I have been a bit quiet on WordPress recently, due to being on holiday in sunny and beautiful Spain.
In honour of my return to WordPress (get the flags out!) and also in honour of Spain itself, I thought a post detailing some of my favourite Spanish movies would be appropriate. Enjoy amigos! I’m so funny aren’t I.
1. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) 
A dark and eerie fairy tale set during the Spanish civil war, this film cleverly mixes a supernatural fairy tale with the real life horror of war and cruelty. Beautiful sets, haunting soundtrack and scary monsters – it’s impossible not to be swept away no matter what style or genre of film you’d usually go for.
2. The Orphanage (2007)
Bugger me this film is scary. I went to see it in 
the cinema and it was the first scary movie I’d ever seen that made me cry. Seriously – some scenes were so tense and frightening that my eyes welled up in protest.I hadn’t been that frightened of a dead kid since I watched The Changeling (1980). Contains every winning element for a fantastic supernatural fright fest.
3. REC (2007)
This is one of the most fast paced and tense zombie films I’ve ever watched. Genuinely scary this is without doubt one of the finest films of the sub-genre beating many mainstream efforts. The only thing I found a little hard sometimes was reading the subtitles in such a fast paced movie – so have your pause button at the ready.
4. The Devil’s Backbone (2001)
Another Del Toro movie that combines both the supernatural and the horrors of the Spanish civil war. But whereas Pan’s Labyrinth was a fairy tale, this is a ghost story – with the power to make you feel sad too. It is still very creepy (as you can see from the pic), but the focus is not solely on the ghost, but on his story too.
5. BackWoods (2006)
This film is sort of Spanish and English, a thriller reminiscent of Deliverance type movies but – almost bizarrely – starring Gary Oldman and Paddy Considine (two of my favourite actors). Set in the 1970s, the story follows both chaps, as well as their girlfriends, as they try to escape the murderous clutches of some Spanish locals, after mistakenly ‘rescuing’ a child found locked in a shed. This film is less cartoonish than it sounds though and has been likened, with good reason, to Straw Dogs. But though it is grim in places, it’s a great thriller and only serves to prove how wonderful Gary Oldman is – as he speaks fluent, perfect Spanish in many scenes.
emmakwall (explains it all) 
Nice post, I really enjoyed the devils backbone, but I am disappointed that you have not included anything from Pedro Almodóvar or Luis Buñuel. Maybe next time?
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Aww, I’m sorry!! If you check out my post “Disturbing but Decent Movies” (or something like that) you will find a review on The Skin I Live In – which I really loved!
Hope that helps 🙂
Thanks for your comment!
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Great choices Emma, glad to see The Orphanage on here. It was effective in terms of the chills but really moving as well, I was a wreck by the end of the film.
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Never has a film scared me so much and I’ve watched a lot of scary films!!!!! And you’re right, it was very upsetting as well.
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It’s probably the horror movie that has brought tears to my eyes.
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The Devil’s Backbone is my favourite Del Toro movie. Haven’t seen Backwoods so i’ll look out for it
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Very popular choice with people The Devil’s Backbone!
🙂
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Nice list, i wasn’t too keen on backwoods but was kind of asleep when i watched it lol. the devil’s backbone was my favourite on the list though
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That’s cool 🙂
I’m glad you like the list, Devil’s Backbone is brilliant.
I’m going to watch REC 2 tonight, the sequel. I’ve had it on DVD for yonks but not got round to it…the Spanish zombie fire has been lit once again!
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YES
YES
YES
YES
Never heard of it!
Welcome back!!! WOO HOO!! YAY!!!! Did you pick up any Spanish Fly while you were over there????
#????
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Aww cheers me old mucker! It’s great to be back, I have some serious catching up to do on WordPress, not forgetting my great pals and their awesome posts!
To be honest I’d never heard of BackWoods until my dad lent it to me a while ago 🙂
I’m glad you like the rest!!
I must first confirm WHAT Spanish Fly is….before I admit to anything 🙂
Are you well my friend?? ####
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I’ll have to remember to look it up 🙂 Those other four are FANTASTIC!
Have you seen “Julia’s Eyes”? that’s another good one. Also – “The Hidden Face”. Both are quality!
I’m well!! How are you???
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What is Spanish Fly!!!! 🙂
Julia’s Eyes is 100% on my watch list, that’s the woman from The Orphanage isn’t it??
I haven’t heard of The Hidden Face but I wil look it up thank you 🙂
The Skin I Live In is a good, weird Spanish movie, well worth a watch but not good enough for my top 5.
I’m well thank you……….IT’S FRIDAY!!!
How are you? Dropped any pens???
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LOL – it’s an aphrodisiac LOL – probably much more popular in the 70s before you were conceived. Maybe it led to your conception!!! 🙂
Yep!
Don’t look at a trailer for Hideen Face – they give away the big twist – watch it blind!
I’m always honest with you so I’ll tell you that my pen is by my phone.
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I don’t think my mum and dad ever went to Spain….maybe Southend! I’ll have to see if they have an equivalent….Southend Suds.
Okay cheers, I hate when they give too much away. Sometimes you see the whole ‘god darn’ movie!
Wow….by the phone!! But…aren’t you at work?
Pick up the receiver, I’ll make you a believer!
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I AM at work!
#scandalous
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You’re a player, such a player.
🙂
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Love, Love, Love Guillermo del Toro! Have you read The Strain trilogy he wrote with Chuck Hogan? Or watched the tv series? It’s brilliant! Disgusting, but brilliant!
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Not yet!!
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You guys have to check the book/series out!
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