REVIEW: EL BOSQUE DEL LOBO AKA THE ANCINE WOODS
by Elena Romea (*)
EL BOSQUE DEL LOBO is a movie from 1970 directed by Pedro Olea (AKELARRE, TORMENTO) and written by the director, Carlos Martínez-Barbeito and Juan Antonio Porto.
It’s based on the life story of Manuel Blanco Romasanta who was a Galician hawker living at the beginning of the 19th century who was found to be the author of thirteen crimes and according to the legend the one and only Spanish werewolf in history. As a funny fact let me tell you that Juan Antonio Porto, one of the screenwriters, is said to be the great-great-grandson of Romasanta’s defense attorney.
The film explores the psychological aspects of the character and the social factors that may have contributed to his crimes. The movie is based on Carlos Martínez-Barbeito’s novel but due to censorship, the director was forced to eliminate or not to show some scenes full of violence that were found not appropriate by the censors. Also, in the book, religion was portrayed in a negative way which was forbidden in Spain then. Nonetheless, the movie became controversial after its premiere for these reasons.
The film focuses on Benito Freire (José Luis López Vázquez), a lonely and miserable peddler, whose world is dominated by ignorance and superstition. Wandering through various Galicia towns, he regularly suffers from severe attacks of epilepsy. Rumors about him begin to spread throughout the region, rumors that claim that Benito is both a werewolf and possessed by a demonic spirit. As the rumors about him spread, Benito slowly descends into madness.
José Luis López Vázquez plays a particularly great performance as the peddler. His portrayal of a man struggling with inner demons and a sense of duality is both haunting and convincing. The supporting cast also does an awesome job. Pedro Olea’s direction is effective in building tension and capturing the eerie atmosphere of the story. The film’s cinematography, by Manuel Rojas, is well done, with the rural setting and the woods playing an essential role in creating a sense of isolation and darkness. Also, it reflects perfectly well the way of living in those times in a village and the difficulties people, especially women, had in order to survive or find a way of living in the city.
Even though EL BOSQUE DEL LOBO is not the typical b-flick fantaterror feature some aficionados enjoy watching at a full moon night, I think Spanish horror fans may find it interesting and appealing. It was released on DVD and BR by El79 including some extras such as two Pedro Olea’s short- films, documentaries, and English subtitles. It can also be seen at Spanish VOD FlixOle.
Here you can watch our video club on YouTube dedicated to the movie
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Elena Romea is the woman in charge of SPANISHFEAR.COM, Horror Rises from Spain and Un Fan de Paul Naschy . A literature and cinema researcher, Ph.D. in Spanish studies with a thesis about the mystic filmmaker José Val del Omar. She has published in different media and books such as Fangoria and Hidden Horror. She has also been in charge of several translations including Javier Trujillo’s complete works, La Mano Film Fest, The Man who Saw Frankenstein Cry, and many more.
