Bosque de sombras (2006)

Director:

Koldo Serra

Writers:

Jon Sagalá (writer)
Koldo Serra (writer)

Release Date:

16 February 2007 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

An English couple's holiday in Spain is interrupted when they discover a girl imprisoned in a cabin.

Plot Keywords:

1970s

Cast

Gary Oldman	...	Paul
Paddy Considine	...	Norman
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón	...	Isabel
Virginie Ledoyen	...	Lucy
Lluís Homar	...	Paco
Yaiza Esteve	...	Nerea
Andrés Gertrúdix	...	Antonio
Jon Ariño	...	Lechón
Kandido Uranga	...	Miguel
Álex Angulo	...	Jose Andrés
Savitri Ceballos	...	Jose Andrés' daughter
Patxi Bisquert	...	José Luis
José Andrés Zalguegui	...	Bar Tender

Directed by
Koldo Serra

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jon Sagalá		writer
Koldo Serra		writer

Produced by
Guillaume Benski	....	producer
Julio Fernández	....	producer
Aitor Lizarralde	....	producer
Pablo Mehler	....	producer
Iker Monfort	....	producer
Antonia Nava	....	co-executive producer
Ander Sistiaga	....	line producer
Jolyon Symonds	....	producer
Guadalupe Balaguer Trelles	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Fernando Velázquez

Cinematography by
Unax Mendía

Film Editing by
Javier Ruiz

Art Direction by
Juanjo Gracia
Mario Suances

Costume Design by
Josune Lasa

Makeup Department
Oscar del Monte	....	special makeup effects artist
Nacho Díaz	....	special makeup effects artist
Katy Fray	....	makeup designer
Daniel Izar de la Fuente	....	special makeup effects technician
Pepe Mora	....	special makeup effects artist
Jean-Jacques Puchu	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Jesús L. Pérez Villar	....	post-production manager
Guadalupe Balaguer Trelles	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Walter Prieto	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Spencer Eagles	....	sound
Michel Filippi	....	adr supervisor
Julien Martin	....	foley recording engineer
Marc Orts	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nacho Royo	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Anthony S. Ciccarelli	....	special effects technician
Pau Costa	....	special effects coordinator
Javier Jal	....	special effects technician
Javier H. Moneo	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Javier Hernanz Zajara	....	software engineer
Iñigo Remacha	....	visual effects
Pablo Urrutia	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
David Acereto	....	camera operator
José Haro	....	still photographer
Gorka Rotaetxe	....	steadicam operator
Rachid Talid	....	steadicam assistant
Josu Ubiria	....	trainee camera

Editorial Department
George Koran	....	colorist (uncredited)

Other crew
Helena Moreno Núñez	....	development executive
Elena Serra	....	development executive
Manuel Yebra	....	assistant to co-executive producer

Thanks
Borja Cobeaga	....	thanks
Borja Crespo	....	thanks
Nahikari Ipiña	....	thanks
Jon Sagalá	....	thanks
Nacho Vigalondo	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Divine Productions
• Filmax
• Holy Cow Films
• Montfort Producciones
• Videntia Frames

Distributors

• 21st Century Pictures (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
• Canal+ (2007) (France) (TV)
• Filmax S.A. (2006) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Lionsgate (2006) (USA) (all media)
• Lionsgate (2007) (Canada) (all media)
• Lionsgate (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Movie Bank (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Kinema Digital (digital grading)
• Kinema Digital (visual effects)

Also Known As:

BackWoods (International: English title)
The Backwoods (France)

Runtime:

Argentina:153 min

Country:

UK | France | Spain

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Finland:K-15 | Spain:18 | Australia:MA (2006)

Filming Locations:

Navarra, Spain

Company:

Divine Productions

Movie Connections:

References "Little House on the Prairie" (1974)

Full of clichés and very disappointing

This was one of the movies I saw in Cannes last month during the film market (it was not part of the festival, which is different) and possibly the worst movie I've seen in a while.

The trailer showed promise. The only reason I went to the screening was because of star Gary Oldman. After the movie ended, myself and my colleagues wondered out loud why Gary Oldman decided to do this empty, shallow movie which was full of clichés and obvious homages to Leone and movies like Deliverance that don't amount to much. A chance to play in Spanish maybe ? That is the only mystery we have in this movie : why did Gary Oldman do it ?

The performances of most of the actors were good except for Virginie Ledoyen who still has not showed that she can play more than one style. I wished the producers had chosen a better actress who has depth and more chemistry with her co-stars. She was by far the weakest actor of the 5 main actors in this movie. Paddy Considine was good as her husband. I'm always impressed by Considine's performances and here he was the actor that gave the most impressive performance out of them all. Gary Oldman and Aitana Sanchez-Gijon were effective as the other married couple. Except for Homar, the rest of the supporting Spanish cast seemed like amateurs doing their first movie.

This is a movie about incommunication and the effects, but unfortunately that theme never gets fully developed. Besides the performance of Considine, the only other good point of this movie is the cinematography.

Everything else about this movie makes it more suitable for viewing as a direct-to-DVD instead of in the theatres. The people I work with did not buy the movie and no one in our company recommended it or felt it was worth it. I don't think Filmax sold it to anyone at the market. Oldman and Considine are good, but 2 good actors are not enough to save a bad film.

I miss seeing Gary Oldman in good films and hope he makes smarter choices in the future. Now I will have to wait for the next Batman to see Oldman in a good film.