Romasanta (2004)

Director:

Paco Plaza

Writers:

Alfredo Conde (story)
Elena Serra (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

14 May 2004 (Spain)

Genre:

Action | Horror

Plot:

An uproar is caused when some mutilated cadavers are discovered, giving way to the legend of the "Werewolf of Allariz"...

Plot Keywords:

Werewolf | Spit In The Face | Female Nudity | Wolf Attack | Silver Bullet

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Julian Sands	...	Manuel Romasanta
Elsa Pataky	...	Bárbara
John Sharian	...	Antonio
Gary Piquer	...	District Attorney Luciano de la Bastida
David Gant	...	Professor Philips
Maru Valdivielso	...	María
Luna McGill	...	Teresa
Carlos Reig-Plaza	...	Gómez (as Carlos Reig)
Reg Wilson	...	Judge
Ivana Baquero	...	Ana
Laura Mañá	...	Antonia
Sergi Ruiz	...	Francisco
Itziar Fenollar	...	Benita
Carlos Sante	...	Hunter 1
Jaume Montané	...	Raúl
Arantxa Peña	...	Helena
Anna Estellés	...	Paula
Ben Temple	...	Defending Counsel
Tacho González	...	Police Officer 1 (as Taxo González)
Pep García	...	Laborer
Alejandra Juno	...	Laundress
Jesús Berenguer	...	Merchant
John Easthman	...	Police Officer 2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Macarena Gómez	...	Romasanta's victim (uncredited)

Directed by
Paco Plaza

Writing credits
Alfredo Conde		(story)
Elena Serra		(screenplay) &
Alberto Marini		(screenplay)

Produced by
Carola Ash	....	associate producer
Zaza Ceballos	....	associate producer
Carlos Fernández	....	executive producer
Julio Fernández	....	executive producer
Julio Fernández	....	producer
Teresa Gefaell	....	line producer
José Luis Jiménez	....	line producer
Stephen Margolis	....	co-executive producer
Albert Martinez Martin	....	co-producer (as Albert Martínez Martín)
Brian Yuzna	....	creative producer

Original Music by
Mikel Salas

Cinematography by
Javier Salmones

Film Editing by
David Gallart

Casting by
Pep Armengol
Carol L. Dudley

Art Direction by
Balter Gallart

Costume Design by
Sonia Grande

Makeup Department
Elvira Guijarro	....	hairdresser assistant
Iñaki Maestre	....	key makeup assistant
David Martí	....	special makeup supervisor
José Quetglás	....	head makeup artist (as Pepe Quetglas)
Carmen Rial	....	additional key makeup assistant
Blanca Sánchez	....	head hair designer

Production Management
Carla Pérez de Albéniz	....	unit manager
Jesús L. Pérez Villar	....	post-production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Francisco Barrionuevo	....	additional assistant director
Isabel Caralt	....	third assistant director
Richard Diment	....	second assistant director
Iñaki Sanchez	....	additional assistant director (as Iñaki Sánchez)
Fernando Sánchez-Izquierdo	....	first assistant director (as Fernando Izquierdo)

Sound Department
Steve Cook	....	sound supervisor: UK
Jorge Corral	....	sound editor
Tony Currie	....	sound editor
Alfredo Díaz	....	sound editor
Richard Lewis	....	sound re-recording mixer
Álvaro López	....	sound mixer
Dennis McTaggart	....	adr editor
Steven Parker	....	sound assistant
Daniel Peña	....	sound editor
Daniel Peña	....	sound effects editor
Trevor Swanscott	....	foley editor
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: Dolby film sound (uncredited)
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: dolby film sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Arturo Balceiro	....	special effects makeup
Xavi Bastida	....	special effects makeup
Víctor García	....	special effects crew
Pau Loewe	....	special effects crew
José M. Meneses	....	special effects technician: DDT
Juan Serrano	....	special effects technician: DDT SFX

Visual Effects by
Ivan Busquets	....	digital compositor
Laura Maynadé	....	visual effects coordinator
Quico Noizeux	....	digital compositor
Joan Carles Vendrell	....	CG artist
Jaume Vilaseca	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Rubén Bernad	....	electrician
Eduardo Bonilla	....	electrician (as Edu Bonilla)
Oriol Busquets	....	first assistant camera
Manuel Carballo	....	video playback operator (as Manu Carballo)
Salvador Castellarnau	....	additional grip
Gonzalez Leonardo Javier	....	grip
Adriá Lorente	....	best boy (as Adrià Lorente)
Segismundo Mulero	....	key grip (as Mundo Mulero)
Oriol Múrcia	....	second assistant camera (as Oriol Murcia)
Antoni Puertas	....	gaffer (as Toni Puertas)
Andreu Rebés	....	director of photography: second unit
Pau Reig	....	additional assistant camera

