The Devil's Backbone (Espinazo del Diablo, El) (2001) (NTSC) |
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The Devil's Backbone (Espinazo del Diablo, El) (2001) (NTSC) |
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| General | Extras | ||
| Category | Drama |
Audio Commentary Storyboards-5 Storyboard Comparisons-5 Featurette-Making Of Theatrical Trailer Trailer-13 Ghosts (1960); All About My Mother; Not One Less |
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| Rating |
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| Year Of Production | 2001 | ||
| Running Time | 107:41 | ||
| RSDL / Flipper | RSDL (77:14) | Cast & Crew | |
| Start Up | Menu | ||
| Region Coding | 1,4 | Directed By | Guillermo Del Toro |
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Studio
Distributor |
 Sony Pictures Home Entertain |
Starring |
Eduardo Noriega Marisa Paredes Federico Luppi Íñigo Garcés Fernando Tielve Irene Visedo |
| Case | Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip | ||
| RPI | $35.95 | Music | Javier Navarrete |
| Video (NTSC) | Audio | ||
| Pan & Scan/Full Frame | None |
Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s) English Audio Commentary Dolby Digital 2.0  (192Kb/s)
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| Widescreen Aspect Ratio | 1.85:1 | ||
| 16x9 Enhancement |
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| Video Format | 480i (NTSC) | ||
| Original Aspect Ratio | 1.85:1 | Miscellaneous | |
| Jacket Pictures | No | ||
| Subtitles | English | Smoking | Yes |
| Annoying Product Placement | No | ||
| Action In or After Credits | No | ||
The Devil's Backbone is notable for a number of reasons. For starters, it is less a horror movie than an orphan drama, weaving the horror themes to brilliantly parallel the horrors of war, and the horrors of being an orphan - a child that no-one truly cares for. This movie does what only the best horror movies do, and that is to use the fantastic elements of the story for the twin purposes of emphasising the horror of reality, while at the same time creating an atmosphere in which the truth of the fantastic is never questioned.
The story, set during the Spanish civil war, follows twelve-year-old Carlos (Fernando Tielve), the newest student at the isolated Santa Lucia orphanage. The school is run by a lady principal named Carmen (Marisa Paredes), and the man she has been in love with for the last twenty years, science teacher Dr Casares (Federico Luppi). They are aided by groundskeeper Jacinto (Spanish super-star Eduardo Noriega), his fiancée Conchita (Irene Visedo), and a third teacher. Right from the start things don't go well for Carlos, as he is picked upon by school bully Jaime (Íñigo Garcés), and on his first night has an encounter with the ghost known as "the one who sighs". From this point, it becomes clear that not all is as it appears on the surface - both the students and the teachers are attempting to carry on as if nothing were amiss, whilst underneath all are silently longing for the things they cannot have. The children long for their parents, Dr. Casares for Carmen, Carmen for the pleasures of the flesh, Conchita for a life away from the orphanage, and Jacinto for what he believes he rightfully deserves. This is a dark and thoughtful story - it is most certainly not schlock horror.
Not only is the story excellent, but the performances are able to match it. Special mention must be made of Fernando Tielve who was cast after del Toro spotted him at an extras cattle call. It was an extremely fortuitous spotting, as Tielve - acting in his first movie - gives an excellent and believable performance that leaves the child actors in Hollywood for dead (pardon the pun). The expressiveness and emotion that Tielve is able to show in his eyes at just 13 years of age is simply incredible. I, for one, rarely enjoy movies focusing on child actors - but this movie is very much the exception. The adult actors, while overshadowed, should not be forgotten. Eduardo Noriega shows frightening ability to plumb the depths of psychosis, Marisa Paredes is excellent as the tormented lady torn between her love and her lover, while Federico Luppi lends considerable authority in his understated portrayal of Dr Casares.
There are few downsides to this movie, but one is the very Hollywood nature of some events - when the rest of the film is so different, the moments that come straight from Hollywood tend to stand out, and are all the more distracting for it. What these moments are can't be mentioned without giving too much away, but they are obvious when they do appear. Also, the pacing of the movie is extremely slow - and at times it does drag a little. Those that are used to their horror moving along at a decent pace will be sorely disappointed. Two trifling complaints really.
