The Devil’s Backbone Film Difficulty Ranking: 2
If you liked Pan’s Labyrinth you’ll love The Devil’s Backbone. It’s another great film from Guillermo del Toro set during the Spanish Civil War. The Devil’s Backbone is a horror film with depth, unlike a bunch of the horror films around today. So go ahead, watch this and let your imagination loose!
Why Watch the Devil’s Backbone?
- It’s one of Guillermo Del Toro’s first and best films (he’s famous for Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellyboy, and Blade)
- You want a horror film with a bit more depth than your classic slasher or psychological thriller
- It’s another great movie about which plays out during the Spanish Civil War (also check out Lengua de las Mariposas and Pan’s Labyrinth)
- There’s also the classic Guillermo Del Toro creations and style
The Breakdown
“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”
As the opening lines above are read, a plane flying across the night sky opens it’s bomb doors to drop bombs on a village below. One of the bombs falls into the ground, brutally injuring a young boy.
The boy was a member of a small walled sanctuary in the middle of the Spanish desert. The sanctuary is full of young boys left by men and women fighting in the Spanish Civil War. The place is run by an old woman with a wooden leg and an old man who has a love for books and curiosities (typical del Toro style). The location is like the wild west and is ripe for the spookiness that unfolds.
Del Toro perfectly stages the horror scenes. Each one follows the rhythm written by the many horror films that preceded it. There’s the first ominous sighting early on in the film which goes unnoticed by all of the characters. This reveals the ghost to us. Next, the protagonist sees the ghost and the rest of the character’s usually don’t believe him. This identifies the audience with the protagonist (we’re the only one’s who know of the ghost). Then finally, in the climax, the ghost is revealed to all.
The Conclusion
The Devil’s Backbone is one of Guillermo del Toro’s best. Just like Pan’s Labyrinth it contains a young kid living during the Spanish Civil War. However, this film is a more classic horror. Even though Pan’s Labyrinth borrows from the horror genre, The Devil’s Backbone will give you more spooks. What’s the best thing to do? Watch both!