Casting Department
Mireia Juarez	....	casting assistant

Editorial Department
José Pedraza	....	digital intermediate colorist
Elena Ruiz	....	assistant editor
Neguine Sanani	....	additional editor

Music Department
Yann McCullough	....	assistant music editor
Zacarías M. de la Riva	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Jordi Aragay	....	production cashier
Daniela Buckley	....	dialogue coach
Andrea Izquierdo	....	directorial intern
Manuel Monzón Fueyo	....	development executive
Eva Ramos	....	production office
Elisa Sirvent	....	production secretary
Ursi Van der Herten	....	assistant: Brian Yuzna
Enric Verdaguer	....	production office
Anna Vilà	....	script

Production Companies

• Filmax
• Future Films
• Fantastic Factory (Filmax)
• Castelao Producciones

Distributors

• Pyramid (2004) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• DNC Entertainment (2004) (Italy) (all media)
• Filmax International
• Filmax S.A. (Spain)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Imagine Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• SBP (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• SBP (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Xunta de Galicia  participation
• Canal+ España  participation
• Televisió de Catalunya (TV3)  participation
• Televisión de Galicia (TVG) S.A.  participation
• Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA)  participation (as ICAA)
• Igape  participation
• Generalitat de Catalunya, Institut Català de Finances  participation
• Mayflower Recording  ADR recording
• Sonic Magic  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

Romasanta: The Werewolf Hunt (Australia) (DVD title) (International: English title) (UK) (DVD title)
Romasanta, a caza da besta (Spain: Galician title)
Romasanta, la caza de la bestia (Spain)
The Werewolf Manhunt (International: English title)
Werewolf Hunter (USA) (video title)
Werewolf Hunter: The Legend of Romasanta (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, some sexuality, nudity and brief language.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Spain | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Finland:K-15 | Malaysia:18PL | Malaysia:U (cut) | Germany:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | New Zealand:R18 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15

Company:

Filmax

Trivia:

Based on the case of serial killer Manuel Blanco Romasanta who murdered 13 people in 1850s Spain. He claimed a curse turned him into a wolf causing him to kill. Because of these claims, Queen Isabella II acquitted him.

Quotes:

Antonio: He is not a man. He is a wolf who becomes human so that he can seduce and murder his victims.

Movie Connections:

Featured in El último justo (2007)

Good - though marred by an ugly historical inaccuracy

An interesting story, with good acting, well told. Good direction, visually appealing, atmospheric.

However, scientifically, and/or historically literate viewers will find one nagging, glaring blunder; at one point in this story, which is supposed to be set in the mid 19th century, there is a reference to a person being controlled "by his genes". Come on! The term "gene" wasn't even proposed until half a century later, and additionally, around mid 19th century the mechanism of inheritance was entirely unknown; Mendel's work lay undiscovered until early 20th century, and even Mendel didn't use the word "gene" (so it couldn't have been a case of some exceptionally insightful scientist having discovered the term in some ).

That sort of a slip may not seem much, but for someone aware of this history, it does brake the illusion of an authentic world in which the events are set, making it harder to enjoy the movie. I'm surprised that anybody reviewing the script didn't pick up on it... but then again, the state of scientific literacy among filmmakers is often abysmal. In a movie set in a historical period, accuracy should be more of a priority though, I think.

The story proceeds almost languidly, punctuated by moments of violence and terror; perhaps too slow for most horror fans to appreciate, and those who do appreciate the subtlety are likely to be bothered by the "gene" mishap. The score is beautiful, and lighting is used to good effect; the combination makes for a visually and auditorily pleasing experience.

Perhaps because of how the movie is portrayed as a werewolf movie, the people who might best enjoy it, aren't likely to see it, and the people expecting a traditional supernatural horror movie might feel a bit let down.

In conclusion, Romasanta is a movie not as good as it could have been, and somewhat misleadingly advertised on the cover, but well worth seeing nonetheless. I was torn between 7 or 8 stars, and decided to be generous. :)