Hmmm … That’s kicking off an understandable fuss.
Seemingly … ? The trailer for the 50th anniversary episode of Dr Who has been shown at this year’s Comic Con.
And many — myself included — feel a certain amount of anger and resentment about that.
I’ve spent a few bob over the years on assorted bits of Dr Who merchandise: and had it bought for me.
I’ve ALSO paid my license fee. I feel I should have seen the trailer on my TV: BEFORE a bunch of fans at a US convention.
I’ll quietly leave that there: but if any one is sending Steven Moffat a letter of complaint … ? Put my name on it!
~≈Ï≈~
At ANY rate, I started writing this post with the intention of telling you something.
Mostly … ? That Guillermo Del Toro has quite a bit of talent: talent bordering on, if not actually out and out, genius.
You see, I had the evening to myself, last night.
And … ? And, having seen an old friend’s copy of Pan’s Labyrinth a few nights ago, spent it with the library’s copy of another Guillermo Del Toro film, the 2001, Spanish language, The Devil’s Backbone: El espinazo del diablo, to give it it’s Spanish title.
Set in the last year of the Spanish Civil War*, The Devil’s Backbone follow Carlos — Fernando Tielve — an orphan who’s left with a Left-leaning orphanage in a back-water part of Spain.
An orphanage that’s run by Dr Casares and Carmen — Federico Luppi and Marisa Perades, respectively — a pair of Republican sympathisers who employ Jacinto — Eduardo Noriego — and Conchinta — Irene Visedo — to help run the place.
As Carlos arrives … ?
As Carlos arrives, he notices the one thing that he can’t ignore: the large, unexploded bomb† in the front grounds of the orphanage.
What he doesn’t know about, is the number of gold bars Dr Casares has stashed away to aid the republican cause.
Nor about the nasty side that Jacinto is capable of displaying.
Nor about the reason that his new bed — № 12 — is empty.
It’s only later that he’s told — by fellow orphan, Jaime, played by Iñigo Garcés — that the bed had been occupied by Santi, who’d apparently run away, the night the bomb arrived.
It’s ALSO only later that he learns about the existence of ‘the one who sighs’.
And gets to meet him …
~≈Ï≈~
Now, I’ve said about genius … ?
Yes.
I’ll happily admit, I’ve no kind of film background, I just like watching them, and tell you what I think of them‡.
Which I tried my best to do with Pan’s Labyrinth: I don’t know if I successfully managed to tell people quite how good I thought the film was, but it was and is a stunningly good film: in terms of subject, design, emotional tone, and whatever else you care to mention.
The Devil’s Backbone, on the other hand, del Toro’s take on the traditional ghost story … ?
Is, quite simply, the better of the two films.
If you have the chance to see both, see both.
If you only have the chance to see just one of them … ?
The Devil’s Backbone is the one to see.
The Devil’s Backbone.
ª★★★★
* You know, the Spanish Civil War — and the Manchukuo period in China’s history — could probably provide a LOT of good stories: film, fantastic or otherwise …
† My fevered imagination — and the little I know of the Spanish Civil War — suggests to me that that bomb — we see it being dropped by an overflying squadron — was initially intended for Guernica. I’ll happily admit to being wrong, though.
‡ There was, at one point, a film called Area 51 on iTunes. I rented it. And turned it off/deleted it from my iPod, after some ten minutes. It’s STILL the biggest waste of £2•49 worth of iTunes store credit, EVER. The SOONER Apple delete it from their servers, will not be soon enough. Seriously … ! (The only other film to get that sort of treatment … ? Was Inception … )
ª Originally, I gave Pan’s Labyrinth four stars: the highest rating I usually hand out. I’ve since revised it downwards to three, and given The Devil’s Backbone four stars: reflecting my belief it’s the better of the two films. You’re free to disagree, of course. AFTER you’ve seen them.
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