Casares (Federico Luppi) and his wife Carmen (Marisa Paredes) run an orphanage in a remote part of Spain during the Spanish Civil War. They are helped by groundskeeper Jacinto (Eduardo Noriega), a former orphan, and his fiancée Conchita (Irene Visedo), who is a teacher. Carlos (Fernando Tielve), a new addition to the orphanage, arrives and he begins seeing a ghostly presence. As Carlos starts to learn more about his visions, he and his new friends are pulled into the middle of a dangerous situation as secrets are uncovered and tensions threaten to spill over.
“The Devil’s Backbone” is a 2001 film by filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro, and it’s getting a 4K Collector’s Edition release for the first time. An early film from Del Toro, “The Devil’s Backbone” is often referred to as a gothic horror, and it’s fair to say that it’s incredibly tense and riveting. Lots of characters are introduced at the beginning, along with a mystery of a young boy with a nasty head wound, and the film takes its time to reveal exactly what’s going on. While there are political elements to the film – Cesar and Carmen are Republican loyalists and they’re hiding gold in the orphanage – the main focus is on the central mystery.
The arrival of Carlos sets everything into motion. The young boy is unaware that his father has been killed, and he has a rough start to his time at the orphanage when he’s targeted by a bully. Carlos perseveres and befriends the other boys, but not before he proves his worth by accepting a dare. As Carlos begins to see visions of a dead boy, the film unravels a sub-plot involving Jacinto and his reason for taking a job at the orphanage. Jacinto appears to be good-natured and caring on the outside, but it doesn’t take long before the mask starts to slip and you find out what he’s up to.
While the film is never overly scary, “The Devil’s Backbone” does impress thanks to Del Toro’s expert touch. He knows how to draw out tension and create suspense, and there are many tense moments throughout the film. Not only are you concerned for Carlos and the other boys, you’re also worried that the orphanage is going to be targeted due to the beliefs of Casares and Carmen. Del Toro takes his time to reveal his hand but he keeps you hooked until the very end, thanks to his stylish and engaging direction.
The release features a brand new 4K restoration, giving the film a fantastic upgrade and delivering it in the best quality that it’s been available in to date. It is loaded with extras including three audio commentaries, a video prologue by Del Toro, behind-the-scenes footage and featurettes, deleted scenes, and much more. The release is packaged with new artwork by Krishna Bala Shenoi (and 2 posters) and a 64-page booklet featuring new essays.
“The Devil’s Backbone” is one of Del Toro’s finest films and it stands up 25 years later. Few directors can create atmosphere like Del Toro, and you can see how this film led to his later masterpiece “Pan’s Labyrinth”. With a strong cast – including an excellent turn from Eduardo Noriega – and an engaging mystery, “The Devil’s Backbone” is a horror classic that you really must see. This brand new 4K edition is the best way to experience it and I highly recommend you add it to your collection.
Cast: Marisa Paredes, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Fernando Tielve, Irene Visedo Director: Guillermo del Toro Writers: Guillermo del Toro, Antonio Trashorras, David Muñoz Certificate: 15 Duration: 106 mins Released by: STUDIOCANAL Release date: 13th April 2026 Buy “The Devil’s Backbone” now
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