The Orphanage
by Juan Antonio Bayona
List Price:
Our Price: $7.49
You Save: $5.49 (42%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $2.24 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Bel?n Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Mabel Rivera, Montserrat Carulla, Roger Pr?ncepDirector: Juan Antonio Bayona
Brand: Warner Brothers
Cinematographer: Oscar Faura
Composer: Fernando Vel?zquez
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 105 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-04-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: New Line Home Video
DVD Reviews of The Orphanage
DVD Review: Moving and Intelligent Ghost Story
Summary: 4 Stars
The Orphanage (2007) - directed by Juan Antonio Bayona, is produced and introduced by Guillermo del Torro whose ghosts films El Espinazo del diablo and Pan's Labyrinth most certainly were the inspiration for the first time director. The films "The Others" and "The Stir of Echoes" also come to mind, as perhaps, Friday the 13th and the story of Peter Pan which may be the main inspiration for the film that looks at the story of the boy who never grew up and stayed in Neverland from the point of view of his mother. The orphanage is unsettling, scary, very moving and intelligent. It does not show the monsters, it implies. It makes us to identify with its main heroine, the orphan herself who after many years comes back to the very house she used to share with her childhood friends, also orphans and where she wants to open the house for the handicapped children. Little did she know that the old house has deep and horrifying secrets that may affect her life, sanity, and the lives of the dearest and closest to her. Very good film, creepy, and heartbreaking. The final moved me to tears.DVD Review: A FLAWED, BUT VERY ENGAGING GHOST STORY 8.5 OUT OF 10
Summary: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed The Orphanage, it was a unique and different horror film. Sure it has its flaws, but it was really enjoyable which is no surprise considering Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy 1 & 2, Pan's Labyrinth) helped make this film. Like Pan's Labyrinth this film is in Spanish, and as a foreign film it is definitely superior to most American-made horror films.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Laura is a 37-year-old woman (She looks like she's in her 50's though) who was an orphan during her childhood has now returned to her childhood home, moved in and is converting it into a home for children with special needs with her husband and adopted son. During the beginning of the film, her son keeps saying he's made a new friend named Tomas, but there's no one there. During a party celebrating the opening of the home, Laura's son disappears mysteriously without a trace. Then the rest of the film focuses on the months Laura spends trying to find her son and she discovers that her son's imaginary friend Tomas is an angry ghost who died years ago and Laura slowly uncovers what happened in the Orphanage those many years ago, and she slowly goes crazier by the day and no one believes what she says.
MUSIC: The music is creepy and suspenseful as it should be in any horror film and is very well done.
ACTION: Don't expect some bloody gorefest out of this film or some stupid cliched ghost story like The Messengers, no this film is focused almost exclusively on dialogue, with the occasional scare. But when this film wants to be frightening, it damn sure gets the job done in this category. This film is superior to just about any ghost film I've ever seen and is well-executed and it does not feel cliched (Except for the part when they rip off Poltergeist). This film as a whole is quite brilliant, even if its quality suffers do to moments of boredom. This film also has one of the most bizarre endings I've ever seen that will definitely leave you going; "What the f***?" but in a good way.
ACTING: There were some awkward moments, but the actors were very good as a whole. The dialogue was never really corny and it felt real most of the time and you actually seemed to feel that characters were scared. Props to the actors for their great performances.
OVERALL: The Orphanage is easily one of the most original horror films ever made, and is definitely better than most of the ghost films you'll find. Buy it now, dammit.
THE GOOD: Great acting, great music, intelligent storyline, and creepy imagery.
THE BAD: Moments of boredom, some questionable acting.
DVD Review: don't shy away just because its in subtitles
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a very well done horror movie. Guillermo has certainly proven himself at very adept at creating moods, fantastical sets, etc, and this is no let down. Good story, and a few scenes of very scary stuff. Before you know it, you don't even realize its subtitled. Very highly recommended. DVD Review: A great ghost story that should not be missed.
