| The Orphanage | 
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| Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Actors: Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep, Mabel Rivera, Montserrat Carulla
Studio: New Line Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy Used: $3.85
You Save: $16.13 (81%)
New (56) Used (31) from $3.85
Avg. Customer Rating:  128 reviews
Sales Rank: 1427
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): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: TRNDN38293D
UPC: 794043120718
EAN: 0794043120718
ASIN: B0015ET3YO
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Release Date: April 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Disk or disks are scratched but have been tested and play fine. Ships in 1-2 business days.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
A woman brings her family back to her childhood home where she opens an orphanage for handicapped children. Before long her son starts to communicate with an invisible new friend. Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 09/30/2008 Run time: 105 minutes Rating: R Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
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 123 more reviews...
 Great movie November 12, 2008
Some weeks ago I got some passes to the movies. They were free so I just selected a movie in spanish. (Even though I don't like Spanish from Spain accent). The movie catched my attention and provided me more than 90 minutes of great suspense.
I just ordered two DVDs of this movie and I really recommend to anyone who wants to have a good time watching this horror movie.
I've seen several movies in which is just went to the cinema to sleep. This one kept me awake and frozen.
Buy it now.
This movie is available only in spanish (English subtitles). I understand spanish perfectly but actually I prefer the latinamerican accent.
Amazing movie November 4, 2008
I've always liked Spanish cinema and this movie is not an exception. Amazing acting, amazing scenarios, everything!
BWT, thanks for not dubbing this movie.
Chills, Thrills, and Goosebumps! October 31, 2008
This is another brilliant film produced by Del Toro and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona.
The story slowly unfolds as a little girl named Laura is adopted by a family from an orphanage. As an adult we later find Laura herself along with her husband Carlos has adopted an adorable little boy named Simon. She moves back into the orphanage where she grew up and tries to put together a school for special needs children.
After becoming settled into their new home - is where the puzzle pieces start to rip apart. Simon, not having many friends has quite the imagination and has created two imaginary friends of his own. Upon moving into the house he becomes attached to his "new" set of imaginary friends including a friend named Tomas.
This movie goes through many twists, turns, childrens games, a scavenger hunt of sorts, and sad stories that Laura must discover, solve, and put the final pieces to the answers together to help her son Simon and to help heal their family after going through a devastating tragedy.
What makes this film so haunting is the lack of music through out the film, it's pretty quiet, and it leaves you guessing at every turn. As you play along with Laura you are also involved in trying to figure out the mystery to what happened at the orphanage after Laura had departed.
I also love how these particular films have such natural actors and realistic characters. As much as this film reminded me of a combination of: The Ring and Silent Hill this has a much more believable story and really the similarities are very few. I also liked the fact that I didn't really know any of the actors that's what made this movie more realistic for me and more relatable. It is also very reminiscent of the classic Alfred Hitchcock films.
This film delievers and will keep you guessing until the end, not too mention will give you goosebumps!
Two Warnings: Watch with a light on and grab your kleenex!
 Picture quality marred by white specks/spots October 30, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Interesting film but not as good as FRAGILE or THE OTHERS. It feels a bit derivative of the previous spanish horror films.
The picture quality could have been superb, but because of the laziness of today's video divisions of the studios, they neglected to remove or mask the running white spots that ruin the picture.
What is the purpose of blu ray with its amazing depth and color and resolution when all these white spots ruin the image. It is more than just an irritation or annoyance. Can Blu ray deliver on a pristine image, especially for modern films? Afraid not.
Great Ghost Story October 26, 2008
Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake
THE ORPHANAGE is a terrific ghost movie.
Not only does it have plenty of moments that will make you jump in your seat, and I can assure you that I did several times, but it also contains a very intelligent, human story that makes you care about the people involved.
The exquisitely photographed Spanish-language picture (with English subtitles) was directed by J.A. Bayona and co-produced by Guillermo Del Toro. The filmmakers describe it as "a Peter Pan-like story from the mother's point-of-view".
Belen Rueda, in an award-worthy performance, stars as "Laura," a wife and mother, who with her family buys the seaside house that was once the orphanage where she was raised.
They have no sooner moved into the mansion when her son starts seeing "invisible friends," and shortly after that, he disappears. Laura's husband (Fernando Cayo) thinks the boy was kidnapped, but Laura is positive that he was taken by the ghostly children in the house.
Geraldine Chaplin has a strong cameo role as a medium.
Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (available December 2008)
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