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The Devil's Backbone

Original title: El espinazo del diablo
  • 20012001
  • RR
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
65K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
El espinazo del diablo (2001)
Theatrical Trailer from Columbia Pictures
Play trailer2:10
2 Videos
84 Photos
  • Drama
  • Horror
  • Thriller

After Carlos - a 12-year-old whose father has died in the Spanish Civil War - arrives at an ominous boys' orphanage, he discovers the school is haunted and has many dark secrets which he mus... Read allAfter Carlos - a 12-year-old whose father has died in the Spanish Civil War - arrives at an ominous boys' orphanage, he discovers the school is haunted and has many dark secrets which he must uncover.After Carlos - a 12-year-old whose father has died in the Spanish Civil War - arrives at an ominous boys' orphanage, he discovers the school is haunted and has many dark secrets which he must uncover.

IMDb RATING
7.4/10
65K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Guillermo del Toro
  • Writers
    • Guillermo del Toro
    • Antonio Trashorras
    • David Muñoz
  • Stars
    • Marisa Paredes
    • Eduardo Noriega
    • Federico Luppi
Top credits
  • Director
    • Guillermo del Toro
  • Writers
    • Guillermo del Toro
    • Antonio Trashorras
    • David Muñoz
  • Stars
    • Marisa Paredes
    • Eduardo Noriega
    • Federico Luppi
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 241User reviews
    • 158Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 11 nominations

    Videos2

    The Devil's Backbone
    Trailer 2:10
    The Devil's Backbone
    How 'Pan's Labyrinth' Inspired 'Scary Stories'
    Clip 2:49
    How 'Pan's Labyrinth' Inspired 'Scary Stories'

    Photos84

    Junio Valverde in El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    Junio Valverde in El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)
    El espinazo del diablo (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Marisa Paredes
    Marisa Paredes
    • Carmenas Carmen
    Eduardo Noriega
    Eduardo Noriega
    • Jacintoas Jacinto
    Federico Luppi
    Federico Luppi
    • Dr. Casaresas Dr. Casares
    Fernando Tielve
    Fernando Tielve
    • Carlosas Carlos
    Íñigo Garcés
    Íñigo Garcés
    • Jaimeas Jaime
    Irene Visedo
    Irene Visedo
    • Conchitaas Conchita
    José Manuel Lorenzo
    • Marceloas Marcelo
    Francisco Maestre
    Francisco Maestre
    • El Puercoas El Puerco
    • (as Paco Maestre)
    Junio Valverde
    Junio Valverde
    • Santias Santi
    Berta Ojea
    • Almaas Alma
    Adrián Lamana
    • Gálvezas Gálvez
    Daniel Esparza
    • Marcosas Marcos
    Miguel Ortiz
    Juan Carlos Vellido
    Juan Carlos Vellido
    Javier Bódalo
    • Búhoas Búho
    • (as Javier González Madrigal)
    Víctor Elías
    José Luis Torrijo
    José Luis Torrijo
    Álvaro Vega
    • Director
      • Guillermo del Toro
    • Writers
      • Guillermo del Toro
      • Antonio Trashorras
      • David Muñoz
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    It is 1939, the end of three years of bloody civil war in Spain, and General Franco's right-wing Nationalists are poised to defeat the left-wing Republican forces. A ten-year-old boy named Carlos, the son of a fallen Republican war hero, is left by his tutor in an orphanage in the middle of nowhere. The orphanage is run by a curt but considerate headmistress named Carmen and a kindly Professor Casares, both of whom are sympathetic to the doomed Republican cause. Despite their concern for him, and his gradual triumph over the usual schoolhouse bully, Carlos never feels completely comfortable in his new environment. First of all, there was that initial encounter with the orphanage's nasty caretaker, Jacinto, who reacts even more violently when anyone is caught looking around a particular storage room the one with the deep well. Second, and more inexplicable, is the presence of a ghost, one of the former occupants of the orphanage named Santi. Not long after Carlos' arrival, Santi latches onto Carlos, badgering him incessantly at night and gloomily intoning, "Many of you will die." As if that wasn't enough to keep the orphanage's occupants in an unrelenting state of terror, there's the un-exploded bomb that dominates the orphanage's courtyard, still ticking away; With the orphanage left defenseless by its isolation, and the swift progression of Franco's troops, the ghost's prediction seems depressingly accurate. Nevertheless, with every step of the plot, it becomes apparent that the ghost's predictions as to who (or what) will die, the real source of danger and even the definition of death itself may be more ambiguous than first thought. —Anonymous
    • orphanage
    • spanish civil war
    • sex
    • gold bar
    • gold
    • 190 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The living will always be more dangerous than the dead.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Horror
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Described by Guillermo del Toro as being a sibling film to El laberinto del fauno (2006) (this being the masculine "brother" film, and Pan's as the feminine "sister" film).
    • Goofs
      The amount of gold Jacinto puts in his pockets and ties to his belt would probably pull his pants off and definitely make it impossible for him to stand and walk the way he does.
    • Quotes

      [first lines]

      [voice over narration]

      Casares: What is a ghost? A tragedy condemned to repeat itself time and again? An instant of pain, perhaps. Something dead which still seems to be alive. An emotion suspended in time. Like a blurred photograph. Like an insect trapped in amber.

    • Crazy credits
      During the opening credits sequence, the letters of the film's title can be seen floating around the preserved fetuses. Eventually, the letters come together to form the title.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 100 Scariest Movie Moments: Part II: 75-51 (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Una lágrima
      Written by Eugenio Cardenas (as E. Cardenas) and Nicolás Verona (as N. Verona)

      Performed by Carlos Gardel

      Courtesy Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas

    User reviews241

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    among the best work I've seen
    Great care has been taken with the art direction. You are immediately transported to 1939, with Franco's army about to descend on the Spanish countryside. Even the crumbling buildings of the boys' school the characters inhabit play a role. The actors are superb, and the child actors give award-worthy performances.

    This story is only incidentally a ghost story. It's a story about love and betrayal and the miseries of war visited on a people. It has a lot to teach about the depths of human cruelty, and the grace of sacrifice. It left me weeping. I don't want to label it Del Toro's masterpiece so early in his career, but it will stand through the years with his best work.
    helpful•57
    22
    • aktaylor
    • May 2, 2005

    FAQ1

    • what is the significance of the picture in jacinto's hand...??and why carmen never wants to kiss jacinto when they have sexual relationship??

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 20, 2001 (Spain)
    • Countries of origin
      • Spain
      • Mexico
    • Official sites
      • El Deseo (Spain)
      • Official site
    • Language
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Xương Quỷ
    • Filming locations
      • Talamanca del Jarama, Madrid, Spain
    • Production companies
      • El Deseo
      • Tequila Gang
      • Sogepaq
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $755,249
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $34,963
      • Nov 25, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,582,065
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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