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The Orphanage [Blu-ray] | ![The Orphanage [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ss19m5UHL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Juan Antonio Bayona
Actors: Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep, Mabel Rivera, Montserrat Carulla
Studio: Picturehouse Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: $35.99
Buy New: $19.50
You Save: $16.49 (46%)
New (34) Used (12) Collectible (1) from $17.95
Rating:  121 reviews
Sales Rank: 3849
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dts Surround Sound, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 20794
UPC: 794043120794
EAN: 0794043120794
ASIN: B0015ET3YY
Theatrical Release Date: January 11, 2008
Release Date: April 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
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
Product Description
Newline The Orphanage [Blu-ray] A woman discovers dark secrets hidden within her cherished childhood homein 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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 116 more reviews...
 An Absolutely Outstanding Thriller!!! Completely Underrated! October 6, 2008
Cheryl M. Sabina (Valley Stream, NY USA)
Because this movie was directed by Guillermo Del Toro, I was expecting it to be good. Pan's Labyrinth was very, very well directed. But this movie exceeded my expectations. An excellent ghost story, very creepy and chilling to the bone. I have been a horror movie buff since i was 10 years old, and movies don't scare me nowadays, but the suspense in this movie was superb. On my top favorites. Definately.
The Orphanage October 3, 2008
Ryan (Tucson, AZ United States)
You'll be creeped out, have your heart broke, and have it mended, all in one hour and a half. Well, maybe not, but if you're like me you will!
All I really knew going into this movie was that it was Spanish, and that that kid with the sack on his head scared the crap out of me! So I was pretty prepared for the scary stuff, but didn't think the movie would be so moving as well. In a way, it's not so much a horror movie, as it is a movie about dealing with loss. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of creepy moments in the movie...just not as much as your average everyday horror movie. Most the scary moments are due to atmosphere and tension as opposed to jump scares. So if you like the monsters popping out at you, you'll be bummed out. But if a sense of impending dread is something you enjoy, I think you'll dig the movie.
The movie's basic plot is this; A woman was an orphan, and moves back into her childhood orphanage as an adult in hopes to reopen it. Her husband and son move in as well, and her son begins to gain more and more imaginary friends. Where it goes from there, I will not say, but it's not always what you expect. I don't think it's much of a spoiler to say that the son goes missing, and from there the movie become much more of a psychological study of loss...and a rather good one at that.
The conclusion of the movie wasn't quite what I expected, but that's a good thing. The Orphanage is really a beautiful take of the classic Peter Pan story, and a movie I look forward to visiting again!
The movie is also beautiful on BluRay and a very nice upgrade from the DVD.
Good movie! September 27, 2008
Johannes W. Marfori (Moreno Valley, CA USA)
I do like this movie with its uniqueness. It has a great storyline IMO. I just can't put my finger on why I cannot give it a five star (yet). Overall, I like it.
A woman, A boy and A House. September 22, 2008
Sushi Girl (Gainesville, Florida)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
First let me say that I always research a movie before I buy it, even it that means just turning the case over and reading the back, Is it wide screen? Check. Is it English, or Spanish or German? Check, I do not just buy one because it's "supposed" to be "like" some other movie. Foreign movies offer us so much but so many people shun them because they cannot get past the subtitles "I couldn't read and watch at the same time" that baffles me, you can't drive and read road signs either? Or commercials with words? Not everything is in English, and let me give you a word of advice, listening to the dubbed versions is an affront to the movie makers and the actors in it. 90% of the movies charm and impact is in the voices, the sounds, the accents, open your mind a smidge and you will fall in love with foreign films as much as I have.
The Orphanage is not written by Del Toro, he is a producer. It is written by Sergio Sanchez and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona. Del Toros name is on the front, because he is a well known and well respected writer director and producer and the masses will identify that this movie has someone amazing backing it. You should not however think that this movie is supposed to be like Pans Labyrinth or Hellboy.
The Orphanage, La Orfanato is a skillfully made ghost/love story that is masterfully told and amazingly hauntingly beautiful. It's the kind of movie I wanted to see as a child, a story with everything!! It's not full of cliches, unless loving and losing a child is a cliche now? It's a ghost story, there is going to be similar aspects to other movies, but resist comparing it and begin to understand it better. God, it's so gorgeously saturated with grief and beauty and emptiness and longing and hope, I couldn't stop my heart from almost bursting.
I love when movies take back that frightening feeling with good old fashioned storytelling instead of fancy schmancy special effects like herky jerky motions and Computer generated craziness that you know isn't the least bit real. I would love to watch it in black and white one day!
Love the addition of Geraldine Chaplin as the Medium, Charlie's Daughter is a wonderful riveting actress!
So go rent this, buy it and I warn you don't watch it at night!
 Time is not a renewable resource September 18, 2008
Vino toujours (San Luis Obispo, Ca)
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
I got this movie because it came highly recommended to me. I was told its very, very scary.
I'm not sure which is more scary. The fact that they'd make this movie available to the public,
or that I can't get back the time I wasted watching this.
I've seen episodes of Gilligan's Island that were more suspenseful than this.
I don't know. Maybe having to spend the time reading subtitles distracted me too much.
Maybe I've just seen other ghost stories that left this in the dust.
I'm sorry, I just can not recommend this movie. I was rather disappointed.
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