The Orphanage (2007)

A woman brings her family back to her childhood home, which used to be an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long, her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend.

Director:

J.A. Bayona

Writer:

Sergio G. Sánchez (screenplay)

Stars:

Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep

32 wins & 41 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Belén Rueda	...	Laura
Fernando Cayo	...	Carlos
Roger Príncep	...	Simón
Mabel Rivera	...	Pilar
Montserrat Carulla	...	Benigna
Andrés Gertrúdix	...	Enrique
Edgar Vivar	...	Prof. Leo Bálaban
Óscar Casas	...	Tomás
Mireia Renau	...	Laura niña
Georgina Avellaneda	...	Rita
Carla Gordillo	...	Martín
Alejandro Camps	...	Víctor
Carmen López	...	Alicia
Óscar Lara	...	Guillermo
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Aurora

Storyline

Laura, a former orphan, raises her adopted son Simón together with her husband Carlos in an old house and former orphanage where she was raised. While at the orphanage Simón tells Laura that he has five invisible friends which she believes are a product of his active imagination. Laura decides to reopen the orphanage to cater for disabled children and throws a party. During the party Simón tries to persuade Laura to go and take a look at his friends cabin but she's too busy. Later on she sees a mysterious masked boy and realizes that Simón has also disappeared. Laura feels the presence of other people in the house and months later Laura invites a team of parapsychologists to try to unravel the mystery.

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Plot Keywords:

orphanage | dead children | missing child | orphan | female protagonist | 

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Taglines:

No secret stays locked away forever

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some disturbing content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Official site [United States]

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

11 January 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Orphanage

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

EUR3,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$233,323, 30 December 2007

Gross USA:

$7,161,284

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$78,638,987

Company Credits

Production Co:

Esta Vivo! Laboratorio de Nuevos Talentos, Grupo Rodar, Rodar y Rodar Cine y Televisión

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This scored the biggest box office opening for a film in its native Spain, outgrossing the similarly successful Pan's Labyrinth (2006).

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Goofs

During the séance, as Aurora regresses into a trance, her arms slip off the arms of the chair on which she is sitting. The next shot of her, looking from the other direction, shows her arms still resting on the chair again.

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Quotes

Laura: 1, 2, 3. Toca la pared.

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Crazy Credits

Pieces of wallpaper are peeled off to reveal each of the opening credits.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Another Top 10 Terrifying Horror Movie Masks (2017)

User Reviews

And I don't like horror movies...

Let me begin by saying I DON'T like horror movies. I don't enjoy jumping in my seat. I don't like being afraid of the dark for the next 2 days, and I usually HATE Spanish movies. So usually I only see the big horror classics, and that is because I've read enough spoilers to confront the movie in a laid-back way.

Having said this, I was dragged to see this movie against my will. And I was right! I have never, EVER, been more uneasy, uncomfortable on any movie, from the Exorcist to the Prophecy, from Psycho to Halloween. The story seems obvious; the cliché-horror themes are there, and while I saw them coming, I was comfortable enough. But then comes the movie, the script, the score, the acting, all in perfect harmony... and you jump, and you chill and you shout and you wish you had never entered that dammed cinema.

It is good. It is great.It is moving and horrifying. It does not need CGI, sound effects or unreal characters. Its there. Its real. Its haunting. It WILL be a classic.

Chapeau!