The Devil's Backbone is a horror movie for those who think that horror died with the Scream trilogy. The review quote on the front cover proclaims that it is "Vastly more frightening and stylish than The Others." Don't believe it. The Devil's Backbone is about so much more than a ghost story, and can be viewed on so many more levels, that it bears many repeat viewings. On the other hand, in the strictest sense of the word, it is nowhere near as frightening as The Others - but there is no doubt that it will leave a more lasting impression. Not an easy film to watch, but well worth the effort.
Presented at the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1, this transfer is 16x9 enhanced.
In general the transfer is very sharp. There are a few instances where low lighting conditions (such as from 17:05 until 18:20) and long shots of scenery (such as from 3:45 to 4:30) cause some very obvious and quite distracting grain, but for the most part the transfer is clean and clear. Shadow detail is mostly good, although as with the grain, there are some shots that take place in extremely low light conditions, and these lead to a rather murky image. There is no low-level noise, although the grain at 17:02 makes even the darker areas of the image crawl with interference.
Colours are extremely well represented, and this is especially important, as the commentary points out the use of contrast between warm and blue lighting during night sequences. The interiors of the school are especially well represented, displaying all their rich detail with ease.
The only compression artefact present in this transfer is some pixelisation caused by the heavy grain between 17:05 and 18:20. There are a few film artefacts, mostly appearing early over the opening "Sony Classics" logo, and right at the end of the film, just before the credits roll (from 103:00 until 103:44). Why the rest of the film in between is mostly artefact-free is a mystery. Aliasing is only a slight problem, that although frequent, never really becomes distracting, with the worst example being the sleeve at 51:06.
The only subtitles available are English. I cannot comment on their accuracy, as I speak not one word of Spanish, however they are easy to read, and are well paced. Not once was it difficult to read all that was necessary before the next subtitle was presented. The sub-titles default to on, but can be disabled via the menu prior to playing the movie, if you do understand Spanish.
This is an RSDL formatted disc with the layer change taking place at 77:14, between chapters 21 and 22. It takes place on a scene change, but the drop in sound does make it somewhat noticeable. It is far more noticeable on the commentary track however where it breaks a word in two.
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There are two audio tracks present on this disc. The first is the original Spanish dialogue in Dolby Digital 5.1 (at 448 kbps), and - intriguingly - an English audio commentary track in Dolby Digital 2.0 surround (at 192 kbps). Interestingly an English dub is not provided for this movie, and while I personally would never listen to a movie in anything but its original language, those who either cannot or will not read sub-titles are out of luck here - you'll have to learn Spanish.
Dialogue is excellent, being clear and easy to understand throughout, dealing with the wide dynamic range perfectly. Audio sync is spot on throughout, and never causes a problem.
The score is credited to Javier Navarrete, and is an excellent piece of work. It is very subtle and does its job well, but at the same time is a very touching and exquisitely crafted musical work. It suits the moods and desires of the film perfectly.
Surround presence is excellent. Sound designer Salvador Mayolas has created a sound-scape that is rich and dynamic. From the chirping of crickets during the day, to the soft rustle of the wind at night, to the occasions where the soundtrack really has a chance to shine, everything is perfectly presented, and works to bring the viewer completely into the film. An excellent example of this is from 18:20 to about 19:00 where the ghost is represented solely by audio manifestation - this is creepy sound design at its best.
The subwoofer is put to excellent use, which is to say, very little indeed. When needed it comes to the fore though, and adds a punch that can be felt to both the score and the few sound effects that call for it.
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NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.
The Region 4 version of this disc misses out on:
The video quality is excellent, and apart from a short sequence in low-lighting conditions that exhibits a very large amount of grain, is close to flawless. Unfortunately, it is also NTSC.
The audio is even better than the video, providing an active and wide soundstage that makes full use of the available surround channels.
The extras, while not numerous, offer a good deal of insight into the making of the film, and are well worth the time to explore.
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| Review Equipment | |
| DVD | Pioneer DV-555K, using Component output |
| Display | Loewe Xelos 5381ZW. Calibrated with Video Essentials. This display device is 16x9 capable. |
| Audio Decoder | Built in to amplifier/receiver. Calibrated with Video Essentials. |
| Amplification | Onkyo TX-DS787, THX Select |
| Speakers | Rochester Audio Animato Series (2xSAF-02, SAC-02, 3xSAB-01) + 12" Sub (150WRMS) |