El Orfanato (The Orphanage)

[Capwn]

English subtitled version of this Spanish film is now out there. It really is like Pan's labyrinth in many many ways and had me sucked in within minutes right through to the end. If you've not heard of it I'd suggest not to look up too much on it, is even better that way. Just watch it.

[lordcookie]

The trailers look like a cross between The Devil's Backbone and the Others. I'm going to wait until the cinema release though (which is at the end of the month).

[Silent Runner]

I’d heard of this but avoided reading about it so I went in blind. Pan is in my all time top 5 so I couldn’t wait for the cinema release, I’m weak like that. Anyway

A horror film that scared me (that séance scene or when Laura was digging out the tunnel) and made me cry. Incredible.

The ending was so sad but it seemed to fit with the rest of the film. Totally crushing.

What a year for films 2008 is shaping up to be.

[JohnC]

Blu-ray announced. Probably be region locked though.

[Capwn]

the FUCK?!

SHIT box art that gives too much away (I don't really mean that in a spoiler way though in a way it is). The poster above would of been better, its more mysterious.

and why do films bother putting "4 stars!!' on their cover? Unless its 5 don't bother.

Talk about underselling your product.

[Rudderless]

What a film. Really, really scary in places

when she was doing the 'knock on the door' game at the end, I was watching through my fingers, and the seance scene could well turn out to be one of the best horror sequences of the last five/ten years)

and very moving at the end. It reminded me of The Others at times, but much, much better.

[Rayn]

Saw this last night with the missus. If this movie doesn't inspire a new renaissance for bidding horror movie makers, nothing will. Not only is it a fantastic horror movie, it's a fantastic piece of film, full stop. From the opening credits 'til it was over I was totally at the edge of my seat. The direction is nigh-on flawless with great timing throughout. This should be a MUST SEE for anyone who's into horror movies and great movies alike. A solid 9/10 from me.

[zektbach]

Such a fantastic film. Guillermo Del Toro is probably one of my favourite directors, trying to do something different with the horror/supernatural genre. He's basically the director M Night Shamylan wants to be.

the wood knocking at the end and the seance are definately scary as fuck... also loved the way it pulled everything together at the end of the film to show you exactly what had happened to Simón

[Andsom]

Such a fantastic film. Guillermo Del Toro is probably one of my favourite directors, trying to do something different with the horror/supernatural genre. He's basically the director M Night Shamylan wants to be.

the wood knocking at the end and the seance are definately scary as fuck... also loved the way it pulled everything together at the end of the film to show you exactly what had happened to Simón

I'm looking forward to this. Del Toro didn't direct it though.

[zektbach]

I'm looking forward to this. Del Toro didn't direct it though.

Produced (apologies), but still... Del Toro is a fantastic director.

It's a bloody great film!

[Roboplegic Wrongcock]

I'll have to hunt this down then.

[Roboplegic Wrongcock]

Heads up there will be a screening of this on thursday 6.30pm at the Curzon Mayfair.

After the film there will be a Q&A presented by Mark Kermode with the films director Juan Bayona and the films producer Guillermo del Toro.

[Laine]

Oh nooo. I'm going home for easter tomorrow.

Gutted.

I watched it the other day, and I absolutely loved it. I was terrified for most of it and then just heartbroken at the end.

[CurryKitten]

I watched this last night.. I'd better spoiler everything just in case for people that haven't seen it.

Overall, a fantastic filem, but it was really tragically sad - I'm still feeling a bit down about it today, even though it's just a piece of film it really got inside me. Everyone is right about the seance scene being scary - scary as anything, and really all that was used was sounds ans suggestion. Even though you knew to expect the hand on the shoulder in the 123-knock-knock game every hair on my neck still jumped to attention when it happened.

Certainly the saddest bit was sharing Lauras realisation about what had happened to Simon, the little house she didn't go and see and then the knocking as he tried to alert them to his presence. It's practically finding out you killed your own child.

[Silent Runner]

I watched this last night.. I'd better spoiler everything just in case for people that haven't seen it.

Certainly the saddest bit was sharing Lauras realisation about what had happened to Simon, the little house she didn't go and see and then the knocking as he tried to alert them to his presence. It's practically finding out you killed your own child.

That bit was superb. The little flashback to the scaffolding bars getting jammed against the hidden door and the dawning realisation of what happened.

[Belbo]

I'm really looking forward to this. It'll be the first film I've seen in the cinema since Planet Terror, as I really can't afford to go much these days.

Will probably see the late showing on Sunday, though I have nobody to go with so it'll probably be on my own again.

[Rudderless]

For those who've seen it, there was one thing I couldn't quite determine...

EDIT: Never mind, just watched the bit in question again and figured it out.

[the_buddha_of_gaming]

Loved it, really loved it.

Why is it that foreign horror films still piss on Western horror films??? An American director would kill to make a film like this.

The bit with the

old lady, and her broken jaw

....gah!

[Rudderless]

Loved it, really loved it.

Why is it that foreign horror films still piss on Western horror films??? An American director would kill to make a film like this.

