StudioCanal, out now

With General Franco’s fascists nearing victory, 12-year-old Carlos arrives at a remote orphanage for children of left-wing families. He quickly learns the orphanage is haunted by Santi, seeking revenge for his tragic death…

Probably director Guillermo del Toro’s most personal – and many have said, best – film, The Devil’s Backbone gets a really excellent upgrade to 4K for StudioCanal’s latest release. If you’ve not seen it before, then this is very much the edition to shell out for – video and audio bring out every aspect, adding to the very unsettling atmosphere that del Toro creates from the start. This isn’t one of those stories where you wonder if ghosts are real – it’s very clear from early on that Santi is – but what they represent, and that allows the director to investigate many themes that turn up across his oeuvre. It’s not a film for the faint-hearted – the horror and violence are visceral – but, like all del Toro’s work, rewards repeated viewing.

The extras include a new introduction from del Toro, as well as two previously released commentaries by del Toro on his own (which at times make for an interesting compare and contrast with seven years’ gap between their release), and one by del Toro and his cinematographer. The deleted scenes are also worth a look with the commentary.

Verdict: A movie that will, quite appropriately, haunt you in the hours and days after you watch it. 9/10

Paul Simpson