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MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 25% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The House of the Spirits
1993 2h 20m EN
👍
6.9
SOLID
★6.9TMDB · 754
RomanceDrama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A rancher, his clairvoyant wife and their family face turbulent years in South America.
“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”
Cast
Meryl Streep
Clara del Valle Trueba
Glenn Close
Ferula Trueba
Jeremy Irons
Esteban Trueba
Winona Ryder
Blanca Trueba
Antonio Banderas
Pedro Tercero Gareia
Armin Mueller-Stahl
Severo del Valle
María Conchita Alonso
Transito Soto
Vincent Gallo
Esteban García
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Bille August
- Writers
- Bille August
- Languages
- Spanish, English
- Countries
- Germany, United States of America, Denmark, Portugal
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
33 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 4 countries: Germany, United States of America, Denmark, Portugal.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Bille August, shot by Jörgen Persson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Hans Zimmer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Janus Billeskov Jansen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Meryl Streep and Glenn Close and Jeremy Irons carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Bille August directs. Jörgen Persson behind the camera. Hans Zimmer scores. Janus Billeskov Jansen cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Germany, United States of America, Denmark, Portugal. Dialogue in Spanish, English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 25% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 233 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Spanish, English.
- 4International production across 4 countries: Germany, United States of America, Denmark, Portugal.
- 5Directed by Bille August, shot by Jörgen Persson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Hans Zimmer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Janus Billeskov Jansen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Meryl Streep and Glenn Close and Jeremy Irons carry the top of the cast.
- 9IMDB entry: tt0107151 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 10 themes, including "farm", "central and south america", "farm worker", "paranormal phenomena".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Jörgen Persson
- Original score
- Hans Zimmer
- Editing
- Janus Billeskov Jansen
- Production design
- Anna Asp
- Costume design
- Barbara Baum
- Makeup / hair
- Zita Almeida
- Sound
- Niels Arild Nielsen
- Stunt coordinator
- Miguel Fredecosa
- Runtime
- 140 min · 2h 20m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $25,000,000
- Box office
- $6,265,311
- Return
- 25% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
Bille August
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
- CO
Costa do Castelo Filmes
PT
- HO
House of Spirits Film
DK
Constantin Film
DE
- SP
Spring Creek Pictures
US
Key crew
- NovelIsabel Allende
- EditorJanus Billeskov Jansen
- CastingBilly Hopkins
- CastingSuzanne Smith Crowley
- Set DecorationSøren Gam
- Costume DesignBarbara Baum
- Production DesignAnna Asp
- Co-ProducerMartin Moszkowicz
- Co-ProducerJørgen Ljungdahl
- Executive ProducerMark Rosenberg
- Executive ProducerPaula Weinstein
- Executive ProducerPaulo Trancoso
- Executive ProducerEdwin Leicht
- First Assistant DirectorGuy Travers
- StuntsNatalia Guijarro
- Stunt CoordinatorMiguel Fredecosa
- StuntsJosé María Serrano
- ProducerBernd Eichinger
- Set DecorationPeter Obeling Johannsen
- Makeup ArtistZita Almeida
- Makeup ArtistElisabeth Bukkehave
- Makeup ArtistMónica Campino
- Makeup ArtistSano de Perpessac
- Makeup ArtistLinda DeVetta
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- farm
- central and south america
- farm worker
- paranormal phenomena
- coup d'etat
- santiago, chile
- domestic violence
- estate
- clairvoyant
- family estate
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1994-03-31R
Also known as
International titles
- Åndernes husDK
- La Maison aux EspritsFR
- The House of the SpiritsSE
- A Casa dos EspíritosBR
- Дом ДуховRU
- 영혼의 집KR
- Het Huis met de GeestenNL
- A Casa dos EspíritosPT
