#6 - The Devil's Backbone (2001)
(dir. Guillermo del Toro)
I typically like to start with the theatrical poster art in these posts, but in this case I went with the cover art from the Criterion release, because it's incredibly awesome and the original posters are really lame. This is a really stylish film, and the design of the ghost is one of the best and most original I've ever seen. This should come as no surprise, as Del Toro is one of the most visually inventive directors working today, and probably ever.
This film is set during the Spanish Civil War, a period that doesn't need ghosts to be horrifying. Carlos is a young boy who is placed in an orphanage after his father dies while fighting in the rebellion. Soon after he arrives, he encounters a ghost that the other children call "the one who sighs", who both terrifies and intrigues him. Meanwhile, the head of the orphanage, who has been assisting some Nationalist rebels, fears reprisal from the government after witnessing a mass execution in a nearby town. Much like in his later film Pan's Labyrinth, this is more of a historical drama with supernatural elements than a straight horror story, where the actions of men are far more horrific than any ghost or monster.
In my opinion, this is one of the best ghost stories ever filmed. The design of the ghost is second to none, and the story avoids the usual cliches by focusing on the historical drama and using the supernatural elements as allegory. Very highly recommended.
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