J.A. Bayonamade an international splash in 2023 withhis survival dramaSociety of the Snow. The heart-wrenching depiction of the real-life plane crash that stranded a Uruguayan rugby team in the Andes was widely praised for its masterful handling of both the horrible circumstances of the event and the inspiring human element, gaining an Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film. But Bayona started his film career in an entirely different genre with 2007’sThe Orphanage(El orfanatoin Spanish), a haunting Gothic-style ghost story set in – you guessed it – an abandoned orphanage.
However, even when exploring the supernatural, Bayona shows thatthe humanity of his movies is always at the forefront;believe it or not,The Orphanageis just as rooted in raw emotions asSociety of the Snow. The supernatural horror film tells the story of Laura (Belén Rueda) and her husband, Carlos (Fernando Cayo),whose adoptive son, Simón, goes missingafter they move into and begin renovating the orphanage in which Laura herself grew up. As the two desperately search for their son,Laura is seemingly haunted by ghostly childrenled by a boy in a disturbing burlap sack mask.Critics and audiences alikefound Bayona’s dark and brooding debut equal parts unnerving and moving, paving the way for his future success.
A Classic Ghost Story Inspired ‘The Orphanage’
The Orphanagewas produced by Guillermo del Toro, directed by Bayona, and based on a script by screenwriterSergio G. Sanchez. Although it shares a similar fairy tale vibe withdel Toro’s own filmPan’s Labyrinth, neither Sanchez nor Bayona had seen that film before making their own. They were delighted by the similarities between the films, butin Sanchez’s own words, “[his] influences were more literary.” The characters in the film often directly reference Peter Pan, with Laura serving as the Wendy figure, but a less explicit influence is Henry James’sThe Turn of the Screw(which was adapted into the horror classic,The Innocents, in 1961). The classic Gothic horror novella revolves around a governess who believes thather charges are being haunted and/or possessedby former members of the estate’s staff. It’s famously ambiguous about whether or not the haunting is real or if it’s all in the governess’s mind, but the end results are tragic either way. While the ending ofThe Orphanageis not quite so ambiguous, the movie does sow seeds of doubt before the ultimate reveal,making the audience unsure if the ghosts are malicious or not.
This Guillermo del Toro-Produced Horror Mixed Hitchcock With Giallo for 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
The audience faces the same challenges as the main character in this innovative 2010 movie.
Laura’s son spoke of “imaginary friends”before he disappeared, butthe ghosts are more unsettling than anything. It’s Laura’s preconceived anxiety that they might be behind the disappearance that causes a lot of her fear. Then, of course, a living suspect comes into play, throwing the audience into further doubt about what is actually happening in Laura’s home.The look ofThe Orphanagealso gives off the same Gothic vibesasThe Turn of the Screw’s setting, with its muted blue and gray color palette and the eeriness of an old-fashioned, abandoned orphanage.The movie also doesn’t rely too much on jump scares,instead leaning into atmospheric tension; shadowy rooms, doors opening and closing on their own, ghostly children slowly appearing as the camera pans back and forth.
“Fear Is the Villain,” Says the Screenwriter of ‘The Orphanage’
The creators behindThe Orphanagereportedly faced pushback (Via The Deadbolt) from other industry professionals at the Sundance Film Festival. The screenwriter, Sergio G. Sanchez told The Deadbolt thattheir ending was controversial because of its open-ended nature. Without spoiling too much, the ending can be seen asoutright depressing or more bittersweet, depending on your point of view. As director Bayona says, there are really “two different endings, and you’re able to think for yourself. In fact, there is a final sequence where a door [literally] opens to the audience. It’s an invitation to let you interpret the story on your own.” Skeptics at Sundance pointed out that there was no villain in the story, but Bayona said he explained to them that “fear is the villain and that it’s fear that drives it.”Laura’s fear of the ghostly children, despite them not actually harming her, makes it difficult for her to understand their true purpose. And, of course, for the audience,the fear of someone you love, especially a child, disappearingis terrifyingand heightens the dread of the movie.
The ending ofThe Orphanagehas to be seen to be believed, but suffice to say that it’s a fitting climax for the extremely emotional journey that comes before it. The movie is creepy enough for spooky season, butit’s more than just a run-of-the-mill ghost story.Underneath the Gothic atmosphere isa story of a mother’s loveand the importance of acceptance – of other people and of whatever fate has in store.
The Orphanage
The Orphanageis now streaming in the U.S. on Paramount+.
Watch on Paramount+
