The Orphanage [Blu-ray]
by Juan Antonio Bayona
![The Orphanage [Blu-ray]](/images/The-Orphanage-Blu-ray-B0015ET3YY-L.jpg)
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Blu-ray details
Actor: Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Geraldine Chaplin, Mabel Rivera, Montserrat CarullaDirector: Juan Antonio Bayona
Brand: NEW Line Home Video
Blu-ray: Region Code 1
Audio: Spanish (Subtitled); Spanish (Original Language)
Format: Anamorphic, Color, DTS Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 105 minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: 2008-04-22
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: New Line Home Video
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: Blu-ray
- Anamorphic; Color; DTS Surround Sound; Subtitled; Widescreen
Blu-ray Reviews of The Orphanage [Blu-ray]
Blu-ray Review: Compelling Story with Great Suspense
Summary: 4 Stars
The Orphanage or El orfanato is a horror film directed by Juan Antonio Bayona and produced by one of the most creative filmmakers around today, Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy). I was just having a conversation with my brother the other day about horror films and how I often, unintentionally perhaps, rate them on a scale. In other words, a four or five star horror film is probably not the same as a four or five star drama in most cases. The Orphanage really is a four star movie because it is more than your typical horror fare. Let's call it a supernatural thriller instead. It was nominated for 14 Goya Awards and won seven.
The film opens at an orphanage and we briefly see young Laura find out that she is leaving. Years later and Laura decides to return by actually buying and living in the orphanage with her husband Carlos and her son Simón. Simón makes several imaginary friends and the plot unfolds with a series of effective and believable twists and turns. It would be a mistake to give anything else away here.
It really is impressive how far a film like this can go with good acting, smart writing, and solid suspense. After the movie was over I realized that the twists were unpredictable to me because I wasn't waiting to find out what they were. I was preoccupied with an engaging screenplay and atmosphere. I actually cared about the characters too much to focus on forecasting the secrets. The Orphanage made me excited to go along for the ride without even realizing. Bayona had me trust his film at just the right times and for that I was caught off guard, and the film's surprises were far more rewarding.
While watching this movie I kept thinking of films like The Changeling, The Others, The Sixth Sense, or even del Toro's The Devil's Backbone. I probably think of those movies not just because they are like-minded supernatural thrillers but because they are impeccably well crafted films. I give The Orphanage a very high recommendation and it is probably the best movie of its kind from 2007.
Description of The Orphanage [Blu-ray]
ORPHANAGE - Blu-Ray MovieIt'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 Amenábar's The Others, The Orphanage pivots on a pretty woman and an unusual child. When her old orphanage goes on the market, Laura (Belén Rueda, Amenábar's The Sea Inside) and Carlos (Fernando Cayo) settle in with their son, Simón (Roger Príncep). 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 Simón 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
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