108 reviews
Sales Rank: 2003

Format: Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 105
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

MPN: 1000038293
UPC: 794043120718
EAN: 0794043120718
ASIN: B0015ET3YO

Theatrical Release Date: January 11, 2008
Release Date: April 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BUY FROM THE BEST. PLAYS GREAT. IMMEDIATE, FIRST CLASS SHIPPING.

Similar Items:

•	Cloverfield
•	Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
•	There Will Be Blood (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
•	The Golden Compass (New Line Platinum Series Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)
•	30 Days of Night

Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
A woman discovers dark secrets hidden within her cherished childhood home in the supernatural drama THE ORPHANAGE the feature film debut of acclaimed young Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona. A superbly atmospheric and emotionally powerful tale of love loss and guilt.System Requirements:Running Time: 105 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR/PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER Rating: R UPC: 794043120718 Manufacturer No: 1000038293

Amazon.com
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 Amenabar's The Others, The Orphanage pivots on a pretty woman and an unusual child. When her old orphanage goes on the market, Laura (Belen Rueda, Amenabar's The Sea Inside) and Carlos (Fernando Cayo) settle in with their son, Simon (Roger Princep). 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 Simon 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

Customer Reviews: Read 103 more reviews...

3 out of 5 stars

Not Pan's Labyrinth, but not bad. August 20, 2008
The Orphanage (Juan Antonion Bayona, 2007)

I was thrilled with The Orphanage just after I first saw it, and was all set to go round comparing it to Pan's Labyrinth like everyone else is doing. But then I got behind and didn't start writing this review for a week, and when I sat down to do so, I realized I'd forgotten a great deal of it. It took some serious brain-wracking and a consultation of a plot synopsis for me to start remembering scenes from the movie that had impressed me.

Laura (Mar Adentro's Belen Rueda) moves back to her childhood home, an abandoned orphanage, looking to refurbish it and start a smaller, more intimate home for disabled children. She and her family aren't even settled in. however, when her autistic son finds himself some imaginary friend-- but just how imaginary are they, and what do they want with him? Distressed by this turn of events, Laura turns to paranormal investigators to find out what's going on.

I think my problems with remembering the film have to do with my seeing Saint Ange last month, which riffs on many of the same themes and is, simply, a better and more memorable movie. Still, Bayona's first big-screen feature film does outdo a number of recent Spanish supernatural flicks that have made it over the Atlantic (viz, the awful Darkness). A second viewing reminded me what I liked about it the first time-- the acting is mostly solid, the atmosphere is well-done, the pacing and direction are both first-rate. Definitely recommended, but I'd suggest watching Saint Ange around the same time for a compare-and-contrast session. ***

3 out of 5 stars

One-dimensional horror August 17, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

This movie is unfortunately not "this years Pan's Labyrinth", as it says on the cover of the DVD. Pan's Labyrinth is superior in every way. In fact, talking about horror films by spanish directors, I also think The Others is a better movie. But The Orphanage is not a bad move. It is skillfully filmed and easily evokes horror by small means (there is very little blood and gore in this film). It contains suspense, horror and some tragedy. But I also find it flawed. The characters are one-dimensional and the use of music is too much. This is a suspenseful entertainment, but not a film I will have to re-watch. 3.5 stars.
The DVD has good picture quality, but the subtitles are a little bit too big.

4 out of 5 stars

Good movie August 13, 2008
Guillermo does nice work. My wife and I enjoyed this movie. If you like his other work, you should like this too.

4 out of 5 stars

A fine little chiller August 3, 2008
A workshop in being scary. Amid the dreck of the genre, this movie shines. Dread fills the room as you watch. There is a moment of insight, as in "Don't Look Now", that fills us with despair. What great movie making. Run out and get this. Put it on your netflix.

5 out of 5 stars

Spanish Cimema is Back August 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

One of thee best movies I have seen in a long,long time.The acting was excellent ,the storyline was superb and all of the pieces fit together just like a quality work of literature,made movie should.I appreciated it being in Spanish and not literally translated because then it looses its true artistic flavor.Del Toro is a genius.I suppose I'll be looking for more of his works.
Lo mejor del cinema espanol,lo recomiendo para ellos que esperan calidad y profundidez.