IMDb > El espinazo del diablo (2001)
El espinazo del diablo
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El espinazo del diablo (2001) More at IMDbPro »

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El espinazo del diablo (2001) -- Open-ended Trailer from Sony Pictures Classics
El espinazo del diablo (2001) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
7.6/10   14,703 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Down 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writers:

Guillermo del Toro (written by) and
Antonio Trashorras (written by) ...
(more)

Contact:

View company contact information for The Devil's Backbone on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

20 April 2001 (Spain) more

Tagline:

The living will always be more dangerous than the dead. more

Plot:

It is 1939, the end of three years of bloody civil war in Spain, and General Franco's right-wing Nationalists... more | add synopsis

Plot Keywords:

more

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations more

User Comments:

"What is a ghost? A tragedy condemned to repeat itself time and again? ... more (140 total)


Cast

  (in credits order)
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Directed by
Guillermo del Toro 
 
Writing credits
Guillermo del Toro (written by) and
Antonio Trashorras (written by) &
David Muñoz (written by)

Produced by
Agustín Almodóvar .... producer
Pedro Almodóvar .... executive producer
Rosa Bosch .... co-producer
Bertha Navarro .... producer
Michel Ruben .... associate producer
Guillermo del Toro .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Javier Navarrete 
 
Cinematography by
Guillermo Navarro 
 
Film Editing by
Luis de la Madrid 
 
Casting by
Sara Bilbatúa 
 
Art Direction by
César Macarrón 
 
Set Decoration by
Pablo Perona Navarro 
Pilar Revuelta  (as María del Pilar Revuelta)
 
Costume Design by
José Vico 
 
Makeup Department
Paula Cruz .... assistant hair stylist
Paula Cruz .... assistant makeup artist
Fermín Galán .... hair stylist
Manuela Guzmán .... assistant hair stylist
Manuela Guzmán .... assistant makeup artist
Jorge Hernández .... makeup artist
David Martí .... special makeup supervisor
 
Production Management
Esther García .... production supervisor
Toni Novella .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jorge Dorado .... assistant director (as Jorge C. Dorado)
Christopher Downs .... trainee assistant director
Covadonga R. Gamboa .... second assistant director
Pedro Lazaga .... first assistant director
Luisfer Machi .... assistant director
Jesús Salcedo .... trainee assistant director
 
Art Department
Francisco Escriba .... set dresser
Carlos García Campillo .... assistant set dresser
Enrique García .... set constructor
Ángel García Palmeiro .... property master
Carlos Giménez .... storyboard artist
Pedro Hernández .... carpenter
Tatiana Hernández .... assistant art director
Kike Melia .... set dresser
Ajtor Mendizabal .... trainee set decorator
Angela Nahlim .... trainee set decorator
Pablo Naveda .... set dresser
Leoncio Vicente .... painter
Tanja Wahlbeck .... assistant art director
 
Sound Department
Jaime Fernández-Cid Buscató .... boom operator
Jaime Fernández .... boom operator
Diego Garrido .... sound mixing technician
Ray Gillon .... sound re-recording mixer
Manel López .... assistant sound editor
Salva Mayolas .... sound recordist (as Salvador Mayolas)
Iván Mayoral .... adr recordist
Miguel Rejas .... sound
David Rodríguez .... assistant boom operator
Ian Sasplugas .... sound effects editor
Ian Sasplugas .... sound recordist
Oriol Tarragó .... sound editor
Edgar Vidal .... sound effects assistant
Kiku Vidal .... sound effects editor
 
Special Effects by
Reyes Abades .... special effects
Carmen Aguirre .... special effects art director
Ángel Alonso .... special effects technician
Arturo Balceiro .... special effects makeup
Xavi Bastida .... special effects makeup
Juan Carlos Corroto .... special effects technician
José M. Meneses .... special effects technician: DDT
Alfonso Nieto .... special effects supervisor
Juan Serrano .... special effects technician: Reyes Abades SFX
 
Visual Effects by
Nike Alonso .... CGI assistant production
Helmuth Barnert .... digital compositor
Raúl Batanero .... CGI operator
Juan Bosco .... Avid digital effects
Juanjo Carretero .... digital effects technician
Gonzalo Carssón .... CGI operator
Segundo Casero .... CGI chief operator
Nacho Cepero .... digital compositor
René Chesta .... CGI operator
Manuel Delgado .... digital compositor
Juan del Pozo .... digital compositor
Daniel de Madrid .... backdraft
Eduardo Díaz .... CGI operator
Alejandro Dupry .... Avid digital effects
Daniel Fernández .... CGI operator (as Daniel Fernández Parra)
David Fernández Girón .... CGI operator
Gabriel Garrido .... digital compositor
Iñaki Gil .... CGI chief operator
Noelia Gorrón .... digital effects producer
Isidro Jiménez .... digital compositor
Kike Jiménez .... digital effects technician
Antonio Lado .... CGI operator
Pablo Martín .... CGI operator
Carlos Matella .... digital compositor
Patricia Matiskei .... digital compositor
Gonzalo Moure .... digital compositor
Javier Nuñez .... CGI chief of production
Emilio Pérez .... digital compositor
Álvaro Rodríguez .... digital effects producer
Emilio Ruiz del Río .... modeler (as Emilio Ruiz)
Raúl Sánchez .... digital compositor
Silvia Torralba .... digital effects producer
Carlos Trijueque .... digital compositor
Antonio Ubeda .... CGI operator (as Antonio Úbeda)
Jon Uriarte .... CGI operator
Rodrigo Vega .... CGI operator
Óscar Villalba .... backdraft
Úrsula García .... visual effects coordinator: pre-production (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Sergio Atanes .... stunt coordinator
Silvia Carballo .... stunts
Salvador Martos Manson .... stunts (as Salvador Manson)
Andreas Muñoz .... stunts
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Javier Aguado .... electrician
Óscar Aguado .... electrician
José Alberto Arnal .... electrician
Enrique Bello .... chief electrician
Fernando Beltrán .... electrician
Miguel Bracho .... still photographer
Silvia Camacho .... video technician
Pablo Carrión .... electrician
Antonio de Benito .... electrician
José Ramón Delgado .... assistant camera
Roberto de Miguel .... second assistant camera: second unit (as Roberto Miguel)
David Domínguez .... assistant camera: second unit
José Manuel González .... electrician
Joaquín Manchado .... Steadicam operator
Joaquín Manchado .... camera operator
Raúl Manchado .... second assistant camera: first unit
José Luis Martínez .... electrician
Antonio Martínez Roque .... grip (as Antonio Martínez)
Carlos Miguel .... key grip
José Luis Molero .... electrician
David Rengel .... trainee assistant camera
Raúl Rodríguez .... electrician
Alberto Sánchez Beltrán .... electrician (as Alberto Sánchez)
Marcelino San Eugenio .... electrician
Anselmo Villalba .... grip
 
