The Devil's Backbone

Sublimely atmospheric but only erratically chilling, this initially promising, stylish Spanish spooker revolves around a haunted orphanage where the spirit of a murdered boy seeks vengeance. Unfortunately, director Guillermo Del Toro (Mimic, Blade II) is so bent on making this more than just a ghost story that--in laying on the details about the school's staff in order to build a backstory about the circumstances surrounding the murder--the film loses a lot of its momentum. While some of these detours play into the ghost story, and others flesh out the characters, none are integrated well enough to stop you from wondering when the spooky stuff will pick up again. Optional. (R. Blackwelder)[DVD Review--July 13, 2004--Columbia TriStar, 108 min., in Spanish w/English subtitles, R, $19.95--Making its second appearance on DVD (to coincide with the release of director Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy on DVD), the Goya-nominated crime drama The Devil's Backbone: Special Edition features a new audio commentary by the director (not the same as the original), a “Director's Thumbnail Track” that synchronizes selected director sketches viewable in thumbnail format during the film, the 27-minute six-part making-of featurette “Que Es Un Fantasma,” four deleted scenes with optional commentary (4 min.), six thumbnail/storyboard comparisons (including main title credits), five galleries (characters, art direction/set design, prosthetic effects, thumbnails and del Toro's director's notebook), and trailers. Bottom line: looking a bit spiffier than the first release, and including some fine new extras, this is a strong optional purchase, especially for those who don't already own the initial version.][DVD/Blu-ray Review—Aug. 13, 2013—Criterion, 108 min., in Spanish w/English subtitles, R, DVD: 2 discs, $29.95; Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 2001's The Devil's Backbone features an excellent transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround audio on DVD and DTS-HD 5.1 on Blu-ray. Extras include a brief 2010 intro by director Guillermo del Toro, audio commentary by del Toro, the 2004 “making-of” documentary “¿Que es un Fantasma?” (27 min.), a 2010 interview with del Toro by Javier Soto (18 min.), a new interview with del Toro (14 min.), an interview with scholar Sebastiaan Faber on the Spanish Civil War (14 min.), a production design segment (13 min.), sketch and storyboard comparisons (12 min.), deleted scenes (4 min.), an interactive director's notebook, a trailer, and a booklet with an essay by critic Mark Kermode. Bottom line: looking very handsome in high-def, del Toro's uneven chiller will appeal to fans of the director.]