneasy non-knowledge for both horror and occultism , introducing brief psychological observations . Interesting writing credits by the same director/writer Balaguero based on a story by Ramsey Campbell . ¨Nameless¨ is a motion picture that balances precariously over the terror and occultism . The overall result is chilling proof that Balagueró can take a little budget while delivering a completely different scare . Extraordinary performance by Emma Villarasau , she plays a real tour-de-force in one of his best acting of his career as a solitary and unhappy mother , unsettling for past records and disturbing future . Furthermore , excellent Karra Elejalde as a run-down ex-'policeman . The picture packs a thrilling and intriguing musical score by Carles Cases . Furthermore , a cold and appropriate cinematography by Xavi Gimenez , Balaguero's usual .

'The Nameless' demonstrates director Balagueró's versatility , resulting to be a sublime thriller that every genre buff should be excited for . Rating : Good , better than average . The movie will appeal to thriller and terror fans . Worthwhile watching .

Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

12 November 1999 (Spain)

Also Known As:

The Nameless

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

EUR900,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,904,286

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmax, P.C. Joan Ginard

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1