The Blood Rose (La rose écorchée)

THE BLOOD ROSE

THE PAST“

In an ancestral manor house, two men reflect on their past

They await a doctor's verdict

The gallery was packed. Frederic Lansac was a star artist

Frederic and I were co-owners of a health club

And an art gallery, where I was the master of ceremonies

Moira...

It all began with hen.

My dear Moira

- Where've you been? - Traveling...

I simply had to see India

My God! Such suffering and poverty

Yes, how terrible

But you bring all the charms of Paris

And you all its flattery

Oh, Albert! Please say yes...

Just think of it...

A Lansac in our living room

Please, Albert...

We'll take the Lansac. My 'wife really likes it

A good choice

- A good investment, too - Really...

Can you deal with this?

- How can I meet him? - Who?

Lansac, of course. You're good friends

Not right now. He's preparing a new exhibition...

That big canvas... Is it still for sale?

You like it?

Maybe. It'll suit my new decor

Now, about Lansac...

Lansac...

It didn’t' take her long to get what she wanted

A new lover to boast about to her friends

Someone who filled the gossip columns

Lansac the great

Lansac the genius

Lansac the decadent

Stop fidgeting, for God's sake! I can't work like this

You didn't complain last night

No, the one from Renoma

Anne? Yes, I've been back two months

I'm having a party on Friday

You can meet Frederic Lansac

Yes, the painter

You know I like famous people

Come as a marquise. You'll look great

He must have finished by now

This waiting is unbearable. I must know

I accepted the invitation and hired a costume

That was how I met Anne

Anne, who became...

Anne, whom I loved at once

We forgot about Moira's party We wanted to be alone

I'd never felt like this before

I love these films

The Vampires, all that blood... Wonderful!

Where's your Frederic?

These artists are always late

Yes, it's me

Impossible

I have work to finish

Another one for your private museum

I've told you I can't

Apologise to your guests

I left my old life behind

I thought only of Anne

She became my muse

Inspired my best work

I felt real love for the first time in my life

We left for the country where I owned a chateau

I wished to surprise her

Private Property Keep Out. No Trespassers

Baron Frederic de Lansac... 1712 to 1786

My great, great, great, great grandfather

- He was a baron? - Yes...

But my great great grandfather was a gambler

He lost the title in a dice game

A shame. Baroness Anne de Lansac sounds good

- You grew up here? - Yes

Until my parents died

Left to myself, I decided to travel

- You knew Wilfried then? - No

I was in Brazil. He had a conference about tropical plants

I was his only audience

- You were interested in plants - Not at all

I just wanted to speak French

By the time we finished talking I'd begun to share his obsession

The next day we left for Paris

The rest is history...

ls there a ghost?

I think he's asleep right now

I want to live here

You'd soon get bored. There's no life here

I don't need anyone else. Please...

Welcome, Madame to your domain

I'll tell the ghost the good news

Don't be scared

There's nothing to fear

They've lived here years

My parents took them in

When I left here I told them they could stay

I forgot about them

Who knows where they're from

My father found them in the village, some boys were mocking them

He decided to look after them

What are they called?

Igor and Olaf

I'll tell them to go before we move in

Yes, please do...

No...Frederic, they can stay

They just scared me

Beautiful Anne

Hurry, hurry... I must know

After our wedding, we threw a huge party

The climax was to be a grand sound and light show

Come on...

Our guests are here

Don't move, Anna. You were never prettier

I feel pretty in your arms

I've never been happier

So happy that sometimes it scares me

- Afraid that something... - Nothing and nobody

can destroy our happiness

Nobody!

Mr Lansac, please!

I guess you forgot to invite me to the party

Well, you're here now

- And I'm glad you are - Don't touch me

Moira was furious

Anne backed away from her

Then it happened...

Look out, Anne!

Look out!!

It's a miracle she's still alive

She's suffered severe burns

She'll never walk again

Her eyesight will be severely impaired

And her face...

Her face...

ls badly disfigured

She'll wake up soon

THE PRESENT“

The manor has become a tomb

Anne Lansac had her death announced

Frederic is a broken man

The time of suffering begins...

It was a terrible shock for Frederic, losing his 'wife like that

Such a beautiful woman

Very beautiful

Now he's shut himself away from the world

- I hope you'll enjoy it here, Mr...? - Romer

Careful!

That plant is very dangerous!

Come on, I'm listening

Get on with it

Frederic, pull yourself together

Frederic, make an effort

I know it's tough, but...

What's the point?

There's no Frederic

Frederic's dead!!

Lansac. .. The great Lansac

He can't even hold a brush

Can't mix a color

Can't paint his wife. Because you don't paint monsters!

I need you

I'm going away for a while. You must run things

Romer. . .?

I don't really trust him yet

Anyway, you're my partner...

I can't leave Anne

I'll get a nurse to live here

Impossible. People think she's dead

She wants to see no-one

It'll be fine

She won't talk

She'll never agree

You can't spend all your life in this room

Locked up in this castle with a wife who...

Look what you've become. You need to get away

I leave tomorrow morning. I'll see you at the club before I go

Take this plant to Mr Lansac's car

Be careful, it's highly dangerous

- What is it? - A new hybrid

Mr Lansac's not named it yet

He wants to study it at home before we use it

The thorns at the heart of this plant

secrete a deadly poison

Hello, Anne

You're back then?

Yes...

Olaf... Olaf!

Don't touch that plant

See those thorns in the centre?

One touch and you die

Understand? You die

Pick it up

Take it to the plant room

And warn Igor