Search - Werewolf Hunter - Legend of Romasanta on DVD

True story?? ...hmmm....

06/23/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

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When I tried to google Romasanta , all my links went to sites discussing this DVD, and they just repeat the claims made on the back of the box : That there was a Romasanta, and he claimed to be a werewolf.Nor could I find him in any of my books devoted to true crime, serial killers, or werewolves.



Now, does this prove he never existed? No...But it is odd that 19th century killers like, say, Joseph Vacher have multiple pages , but a search on this killer doesn't pull up any information-...except about the DVD based on his (allegedly) true story.





This does not prove that Romasanta is fictional. I am inclined to believe there was a Manuel Romasanta-but the most abominable features of his serial killer career sounded suspiciously like what certain 16th and 17th century German and French "werewolves" did. I suspect that Romasanta's crimes were "jazzed up" with details from the atrocities of the "tailor of Chaluns" and Garnier and Grenier.



Be that as it may, I enjoyed this film, and I think it's a shame that it was marketed with such a hokey title. As we can see from the other reviews, it angers the horror fans who feel tricked, while turning off the true crime/psychological study aficionado. This film has decent acting , an absorbing story,realistic 1850s sets and clothing, and it was shot in some very beautiful countryside-you could find a much worse way to spend an evening than enjoying this moody ,at times almost surreal film .>



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'Folklore' style of classic horror

Chrissy K. McVay | North Carolina | 07/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This surreal tale has a folklore flavor. Though basically a horror, it also has a slight appeal for viewers with a romantic bone. A handsome werewolf (when in human form anyway) can't tame his appetite for human flesh, whether for food...or love. A young woman who has fallen in love with him must ignore her heart to help bring the half-wolf killer to justice. Will she be strong enough?



Chrissy K. McVay - Author"

Werewolf Hunter

Carl Manes | 04/05/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Like many other features distributed under Brian Yuzna's Filmax production company, WEREWOLF HUNTER offers a surprisingly clean visual style, unique plot, and above average acting that far exceeds its direct-to-DVD release. The story is based on the historical account of a murderer that had killed over fifteen people throughout rural Spain, claiming that he was possessed by Satan and transformed in to a wolf at the time of the murders after finally being apprehended by the authorities. What is most interesting about this atypical werewolf film outside of the historical aspect is that Romasanta completely reverts back in to a wolf in the traditional sense (as opposed to the modern wolf-man). This allows for an impressive reverse-transformation sequence where the wolf sheds its skin and retakes the form of a man. Paco Plaza retains an air of ambiguity throughout the entire film, never letting on as to whether or not Julian Sand's tragic character is actually becoming a wolf, or whether his recollection of the events are trapped in fantasy and psychosis. With few exceptions, this small film provides strong performances and high production values. It may have been better sold in America under its original title ROMASANTA minus the garish cover art that sells it as just another throwaway video title. ROMASANTA was nominated for a number of Spanish awards, including two Goya Awards (Best Cinematography + Best Special Effects) and two Barcelona Film Awards (Best Film Editing + Best New Director).



-Carl Manes

I Like Horror Movies"