Screening Report 4: Mexico - The Devil's Backbone

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

In class we discussed Mexican films and Mexican directors. We specifically discussed the recent film Roma and the director Alfonso Cuarón. The class discussion focused on Alfonso's background aa well as his previous work and how his culture is intertwined in his work. We also talked about his cinematography and the way he shot Roma. When watching his interview he mentioned that Roma was shot in mostly long shots to follow the characters and their emotions. The film was also shot in black and white but a more modern black and white to convey a specific tone to the audience. I chose to watch The Devil's Backbone by Guillermo del Toro who is a Mexican director known for his creative takes in his films. I relate this movie to the shooting style of Alfonso Cuarón because Guillermo portrays The Devil's Backbone in a similar way that sets a clear tone for the film as well as clearly stating an important message.

2) Find a related article and summarize the content. (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) You can use the library or the internet. Cite the article and copy the link to your journal entry. Summarize in your own words the related article but do not plagiarize any content. Make sure your link is a true hyperlink that will connect to the article you are referencing.

https://variety.com/2018/film/global/guillermo-del-toro-monsters-marrakech-film-festival-1203079745/

This article is about Guillermo del Toro and the inspiration for his work. The article discusses previous works that he's done as well as noting most of his film inspiration comes from his childhood experiences. Guillermo talks about his failures, inspirations, and what has kept him going as a film director.

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class. How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

This article has truly opened my eyes about the director and his past work. The Devil's Backbone is the only movie I've watched straight through from Guillermo but I've seen bits and pieces from his other works. As mentioned in the article, the theme of Catholicism is very present in his films as well as death. The article says "He says that these multiple influences continue to shape his work, confiding that fellow Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron, after seeing “The Shape of Water,” remarked, “You’re so Catholic man. In all your movies everyone dies to create a happy ending.” I found it interesting to see a connection between the director we discussed in class as well as the director I choose to watch. Reading the article has helped understand the background and storyline for The Devil's Backbone. Prior to reading the article, I had no idea Guillermo drew so much inspiration from his past into his films. I discovered that the film was inspired by Guillermo hearing his deceased uncle's whisper and instead of being scared, he embraced it. This is very similar to the film where Carlo finally decides to embrace Santi and finds out he isn't evil.


4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.

When thinking about the horror genre, Guillermo del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone is one that stands apart from the typical horror films. There is an expectation that horror is supposed to scare the audience in a way that makes them jump out of their seat, however that is not always the case. Common misconceptions about the horror genre is that if a film isn’t filled with gore and “jump scares” then it fails at being a horror movie. Guillermo del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone is an example of horror that isn’t gratuitous in nature but still manages to capture the eerie suspenseful tone needed in horror films. This film is classified as horror because of its use of children and their interaction with the supernatural. The Devil’s Backbone is ghost story that is told from a child’s perspective. The movie takes place at an orphanage far removed from the rest of civilization. Set in the middle of the Spanish Civil War, the isolated setting of the film creates an eerie and desolate tone. At the orphanage is a group of boys who are overseen by a handful of adults. The lack of adult characters in the film tells the audience that the focus is on the children. The film follows the main character, Carlos, who is the only boy that dares to interact with the ghost. Guillermo Del Toro uses Carlos’ innocence and curiosity to further the plot of them film.Throughout the film I noticed Guillermo Del Toro used different techniques to create suspense and fear. All in all, I enjoyed watching this film unfold. At first I expected Santi (the ghost) to be evil but when he turned out to be innocent it changed the tone of the story revealing Jacinto to be the true evil. I think the film did an excellent job conveying fear but also a deeper meaning.

Work Cited
Dale, Martin, and Martin Dale. “Guillermo Del Toro on Monsters, Death, Wabi-Sabi.” Variety,       Variety, 4 Dec. 2018, variety.com/2018/film/global/guillermo-del-toro-monsters-marrakech-film-     festival-1203079745/.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM 
1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class. 

2) ( x ) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper. 

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text. 

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper. 

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read. 

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography. 

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality. 

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper. 

Name: __Chelsea Edwards______  Date: ______3/8/19_____