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El Orfanato (The Orphanage)

post #1 of 12
5/14/08 at 7:48pm
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Guillermo Del Toro's fingerprints are all over this movie, but that doesn't stop this from being a pretty good & unique haunted house story in its own right. I believe this is the first major motion picture for the director (Juan Antonio Bayona), writer (Sergio G. Sánchez), and DP (Óscar Faura), but it doesn't end up looking that way. I would especially keep my eyes on Faura's future work; the beauty of the shots of the Spanish countryside and coastline are only matched by the captured creepiness of the orphanage itself. Simply gorgeous in HD. I thought I had figured everything out before the end, but the story takes a turn that doesn't feel as contrived as it would sound on paper. Definitely worth a rental, especially if you're a fan of ghost stories.

Oh, and I don't know if I will ever look at kids playing "Red Light, Green Light" the same again.
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post #2 of 12
5/14/08 at 8:30pm
This is foreign....

Nevertheless I loved the film, and you're right about Del Toro's fingerprints, but at the same Bayona is obviously a talent to look out for, I'm glad more and more Spanish films are being received so well in the U.S.
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post #3 of 12
5/15/08 at 8:44am
This was almost a good film, but it was blighted by one of the worst scoring jobs I've ever encountered. Sucked every ounch of subtlety from the atmosphere.
It's a pity, as there was an intelligent, understated ghost story in there somewhere.
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post #4 of 12
5/15/08 at 8:55am
I disagree with you Xagarath, mostly. I thought it was a damn fine film (the scene with the medium alone makes it worth seeing), marred only by the score in the final scene. Completely nullified the scene's emotions and left a weak taste to an otherwise very strong, smart film.
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post #5 of 12
5/15/08 at 9:26am
The medium scene was well done, but entirely superfluous to the events of the film. It felt like padding from an overall standpoint, which is a shame given how well-executed it was.

Although the score was particularly noticeable in the final scene, I'd say it was poor throughout. Clearly marking all the scares a moment before they occurred diminished them substantially, and the music when the mother was running through the waves was also exceptionally badly judged.
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post #6 of 12
5/15/08 at 2:33pm
Count me in as liking mostly everything but the score. I went into this knowing that Russ didn't like this back when it premiered in Toronto, so I was trying to nitpick from the start. I am glad that many of my predictions about where the story was going turned out to be either false or slightly left of the truth. Overall, I would recommend it. However, I feel that the last two shots of the grave and Carlos finding the pendant weren't needed and took away from Laura's last scene.
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post #7 of 12
6/3/10 at 12:39pm
Very interesting movie, just caught it on instant netflix last night.

I liked the "twist" at the end, thought it was well done and didn't really see it coming.

Spoilers? ...

So why did he push his mom in the bathroom, was he still angry at her or just trying to play with her?

Shouldn't be surprised they're remaking it I guess ...
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post #8 of 12
6/4/10 at 6:50am
It's been awhile since I've seen this, but I remember there being some big plot holes.
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post #9 of 12
6/4/10 at 11:05am
Not much I can add. Fine thriller, great creepy atmosphere... Solid performances.

One thing.... The actor who plays the medium is a Mexican actor named Edgar Vivar. He's famous as one of the Chespirito players (Chespirito is the comedian who inspired Bumble Bee Man in The Simpsons). His most famous role is as Sr. Barriga, the curmudgeonly landlord of a residential complex in Chespirito's Chavo Del Ocho sitcom. I grew up with that. So it was interesting to see Vivar playing a serious role in a horror film, of all things. He was good in the role.
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post #10 of 12
6/4/10 at 12:25pm
I was surprised how he looked pretty much the same as his days in Chespirito (and apparently around the same weight).
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post #11 of 12
6/5/10 at 5:34am
I didn't really notice many plot holes. It definitely feels like there are, until the end. Just to make sure I have it right, *spoilahs* did the ghosts arrange for him to get locked in the basement and everything happening thereafter all because of his wish for her to take care of them forever?

Really good movie and I liked that it didn't rely on gore. It was just suspenseful and creepy.
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post #12 of 12
6/5/10 at 11:07am
I thought it was more like an accident than something deliberate, but what you say sort of makes sense too.
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