Summary: 4 Stars
After seeing previews for a while I was relatively excited for The Orphanage, and I wasn't let down. The storyline is easily one of the better ones I've come across in a horror movie. It keeps the mystery going the whole way through until the climactic ending. Guillermo Del Toro actually manages to build up a fair amount of suspense throughout the movie, something many horror movies are sorely lacking. The acting is solid all around. It's amazing to me how the majority of American performances in horror movies are terrible and I hav e yet to see a genuinely bad performance in a foreign horror movie. The soundtrack is very good as well, it does a good job of keeping you on your toes. The Orphanage is a great ghost story and mystery that will keep you entertained all the way through.DVD Review: Spooks
Summary: 4 Stars
While this movie isn't exactly downright scary for seasoned horror fans, it does have its share of genuine spooky moments, which says a LOT these days. There are some moments where there is some obvious camera work to narrow the picture and create the tension, which is annoying, but not so many noticeable times that you are completely distracted from the whole of the film.
This movie had plenty of twists to keep me interested the whole time.
Description of The Orphanage
Academy-Award nominated filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro (director of Pan's Labyrinth) presents The Orphanage, a chilling ghost story about a woman who discovers dark and horrific secrets hidden within her cherished childhood home and her desperate attempt to rescue her family from the nightmare into which she unwittingly led them.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 Amen?bar's The Others, The Orphanage pivots on a pretty woman and an unusual child. When her old orphanage goes on the market, Laura (Bel?n Rueda, Amen?bar's The Sea Inside) and Carlos (Fernando Cayo) settle in with their son, Sim?n (Roger Pr?ncep). 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 Sim?n 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
General DVDs
DVD Video
- Action & Adventure
- African American Cinema
- Animation
- Anime & Manga
- Art House & International
- Classics
- Comedy
- Cult Movies
- Documentary
- Drama
- Educational
- Fitness & Yoga
- Gay & Lesbian
- Horror
- Kids & Family
- Military & War
- Music Video & Concerts
- Musicals & Performing Arts
- Mystery & Suspense
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Special Interests
- Sports
- Television
- Westerns
Bestsellers in General DVDs
Life Is BeautifulRelease date: 1999-11-09; DVD
Best price: $9.28
Price in other shops:
I've Loved You So LongSony; Release date: 2009-03-03; DVD
Best price: $15.01
Price in other shops:
AmelieTAUTOU,AUDREY; Release date: 2002-07-16; DVD
Best price: $11.17
Price in other shops:
Pan's LabyrinthWarner Brothers; Release date: 2007-05-15; DVD
Best price: $2.37
Price in other shops:
Chocolat (Miramax Collector's Series)BINOCHE,JULIETTE; Release date: 2001-08-07; DVD
Best price: $4.74
Price in other shops:
MartyrsRelease date: 2009-04-28; DVD
Best price: $13.95
Price in other shops:
Tell No OneMPI; Release date: 2009-03-31; DVD
Best price: $12.50
Price in other shops:
The Ultimate GiftUltimate; Release date: 2007-08-21; DVD
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops:
Let The Right One InRelease date: 2009-03-10; DVD
Best price: $16.00
Price in other shops:
Slumdog MillionaireTwentieth Century Fox; Release date: 2009-03-31; DVD
Best price: $10.40
Price in other shops:
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
No Country for Old MenRelease date: 2008-03-11; DVD
Best price: $8.70
Price in other shops:
Dark City (New Line Platinum Series)Release date: 1998-07-29; DVD
Best price: $4.35
Price in other shops:
Juno (Single-Disc Edition)TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT; Release date: 2008-04-15; DVD
Best price: $8.80
Price in other shops:
The MistWELLSPRING/GENIUS; Release date: 2008-03-25; DVD
Best price: $2.70
Price in other shops:
The Devil's Backbone (Special Edition)Sony; Release date: 2004-07-27; DVD
Best price: $8.24
Price in other shops:
The Golden Compass (Widescreen Single-Disc Edition)Warner Brothers; Release date: 2008-04-29; DVD
Best price: $1.90
Price in other shops:
Before the Devil Knows You're DeadImage Entertainment; Release date: 2008-04-15; DVD
Best price: $4.45
Price in other shops:
There Will Be BloodPARAMOUNT PICTURES; Release date: 2008-04-08; DVD
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
CloverfieldCAPLAN,LIZZY; Release date: 2008-04-22; DVD
Best price: $5.04
Price in other shops:
Pan's LabyrinthWarner Brothers; Release date: 2007-05-15; DVD
Best price: $2.21
Price in other shops: