On this week's continuing installment of Scene Selection, I introduce to you a foreign concept: foreign films. I watched a couple of foreign rentals this past weekend, and one stuck in my mind. Without stalling any further, I present my selection for this week: "The Devil's Backbone."
Guillermo Del Toro ("Hellboy" & "Pan's Labyrinth") wrote and directed "The Devil's Backbone," and boy this is one impressive film. "Backbone" revolves around one boy, Carlos, who is left at an orphanage by his war-hero father in the middle of the Spanish Civil War. Carlos is unable to easily adapt to his new surroundings. The other orphans initially despise Carlos and bully him around. The caretaker of the orphanage, named Jacinto, catches Carlos sneaking out at night and violently deals with the situation.
However, during that encounter Carlos sees a ghost on the grounds. This ghost begins popping up around the orphanage. The external war threatens the orphanage forcing the teachers to evacuate the children. When all hope seems lost, the kind Professor Casares becomes the hero for the children.
Of course I can't do the plot justice, due to the incredible twist in the film, and my moral of never spoiling a good film to anyone who hasn't viewed it.
This film is incredible for various reasons, but the main one is Del Toro. Whether you like his Hollywood style in "Hellboy" or "Blade II" or not, this is a different style dealing with drama, and more grounded situations (not that ghosts are entirely different from monsters).
The characters are entirely believable because the story is brilliant. It does seem that Del Toro is obsessed with the Spanish Civil War. The professor even looks like a Spanish Sean Connery or Christopher Lee, depending on viewer opinion. Del Toro also set his more recent film "Pan's Labyrinth" in the same time frame. This is known, "Pan's Labyrinth" feels very much like a sequel to this film. I speak about "Pan's Labyrinth" because I have to recommend it just as much as "Devil's Backbone." "Pan's" is more recent, though, so I am assuming many more have heard of it and hopefully viewed it.
The style of "Devil's Backbone," encompassing camera angles, color, music, et cetera, is brilliant. The opening scene lasts only a few minutes maximum, but the first two camera angles are visually stunning. The first shot is a bomb being dropped out of an airplane and the second is its impact on the ground. It is a strange open, but it immediately captured my eye.
I can't do this tale justice, because the script is incredible. There is a twist about two-thirds through, which is not entirely spectacular, but it is clever with a great change in the meaning of the intro. I also, like to believe the story is a great inquisition as to what a monster really is, whether it is a villain, or a ghastly ghoul. This is a theme that many of Del Toro's films ask, but this one is subtle and much more effective.
"Devil's Backbone" is a Spanish film. As a rule of thumb with foreign films: watch with subtitles in the original language because no one can emulate an actor's vocal emotion, especially in a different language. Check this one out to enjoy a great flick, and hopefully you can broaden your tastes beyond the popcorn flicks of summer. Speaking of summer, I did not introduce any new openings last week because I reviewed a new film, but this week has two films of note.
First, "Year One" opens with Jack Black and Michael Cera starring in this historical comedy in which they travel the known world and hi-jinx ensue. Second, the romantic comedy "The Proposal" hits the screen, which should be a sure bet for date night.
Get out or stay in this weekend, but view a film and enjoy a great flick. I recommend renting "The Devil's Backbone" or one of my previous suggestions. Until the next adventure of Scene Selection, get busy livin' or get busy dyin.'
Alex Kartman is a junior telecommunications major and writes "Scene Selection" for the Daily News. His views do not represent the views of the Daily News.
Write Alex at ajkartman@bsu.edu
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