Wolfen (1981)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Michael Wadleigh

Writers:

David Eyre (writer)
Whitley Strieber (novel)

Release Date:

24 July 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

It will tear the scream from your throat.

Plot:

A New York cop investigates a series of brutal deaths that resemble animal attacks.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | New York | Wolf | Wolf Vision | Nudity

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Albert Finney	...	Dewey Wilson
Diane Venora	...	Rebecca Neff
Edward James Olmos	...	Eddie Holt
Gregory Hines	...	Whittington
Tom Noonan	...	Ferguson
Dick O'Neill	...	Warren
Dehl Berti	...	Old Indian
Peter Michael Goetz	...	Ross
Sam Gray	...	Mayor
Ralph Bell	...	Commissioner
Max M. Brown	...	Christopher van der Veer
Anne Marie Pohtamo	...	Pauline van der Veer
Sarah Felder	...	Cicely Rensselaer
Reginald VelJohnson	...	Morgue Attendant
James Tolkan	...	Baldy

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (MegaSound encoding) (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (1987) | France:U | Australia:M | Norway:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:16 | USA:R (certificate #26425)

Filming Locations:

Charlotte Street, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Film Capital Associates

Trivia:

Director Michael Wadleigh's only non-Woodstock related film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the night-vision scope/surveillance sequence with Dewey and Whittington, the scopes change angles and gain/lose sections from shot to shot.

Quotes:

Dewey Wilson: They kill to protect family?
Old Indian: In the end, it's all for the HUNTING GROUND.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Revenge of the Mooninites (#1.8)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Jitterbug Boy

Great twist on the usual man in monster suit shocker

Wolfen is something different to the many monster films floating around. If you watch this film expecting to see the usual mix of no brain slash and gore then you will perhaps be disappointed or as was in my case pleasantly surprised. Reading from other comments on this film it is easy to see that it has been widely misunderstood.

Wolfen is not a Werewolf/Horror film although at times it does attempt to be so, which is where the confusion arises for the viewer. On one side we have the Wolfen portrayed as highly evolved beings merely protecting their environment yet on the other side they shown to be remorseless killers as and where the plot dictates. However do not let this paradox put you off a film that is both scary and genuinely thought provoking.

The scenes set in and around areas of urban decay, particularly that of the church, are chilling and suspenseful. Whilst the Wolfen POV camera work is groundbreaking and still effective by today's standards. Wolfen on the whole is a well made film, excellent use of music (or lack of it)to generate suspense and quality actors and acting help bring you into the story behind the Wolfen.

For those that wish to critisise the beach scene when Edward James Olmos dances naked across the sand as demeaning to Indians, well I think they're rather missing the point. Surely the film is trying to show the prejudices of Albert Finney's character rather than belittle any Indian custom.

In summary a film with a message that chooses to show intelligence and reason in its horrors.