The bit with the

old lady, and her broken jaw

....gah!

Jesus, yes. That was probably the most traditional jump-shock moment, and it was an absolute corker. In a Western horror, you'd have seen that coming.

[the_buddha_of_gaming]

When I try to think of the last, great, Western horror film, I have to go back to 2001 and Brad Anderson's Session 9. Why is nobody making proper horror films anymore?

[lordcookie]

Because you seem to only get remakes of Asian horror films or tame gorno flicks. Session 9 was brilliant though.

[marcus]

Watched this last night, thought it was a superb movie and has a brilliant story. I do my best to avoid seeing newspaper ratings, reviews and so on before I see a film as it always fills me with preconceptions, whilst this was in no way 'the scariest movie since The Shining' as one paper made out it is still very effective with several very tense scenes. Id highly recommend this.

[amc]

Brilliant film.

So much better than most of the pap Hollywood churns out.

[Paradigm]

Annoyingly this doesn't seem to be on 'near' me. Might have to take a trip via a very long bus route.

[Tofu]

I love the fact you could almost interpret the film in two different ways, namely it could be supernatural or she could simply be going nuts.

[Rayn]

I love the fact you could almost interpret the film in two different ways, namely it could be supernatural or she could simply be going nuts.

I could only see the supernatural bit...why else would we have the closing scene with the husband at the abandoned house with a headstone and everything?

[barkbat]

Great film. Really scary. Fantastic story. It really does work in two ways - supernatural horror or psychological thriller. The fact it could be a ghost story, or all be put down to a delusional mother longing for her missing son and an imaginative child playing a game is really fucking amazing writing. Hope the US remake isn't a skidmark of celluloid insult. Bet it will be, Del Toro or no Del Toro.

[Distinct muttering]

I love the fact you could almost interpret the film in two different ways, namely it could be supernatural or she could simply be going nuts.

Dont think that was the intention at all, she definitely wasnt nuts.

Just seen this, totally loved it. Very stressful though. I really need to see the devils backbone now.

[Guybrush]

I could only see the supernatural bit...why else would we have the closing scene with the husband at the abandoned house with a headstone and everything?

She took an overdose of pills because she couldn't cope with the grief of finding Simon dead. The nature of his death meant that she was always going to blame herself (the flashback told the story: by tidying those metal poles back into the cupboard she prevented him from being able to exit the cellar, ie "Thomas' little house"; earlier in the film when Simon was lost, she heard banging in the hollow in the wall but didn't know or connect this to Simon banging to get out. Also she heard the wooden bannister break when he crashed to the floor of the cellar where she ultimately found him - again she didn't connect this until later when she found Simon's body in the basement). The scene with Simon coming alive and all the other kids was a continuation of her fantasy/psychosis as she was dying from the overdose. The headstone indicates that her husband came back to the Orphanage to find Simon dead in her dead arms.

I consider that there was no supernatural stuff going on. The film is masterful in ratcheting up suspense and tension all with suggestion and misinterpretation. The kind of suggestion and misinterpretation that someone who is greiving for the loss/death of their son might experience (the self-help group all had similar experiences). Don't get me wrong, my heart just about jumped out my mouth on at least three memorable occasions and I think this was truly one of the most tense films I have ever seen. But it was oh so more layered. The secrets of the orphanage. And the film was morbid to the extent that I was continually considering my own mortality throughout. I was on the verge of tears as the film wore on both at the suspense that I almost couldn't handle (my dog sneezed just there and I'm still jumpy) but at the tragedy for this woman.

An astounding film.

[amc]

She took an overdose of pills because she couldn't cope with the grief of finding Simon dead. The nature of his death meant that she was always going to blame herself (the flashback told the story: by tidying those metal poles back into the cupboard she prevented him from being able to exit the cellar, ie "Thomas' little house"; earlier in the film when Simon was lost, she heard banging in the hollow in the wall but didn't know or connect this to Simon banging to get out. Also she heard the wooden bannister break when he crashed to the floor of the cellar where she ultimately found him - again she didn't connect this until later when she found Simon's body in the basement). The scene with Simon coming alive and all the other kids was a continuation of her fantasy/psychosis as she was dying from the overdose. The headstone indicates that her husband came back to the Orphanage to find Simon dead in her dead arms.

I consider that there was no supernatural stuff going on. The film is masterful in ratcheting up suspense and tension all with suggestion and misinterpretation. The kind of suggestion and misinterpretation that someone who is greiving for the loss/death of their son might experience (the self-help group all had similar experiences). Don't get me wrong, my heart just about jumped out my mouth on at least three memorable occasions and I think this was truly one of the most tense films I have ever seen. But it was oh so more layered. The secrets of the orphanage. And the film was morbid to the extent that I was continually considering my own mortality throughout. I was on the verge of tears as the film wore on both at the suspense that I almost couldn't handle (my dog sneezed just there and I'm still jumpy) but at the tragedy for this woman.

An astounding film.

To many things point to it being a supernatural experience.

A sad yet joyous ghost story,