El espinazo del diablo (2001)

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writers:

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

Release Date:

20 April 2001 (Spain)

Genre:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The living will always be more dangerous than the dead.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Orphanage | Ghost | Bully | Bomb | Spain

Awards:

6 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Marisa Paredes	...	Carmen
Eduardo Noriega	...	Jacinto
Federico Luppi	...	Dr. Casares
Fernando Tielve	...	Carlos
Íñigo Garcés	...	Jaime
Irene Visedo	...	Conchita
José Manuel Lorenzo	...	Marcelo
Francisco Maestre	...	El Puerco (as Paco Maestre)
Junio Valverde	...	Santi
Berta Ojea	...	Alma
Adrián Lamana	...	Gálvez
Daniel Esparza	...	Marcos
Miguel Ortiz
Juan Carlos Vellido
Javier Bódalo	...	Búho (as Javier González Madrigal)
Víctor Elías
José Luis Torrijo
Álvaro Vega
Jonas Batlecas
Daniel Cuño
Rubén Escamilla
Andreas Muñoz
Adrián Serna
Javier González Sánchez
Álvaro Román
Mikel Selles
Leandro Tejada
Izan Checa
Víctor Barroso	...	Luis
Martín Hernández	...	Octavio
Francisco Fernández
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jaime Fernández-Cid Buscató	...	Fusilado

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

Production Companies

• El Deseo S.A.
• Tequila Gang
• Anhelo Producciones
• Sogepaq (in association with)
• Canal+ España (in association with)
• Good Machine

Distributors

• TVA International (2002) (Canada) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Xanadeux Company (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (video)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (Argentina)
• Atlantic Film (2005) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Future Film (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Irfan Film (2007) (Turkey) (all media)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (Germany)
• RTL Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL8) (first national airing)
• Sony Pictures Classics (USA) (subtitled)
• TVA International (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Warner Sogefilms A.I.E. (Spain)
• Warner Sogefilms S.A. (Spain)

Other Companies

• Artsmara  graphic design
• DDT Efectos Especiales  makeup effects
• Estudios Cinearte  editing studies
• Filmové Studio Barrandov  music recording
• La Fraternidad  medical assistance
• Rafael Hosteleria Internacional S.A.  catering
• Rocky Mountain  camera equipment provided by
• Telson  digital effects

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]

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

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Chile:14 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Company:

El Deseo S.A.

Trivia:

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

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.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Una lágrima

"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."

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.