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MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $4.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Devil's Backbone
"What is a ghost?"
2001 1h 48m ES
👍
7.3
SOLID
🔥
93%
CERTIFIED FRESH
👌
78
METACRITIC
⭐
7.4
IMDB
★7.3TMDB · 1,434🍅93%Rotten Tomatoes●78Metacritic★7.4IMDB · 72,828
FantasyDramaHorrorThriller
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Spain, 1939. In the last days of the Spanish Civil War, the young Carlos arrives at the Santa Lucía orphanage, where he will make friends and enemies as he follows the quiet footsteps of a mysterious presence eager for revenge.
“What is a ghost?”
Cast
Marisa Paredes
Carmen
Eduardo Noriega
Jacinto
Federico Luppi
Dr. Casares
Fernando Tielve
Carlos
Íñigo Garcés
Jaime
Irene Visedo
Conchita
José Manuel Lorenzo
Marcelo
Francisco Maestre
'El Puerco'
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Guillermo del Toro
- Writers
- Guillermo del Toro, Carlos Giménez, Antonio Trashorras
- Languages
- Spanish
- Countries
- Spain, Mexico
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: Spain, Mexico.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, shot by Guillermo Navarro. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Javier Navarrete. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Luis de la Madrid shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Marisa Paredes and Eduardo Noriega and Federico Luppi carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "What is a ghost?".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Guillermo del Toro directs. Guillermo Navarro behind the camera. Javier Navarrete scores. Luis de la Madrid cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in Spain, Mexico. Dialogue in Spanish.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $4.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 225 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3International production across 2 countries: Spain, Mexico.
- 4Directed by Guillermo del Toro, shot by Guillermo Navarro. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Javier Navarrete. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Luis de la Madrid shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Marisa Paredes and Eduardo Noriega and Federico Luppi carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "What is a ghost?".
- 9IMDB entry: tt0256009 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 10 themes, including "spain", "orphanage", "spanish civil war (1936-39)", "gothic horror".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Guillermo Navarro
- Original score
- Javier Navarrete
- Editing
- Luis de la Madrid
- Production design
- César Macarrón
- Makeup / hair
- Fermín Galán
- Sound
- Salvador Mayolas
- Stunt coordinator
- Sergio Atanes
- Runtime
- 108 min · 1h 48m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $4,500,000
- Box office
- $6,582,065
- Return
- 146% of budget
- Original language
- ES
- Certification (US)
- R
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 93% 🍅 Fresh
- Metacritic
- 78/100
- IMDB rating
- 7.4/10 · 72,828 votes
- MPAA
- R
Awards
6 wins & 11 nominations total
Also by
Guillermo del Toro
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- TE
Tequila Gang
MX
- AN
Anhelo Productions
MX
El Deseo
ES
Key crew
- CastingSara Bilbatúa
- EditorLuis de la Madrid
- Sound EditorOriol Tarragó
- Production DirectorEsther García
- Stunt CoordinatorSergio Atanes
- Sound MixerRay Gillon
- Co-ProducerRosa Bosch
- Associate ProducerMichel Ruben
- StoryboardCarlos Giménez
- Sound EngineerMiguel Rejas
- Camera OperatorJoaquín Manchado
- Production DesignCésar Macarrón
- Sound DesignerSalvador Mayolas
- Still PhotographerMiguel Bracho
- Costume DesignerJosé Vico
- Hair DesignerFermín Galán
- GafferEnrique Bello
- Makeup DesignerJorge Hernández Lobo
- Assistant DirectorPedro Manuel Lazaga
- Special Effects CoordinatorReyes Abades
- Script SupervisorYuyi Beringola
- Foley ArtistKiku Vidal
- ProducerAgustín Almodóvar
- ProducerBertha Navarro
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- spain
- orphanage
- spanish civil war (1936-39)
- gothic horror
- ghost
- political repression
- 1930s
- isolated place
- supernatural being
- ghost child
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2001-09-02R· Telluride Film Festival
Also known as
International titles
- Das Rückgrat des TeufelsDE
- Djevelens ryggradNO
- Ďáblova páteřCZ
- The Devil's BackboneGB
