Romasanta: The Werewolf Hunt is a 2004 Spanish-Italian-British horror film directed by Paco Plaza and starring Julian Sands, Elsa Pataky and John Sharian.
1851. Wolves plague the forests, and more and more people are disappearing, with their mutilated cadavers being found with savage gashes and precise surgical, a contradiction that terrorizes the local villagers, who are too frightened to enter the forests. The legend of the 'Werewolf of Allariz' spreads like wildfire throughout the land. Meanwhile Barbara, her sister Maria and Maria's young daughter Theresa live in an isolated house in the forest, only feeling safe when a handsome, charismatic traveling vendor by the name of Manuel Romasanta comes to visit. Manuel is Maria's lover, but Barbara is also secretly taken with him, although she does not say anything. Maria and Manuel decide to marry, leaving for the city with Theresa. Soon afterwards Manuel returns on his own, and he and Barbara strike up an affair after she saves his life. After Romasanta gives Barbara an expensive piece of jewellery, she begins to suspect that her sisters never actually made it to the city, and begins to investigate.
Why is Manuel the only person in the valley not afraid to enter the forest? What secrets are hidden under the cloth roof of his wagon?
Tropes:
- Bad People Abuse Animals: Romasanta plays a horrible trick on one of Theresa's captive birds. He jabs short twigs into its body to hinder its wings and make it "fly like a butterfly". When the out-of-control bird crashes into a tree and breaks its neck, his only comment is a callous "It was only a bird".
- Bear Trap: When Romasanta, Maria and Theresa camp for the night in the woods, Romasanta warns Maria to be careful because the woods are full of wolf traps. He demonstrates by thrusting a stick into the leaves so a steel trap snaps shut on it. Later, when Josephine's body is discovered, her ankle is caught in a wolf trap.
- The Big Bad Wolf: If Romasanta really is a werewolf, then he fits this trope. But even if he isn't, there is a pack of killer wolves roaming the forest whose attacks on humans help Romasanta conceal his killings for so long.
- Covers Always Lie: Both the page image and this cover
make the film look like a straight up horror/action film, which it isn't. The Fantastic Factory Collection edition is the most honest one, but it also spoils the identity of the killer. - Deadly Hug: Barbara visits Romasanta in his cell. Thinking that she still loves him, he hugs her. She hugs him back and then stabs him with a silver dagger. She then turns and leaves as he stares down at the dagger sticking out of his ribs and sinks slowly to the floor.
- Eye Scream: Theresa is killed by having twigs shoved through her eyes.
- A Girl in Every Port: Romasanta is a travelling vendor who has a lover in many of the towns along his route.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Crazed Hunter Trapper Antonio has three parallel scars across his eye and down the right side of his face from the wolf attack that he believes transformed him into a werewolf
- Hand Gag: When Antonio grabs Barbara from behind the tree, he clamps his hand over her mouth to prevent her screaming.
- Hand-or-Object Underwear: When Romasanta enters the room while Barbara is bathing, she crosses her arms over her breasts.
- Historical Beauty Upgrade: The Real Life Manuel Romasanta was extremely short (contemporary accounts put his height between 4'6" and 4'11") and "tender looking", a far cry from the 5'11" Julian Sands, whose character is repeatedly described as "tall", "strong" and "muscular" and who radiates a dark sexual magnetism.
- Human Resources: Romasanta drains the fat from his victims and uses it to make soap, which he sells.
- Hunter Trapper: Antonio is a hunter-trapper (although not above a bit of brigandry if the opportunity presents itself) who is obsessively hunting Romasanta because he believes Romasanta inflicted him with the curse of lycanthropy.
- Hypno Fool: Professor Phillips demonstrates the efficacy of his hypnosis by hypnotizing the skeptical prosecutor into crying uncontrollably in front of the court.
- I'm a Humanitarian: Both Romasanta and Antonio indicate that they eat parts of their victims.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: The film never does establish if Romasanta is a werewolf; thinks he's a werewolf; or is just applying Obfuscating Insanity to escape execution.
- Ms. Fanservice: The gorgeous Elsa Pataky is shown naked from behind before getting into the bath where she's seen topless.
- Obfuscating Insanity: One way to interpret Romasanta's claim to be suffering from clinical lycanthropy. Certainly the Crown Prosecutor believes he is faking it in an attempt to avoid execution.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: The film plays up the mystical aspects associated with the case and, through Gory Discretion Shots and certain events being witnessed Through the Eyes of Madness, leaves it open as to whether Romasanta is a genuine werewolf; a madman who believes he is a werewolf; or a cunning criminal employing Obfuscating Insanity to avoid punishment for his crime.
- Painful Transformation: Romasanta's transformation from wolf to man is accompanied by the sound of snapping bones and howls of pain.
- Serial Killer: The movie is based on the crimes of Manuel Blanco Romasanta: Spain's first documented serial killer.
- Sibling Triangle: Romasanta is in a romantic/sexual relationship with Maria. However, there is a palpaple UST between Romasanta and Maria's younger sister Barbara, leading to Maria calling Barabara out on trying to steal her man. Indeed, when Romasanta returns to house without Maria, it's not long before Barbara jumps into bed with him.
- Signature Item Clue: Crown Prosecutor Luciano de la Bastida is initially dubious when Barbara brings her suspicions about Romasanta to him, until she shows him the earring Romasanta gave her, which is the mate of one he found on her murdered niece earlier.
- Silver Bullet: Antonio attempts to shoot Romasanta with a silver bullet, but Barbara spins and takes the bullet herself.
- Sinister Scythe: When Barbara confronts Romasanta in the wheat field, she holds a sickle to his throat.
- Surgeons Can Do Autopsies If They Want: Professor Phillips is an alienist who is brought in to consult on the Serial Killer who conducts an autopsy on one of the victims. Justified as the film is set in 1851 when medicine was less specialized than it is now, and Professor Phillips is an expert in criminal insanity and so probably has a lot of experience with dead bodies.
- Taking the Bullet: Theresa and Manuel are embracing when, over Manuel's shoulder, Theresa sees Antonio aiming a musket at him. Still hugging him, she spins around so that her back is to Antonio and she takes a Silver Bullet to the shoulder.
- This Bear Was Framed: Romasanta's murders are attributed to wolf attacks, until Professor Phillips conducts an autopsy and identifies that the slices on this corpse have been inflicted with surgical precision.
- Through the Eyes of Madness: It is impossible to tell which parts of Antonio's story are true and which have been warped by his madness. For example, did he see a wolf tearing at the body of the woman in the forest, or was it the human Romasanta?
- Two-Person Pool Party: Romasanta begins washing Barbara's breasts seductively and fingers her after that in the bath as she wordlessly urges him on.
- Very Loosely Based on a True Story: The film is based the story of Manuel Blanco Romasanta, generally regarded as Spain's first identified Serial Killer. While portraying many of the actual events of the case, it elaborates greatly and plays up the mystical aspects, which were almost nonexistent in reality.
- We Have to Get the Bullet Out!: Romasanta removes the Silver Bullet from Barbara's back after she takes a shot intended for him. Justified in that he has a good reason for not taking her to a doctor to get the wound treated.
- Would Harm a Child: Romasanta shows no qualms about murdering children. The real life Romasanta was the same way, with almost half of his victims being below the age of 18.note
