The Orphanage | 
| Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Actors: Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep, Mabel Rivera, Montserrat Carulla
Studio: New Line Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $27.98
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Avg. Customer Rating:  112 reviews
Sales Rank: 1798
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
Theatrical Release Date: January 11, 2008
Release Date: April 22, 2008
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Shipping: International shipping available
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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
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| Customer Reviews: Read 107 more reviews...
We are the product of our surroundings August 29, 2008
Film that explores themes of: childhood, death, motherhood and orphanage. Produced by Guillermo Del Torro it still has dark tones similar to the ones we say in "Pan's Labytinth". Some of the scenes are just too gruesome, even for the adults to watch. We meet Laura, a woman who used to be orphan herself who now has adopted son Simon with potentially fatal desease. Simon is a sensitive and lonely child and he has imaginary friends. But when the circle of his imaginary friends starts to grow, his worried parents arrange for the children's party in their new home that used to be an orphanage where Laura grew up before she herself was adopted. Before long, Simon disappears and police has no clues on his whereabouts. The love that Laura feels for Simon is unconditional. She wants to find her little boy no matter what the cost. It is at that point that we see what a true motherly love is. It is also heartbreaking after we learn that Simon's desappearance and ultimately his death is partially her fault too. I liked film's idea on how living family left behind has strong ties with people they were close to once, long gone. Just as Laura has strong impressions of her son being around, so does Laura's husband about her presence once she is gone to another world. The bond we have with certain people is unbreakable between the two worlds. It is there to sustain us in times of grief and emotional pain. Not as powerful as "Pan's Labyrinth" but very touching nevertheless.
very good, very scary August 29, 2008
I decided to watch this movie because I liked Pan's Labyrinth and thought it might be good because it has Guillermo del Toro's name on it. I found it to be a very good film. Suspensful, scary, well written, and well acted. The story was interesting and really drew me in. I recommend this movie to lovers of suspense and horror everywhere.
 If you want a Horror This is NOT IT!!! August 26, 2008
I bought this movie looking for a good horror to watch. The cover has a 4 1/2 star rating and a critic "must see" review on it. Well it's not a must see but if you liked "Pans Labyrinth" then you would like this movie. If you are looking for something to scare you or simply make you jump every once in awhile don't get this movie. But all in all it's not bad. Not good but not bad. Oh bring your reading glasses. SUBTITLES!!(which kills the essence of trying to be scared when you have to read)
Complex Ghost Tale August 20, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The Orphanage
Yes, this movie only has its main voice over, and that is Spanish. You cannot watch the movie and listen to the characters in English, French, or any other language on this DVD. There are subtitles for both English and Spanish though. If you don't like reading subtitles, avoid this movie. If it doesn't bother you, than you need to check this one out.
This movie is partially made a Guillermo Del Toro, the creator of Pan's Labyrinth. There is a new director for this movie though, so do not expect all the same qualities to follow in this movie. This movie is very complex and you really have to pay close attention if you want to understand it. The added difficulty comes in the fact that you have to read subtitles, but still pay attention to tiny details. I would suggest watching this movie two or three times before settling on whether you enjoyed it or not. It took me a second watch to understand everything.
This movie is actually almost perfect as far as story telling goes. Once you understand everything, you will see that everything pieces together like a puzzle to create a masterful story. The story begins with Laura, an orphan at Good Shepard Orphanage, being adopted by a family. The movie then shifts to when she is thirty-seven years old and has a husband and Child. They are moving into the now abandoned Orphanage to start their own home for children with special needs. Their child is named Simon. You quickly learn that he has HIV and is adopted. However, this truth is hidden from him until he is old enough to understand it.
Simon has always had imaginary friends, but once they enter the Orphanage he begins to gain more. Simon asks his mother to play a game with him in which they follow the clues to a stolen treasure of the imaginary friends, and then he can make a wish. Laura pays along and eventually finds that the treasure was money and files regarding Simon's HIV and adoption. Simon grows very angry and storms out of the room. Laura and the husband sit down and explain things to Simon, but he is still very upset.
The next day they have a house warming party to see if parents would let their children stay at the orphanage. Simon refuses to join the part until Laura comes with him to the small home of Thomas, one of his imaginary friends. Laura refuses to takes part in these childish game any longer. A disturbing child attacks Laura later in the party with a mask on. After this event, Simon is missing. Laura searches everywhere but cannot find him. The story is about Laura trying to find someway to find Simon.
This is more of a ghost tale than a horror movie. There are frights every now and then, but it is more about the mystery. There are also some disturbing moments involving the once thought imaginary children. Still, I feel the movie is based more around the plot than the frights. This is a great thing for horror fans that get sick of seeing the same stuff over and over again.
This movie is can be extremely hard to comprehend though. The extras are only some making of features, which are more about praising the film than anything. The musical score is phenomenal and always matches the scene. Sometimes you will feel that the characters are acting a little abnormal considering the situation. If you are looking for a movie that breaks to norm of everyday horror movies, pick this one up. If you are looking for the same old "scary girl" horror movie, then just move on.
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. ***
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