Casting Department
Cristina Perales .... casting assistant
Macarena Pombo .... casting assistant
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rocío Redondo .... wardrobe assistant
Mercedes Sanz .... wardrobe coordinator
 
Editorial Department
Felisa Catalinas .... negative cutter
Adoración G. Elipe .... assistant editor
Ximo Michavila .... telecine colorist
Laura Montesinos .... assistant editor
Bernat Vilaplana .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Martina Cigerová .... musician: oboe
José Luis Crespo .... music mixer
Jaroslava Eliasová .... musician: piano
Martin Hubsch .... musician: oboe
Mario Klemens .... conductor
Pedro Navarrete .... composer: additional music
Radovan Sancera .... musician: concertino
Rubén Suárez .... assistant music mixer
 
Other crew
Alfonso Aguirre .... technical director
Conchita Araña .... trainee production assistant
Yuyi Beringola .... script supervisor
Yolanda Cáceres .... technical director
Sergio Díaz .... production assistant
Adela Donamaría .... production secretary
Nuria Garcia Atienza .... marketing: Sogecine
Lola García .... office chief
Marga García .... marketing
Antonio Giménez .... marketing
Beatriz Gordo .... cashier
Inés Miruri .... coach: children
Yuriria Montero .... tequila gang assistant
Rafael Pajares .... production assistant
Antonia Sánchez .... nurse
Francisco Sanchez Ortiz .... marketing director
Chus San Pascual .... location scout
Ana Sanz .... secretary to producer
Rosa María Serrano .... assistant accountant
Paz Sufrategui .... publicist
Nicolás Tapia .... production assistant
Óscar Valero .... administrator
 

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Additional Details

Also Known As:

The Devil's Backbone (Europe: English title) (UK) (USA)
L'échine du diable (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
A Espinha do Diabo (Brazil) [pt]
Das Rückgrat des Teufels (Germany) (TV title) [de]
Djävulens ryggrad (Sweden) [sv]
Djævlens rygrad (Denmark) (festival title) [da]
I rahokokalia tou diavolou (Greece) (festival title) [el]
La spina del diavolo (Italy) [it]
Paholaisen selkäranka (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Sti rahi tou Diavolou (Greece) [el]
The Devil's Backbone (Finland) (DVD title) [fi]
more

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

106 min | Australia:108 min

Country:

Spain | Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

El Deseo S.A. more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Guillermo del Toro has said that this is his favorite movie of his own (2003). more

Quotes:

Casares: 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. more

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Blood Pact: The Making of 'Blade II' (2002) (V) more

Soundtrack:

Una lágrima more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
24 out of 28 people found the following comment useful.
"What is a ghost? A tragedy condemned to repeat itself time and again? ..., 8 March 2006
9/10
Author: Galina from Virginia, USA

...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."

Often compared to "The Sixth Sense (1999)" and "The Others (2001)", "The Devil's Backbone" is even a better film, the ultimate ghost story that goes beyond the genre and very successfully mixes horror, suspense, and coming of age during the war time story. Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film takes place during the Spanish Civil War in an isolated boarding school for the orphans of the War where a new boy, Carlos encounters the ghost of a murdered child Santi whose body was never found and who warns Carlos that "Many of you will die". How did Santi die? Why does not he leave the school's courtyard, what is the tragedy he is trying to prevent? It is up to Carlos to find the answers to these and many more questions as well as to stand up to the school's bully, Jaime and to find out what is behind the violent hostility of the orphanage's nasty caretaker, Jacinto who himself was and orphan and had been a pupil in the school as a child. The movie is not just beautifully directed – it is very well written and provides the deep insight into each character, including school headmistress named Carmen (Marisa Paredes), kind and brave Professor Casares, vicious bully Jaime who would turn a lonely and scared boy and even the embodiment of evil, Jacinto with his own heartbreaking story. Along with "The Spirit of the Beehive", "Devil's Backbone" is a harrowing exploration of the war and its affect on childhood. It also brings to mind such classic as Bunuel's "Los Olvidados" – and this is the best praise I have for any movie. Highly recommended.

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Guillermo Del Toro supports Roman Polanski aweiss350
same actors in Pan's Labyrinth ricky_orta
overrated anyone?? shootme243
Rated R for... erniejblabla
i can't be the only one innocentimmortal
How accurate are the subtitles? eponine_t
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