A woman brings her family back to her childhood home where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend. Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 09/30/2008 Run time: 105 minutes Rating: R Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
It's only his first film, but Spain's Juan Antonio Bayona has already figured out the secret to a successful supernatural thriller: emphasize character over special effects. Like Walter Salles's Dark Water and Alejandro Amenábar's The Others, The Orphanage pivots on a pretty woman and an unusual child. When her old orphanage goes on the market, Laura (Belén Rueda, Amenábar's The Sea Inside) and Carlos (Fernando Cayo) settle in with their son, Simón (Roger Príncep). Once acclimated to the remote seaside surroundings, they plan to re-open it as a home for special-needs children. Meanwhile, their seven-year-old doesn't know he's adopted or that he has a life-threatening illness. He does, however, have a lot of imaginary playmates. When Simón disappears without a trace, his parents contact the police, but to no avail. Because Laura has been hearing odd noises and having strange visions, they proceed to consult a medium. Aurora (Geraldine Chaplin, speaking perfect Spanish) is convinced they aren't alone. Carlos has his doubts, but Laura makes like a detective and revisits her childhood--through photographs, home movies, and exploration of the spooky stone manor--to determine who or what abducted her son. Produced and presented by Guillermo Del Toro, The Orphanage is less fanciful than his works, though it does bear a vague resemblance to the ghostly Devil's Backbone. There are a few gory make-up effects, but Bayona mostly preys on our fear of the unknown to craft a first-rate fright fest. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
WOW, exelent Ghost Story:
This is the first movie in a while that gave me goosebumps and genuinely scared me. IT was awesome. It didn't hurt that I watched it by myself, at midnight with the lights off, on blu ray, and in the middle of a windstorm.. but wow. I can only remember 1 gory part, that really isn't that bad, so the gorehounds aren't going to like this one. But it does have Great atmosphere, and camera work. Very nice picture quality except for a few noticeable spots of grain every now and then, great surround audio, but a... more info
Not avaliable in English:
I realize that the Spanish people in Europe are a nobel people who produced great men like General Franco. In USA when I hear the spanish language here it only brings out hate. I did not realize that there was no english sound track and I wont listen to the language of filth and criminals.
A Classic Is Born:
'El Orfanato' ('The Orphanage') is a sorrowful, hauntingly beautiful, and quite terrifying ghost story. It is also sharply written, exquisitely acted, scored, and shot, and superbly directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, astonishingly his first feature film. I'm a lifelong ghost/horror fan; I've seen it three times now, and it never fails to cast its spell, stir my emotions, or impress me anew with the finely-calibrated artistry of its execution (and also chill me to the bone). 'The Innocents' (1961) is my... more info
Great movie:
Some weeks ago I got some passes to the movies. They were free so I just selected a movie in spanish. (Even though I don't like Spanish from Spain accent). The movie catched my attention and provided me more than 90 minutes of great suspense.
I just ordered two DVDs of this movie and I really recommend to anyone who wants to have a good time watching this horror movie.
I've seen several movies in which is just went to the cinema to sleep. This one kept me awake and frozen.
Buy it now.more info
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