Wolfen

[Andrew]

I had a fairly bad reaction whenever I tried to watch this movie before, both times while in my teens.  It moves very slowly and at times seems like a little too much editing was applied.

Watched the DVD the other night and I managed to push through until the end.  Mostly a result of developing more patience with time.  

The movie was not nearly as bad as I remember.  It does still suffer from missing a good set for pacing, along with offering up the various red herrings (which could have been used to flesh out some of the side characters).  Really interested once I made it to the last fifteen minutes or so.  The final idea, what was really happening, was inventive.

[Brother Ragnarok]

Aside from the lack of Gregory Hines doing a tapdance number with the wolf spirits, I enjoy this flick.  A little slow at times, as you said, but all in all an interesting idea.

Brother R

[onionhead]

Less enjoyably than Whitley Strieber's novel, and weren't the creatures more werewolfesque in the novel, too?  Albert Finney, however, was an excellent choice for the lead--loved him since Tom Jones.  Also a pleasure to see Tom Noonan in a role in which he is not psychotic.

[Cullen]

onionhead wrote:

> Less enjoyably than Whitley Strieber's novel, and weren't the
> creatures more werewolfesque in the novel, too?  

Yep.  I seem to recall the Wolfen having hands (of course, that could be Barlowe talking and not Strieber)

It's been a while since I've seen the movie or read the book.  Neither really impressed me, but at least they're better than Howling: New Moon Rising and American Werewolf in Paris.

But, then again, what isn't?
_________________________

[The Burgomaster]

In my opinion, the POV shots really ruined this movie.

[Gerry]

I didn't see this one until I was an adult and I really enjoyed it.  I can see why this would turn off younger viewers though.  It certainly is very slowly and deliberately paced.  And the Wolfen would be very disappointing to viewers who were expecting something more along the lines of say THE HOWLING or AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, which were both released the same year.

[Johnny Blister]

The only Wolfen I can think of is Wolfenstein 3D.

[MoonShadow]

I saw this film when I was around fifteen, and I thought it was pretty good. As noted, it is at times very slow, but is saved by two factors (IMHO):
  *Wicked sense of humour. Although not a black comedy, there are some very witty scenes here, like the scene where the hero (I forget his name) is looking at one of the victims and is warned not to touch her because her head has been nearly severed by the wolfen. When the mourge guys show up to collect the corpse, you hear the (off-screen) sound of the head rolling off, and a barely audiable "s**t".
  *Some suspenseful scenes. I half recall a scene in an abandoned church (?) where nothing actually happens, that was really scary. (Am I thinking of the wrong film here?)
  * Also Tom Noonan is great. He's kind of like Brad Douriff: whatever B-movie he stumbles into, he increases the entertainment value instantly.

[Andrew]

MoonShadow wrote:

>   *Some suspenseful scenes. I half recall a scene in an
> abandoned church (?) where nothing actually happens, that was
> really scary. (Am I thinking of the wrong film here?)

Nope, that is indeed "Wolfen."  One of the last buildings to be demolished is an old church.  It seemed to be the center of the activity for the wolfen.  I remember the scene you are thinking of, by the way.  There was a great deal of tension, then the two humans wisely run away.

[Johnny Blister]

Say Andrew,are you gonna review Wolfen on your site?

[MoonShadow]

Yeah, that WAS this film... Man, that scene screwed with my fragile little mind! :-) Guess I'll have to buy this movie on DVD, it's a relic of my impressionable youth.