Wolfen (1981)

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1. 

   ChrisReynolds

   Interesting combination of werewolf horror and police procedural. More slow-paced and idea-driven than I was expecting, but it does have some memorable scenes. Strange that this film, The Howling, and American Werewolf in London all came out within 4 months of each other in 1981. It must have seemed like there was a sudden glut of werewolf films. 12 years 4 months ago
2. 

   ThomasFTB

   I find it really interesting that this came out the same year as American Werewolf in London.
   They have a lot in common. Both center on supernatural wolves on a rampage in a contemporary urban center. Both make heavy use of Steadicam shots to represent the beast's POV.
   But they also oppose each other in interesting ways. One is told from the perspective of a normal human, only seeing bits and pieces of the creature's rampage and only barely understanding what he sees. The other is seen through the eyes of the beast itself.
   In one film, the creature is dispatched by man, a relic of an older time handily silenced by the enforcers of the modern world. In the other, modern society's guardian humbles himself to be spared by the relic, who is stronger and fiercer than man.
   The two compliment each other rather beautifully, and it's hard to imaging it was all just a coincidence. 10 years 1 month ago
3. 

   Siskoid

   Man, I really liked Wolfen. If Anne Rice's Lestat inspired White Wolf's Vampire: The Masquerade role-playing game, this has got to be part of the inspiration for their follow-up, Werewolf: The Apocalypse. The combination of werewolf-adjacent horror and police procedural is very interesting and allows the film to get away with not showing the monster for a surprisingly long time. A great use of very cool locations around New York that you're not used to seeing (which is saying a lot for one of cinema's most filmed cities). And in psychedelic Wolf-o-Vision too! The dialog crackles and the cops' gallows humor gives it the bent of a dark comedy. Plus, check out this cast: Albert Finney (who's always got food in his mouth, which is thematically appropriate), Diane Venora (who I wish they'd done a bit more with, that super crime computer she's in charge of is a weird element), Edward James Olmos, Gregory Hines, Tom Noonan, I mean come on! This a great stuff! An underrated neo-Noir hybrid. 1 year 6 months ago

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