When it comes to the greatest ghost movies of all time, it seems everyone has a favorite. M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense and The Others, starring Nicole Kidman are commonly cited as favorites due to their twisty endings, but classics like Poltergeist, The Frighteners, and even the kid-friendly Casper also have a deserved place in the conversation.
However, one film I do not see talked about enough is Guillermo del Toro’s 2001 Spanish-language film The Devil’s Backbone. del Toro has cited this movie as “basically what I call my first film,” and with its striking visuals, haunting, Gothic setting, and tragic, almost fairy tale-like story, it’s easy to glimpse elements of what would eventually become del Toro’s signature style in this early film.
What is The Devil’s Backbone about?
A haunting story of war and tragedy
Set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War, The Devil’s Backbone follows the story of newly-orphaned Carlos, who is haunted by ghostly visions of another young boy upon arriving at a remote orphanage. Carlos suspects that the young boy may be the ghost of Santi, a boy who mysteriously disappeared the night an unexploded bomb fell on the orphanage where he resides.
The story has plenty of chills and jumpscares, but this film’s larger themes about not only the generational impact of war but also the price younger generations pay for the mistakes of adults meant to protect them, seem particularly resonant, even 25 years after the film was first released.
It’s perhaps little wonder then, that the movie received universal acclaim upon release, and currently holds a “93% Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Where can you watch The Devil’s Backbone for free?
Tubi has you covered
If you want to check this film out, the good news is you can do so for free right now on Tubi. You’ll have to deal with a few ad breaks here and there, but if you’re the type of person that needs a little breather every not and then from the scares, that might be a good thing.
If you’d prefer to see the film ad-free, you can rent or purchase it digitally from Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime Video or YouTube. The film is also available physically from The Criterion Collection.
- Release Date
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April 20, 2001
- Director
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Guillermo del Toro
- Writers
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Guillermo del Toro, Antonio Trashorras, David Muñoz
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Federico Luppi
Dr. Casares
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