I remember this. I read the book first, much better than the movie. The Wolfen in the book were an elder species of wolf. It was The apex predator, feeding on all the weaker of all species, including man. There is a spiritual aspect to the Wolfen but it might be explained by our weaker awareness of our surroundings.
@stefvanroey8191 Yes, the book depicted them for untraceable clean kills throughout history, legends & myth. The pack taking only the outcasts, sickly, and loners for food. Creepy smart with incredibly focused sensory.
Saw this for the first time last Halloween as I wanted to complete the 1981 werewolf trilogy. While its not my favorite of the three, I will say that the POV shots had me on edge and unnerved in a special kind of way the others didn’t and I still found myself interested in the potential commentary in it
I’m going to have to rewatch this. As a kid I was obsessed with werewolf horror. I saw this as a kid , like 10 or 11 and did not understand it. Looks like it’s deeper than the typical werewolf movie. At the time I thought they were just regular wolves, but it looks like they might be more of spirit thing, or skin Walker maybe.
I remember watching this on the UPN network back in 2001/2002 and it's really impressive! This was the first film to use Infrared Photography until PREDATOR was released in 1987. James Horner's music is very powerful and epic, and it has some motifs tht would be used in ALIENS and Star Trek III.
A very under appareciated film. It completed the werewolf trilogy in my opinion. Wolves/shapeshifter, bi-pedal werewolves, and quadpripedal werewolves. Wolfen took on the spiritual back to nature approach which was very unique and we wouldnt see that for some time until later films and series' reintroduced the concept. Definitely worth a watch and read.
you all did a wonderful job of this review: the attention to detail, the editing and the music are so restrained, paced and tasteful. thank you so much, all of you!
My favorite of the era is still 'Silver Bullet.' I saw it in theater with Dad when I was 6 and I still think of werewolves lurking anytime I see a nature landscape reminiscent of Tarker Mills.
Everything is fully explained in the novel. Wolfen are NOT werewolves. That is, they are not humans that turn into wolves. Rather, they are an extremely ancient offshoot of the canis species, similar to wolves, but larger, with an almost human like intelligence, their own language, and social structure. Their paws are closer to having a thumb than a paw, and they have hunted humans and everything else over 20 thousand years. Hundreds of years ago, they took to the forests as man became more dangerous to hunt. There is the suggestion that they may have even shared a relationship with certain men in past times. Their presence inspired the legends of werewolves, but they were not, in fact, werewolves. They are simply an incredibly intelligent species of a wolf-like creature, strong and hideous. They feed on the outskirts of our cities, killing any who find out about them. Again, it's explained a lot better in the novel.
Always felt this was a forgotten film. Haven't seen it in years as it rarely pops up on TV or cable. And yes, Michael Crichton's LOOKER is a really overlooked movie and far more relevant than it was in '81.
Thanks for showing some love for Wolfen. This was played often on HBO in the 80s and even then, I thought it was a solid film. Fans of the wolf genre should watch this, but skip Bad Moon, that was so awful I gave up half-way through.
I've gave WOLFEN a rewatch last night. It is a decent film. It does suffer from looking and feeling like a 70's flick rather than the 80's. James Horner score is great and it's shot really nicely. Knowing this film went through issues with the film taken away from the director and was edited by a bunch of guys, I did notice a lot rough edges to the story's coherency. There's focus on some small details that don't go anywhere and location jumps (especially in the last 3rd of the film) but the biggest thing is no one ever find Tom Noonan's character and Gregory Hines' character is just left at the scene as the film never tidies up those details. It's a really interesting but it does have its flaws.
This movie is a joke. I have read the book a dozen times. It is one of my favorite books. I was so happy when I learned that it had actually been filmed. But my happiness was quickly gone when I realized that the movie was nothing like the book. Except for a couple of scenes that are kind of lifted from the book and the names of the main characters, there is really no connection between the book and the film. I really do wish that a PROPER movie adaptation of this great book will be made one day.
Agreed, just finished watching the movie (and having read the book about 10 years ago) the addition of the eco terrorism and such are jarring as all hell. Basically a whole new story. That being said, i loved all the wolf scenes in the movie. They felt likehow i remembered the wolf scenes in the books and more horror movies need to film through the eyes of the monsters like this imo. And i appreciate they kept my favorite scene from the book: the wolfen immitating the baby sounds
@@stefvanroey8191 Yes, the scene where they imitate the baby is one of the scenes that is actually lifted from the book, but the rest of the book have so many great scenes that I would LOVE to see on film, like how the coroner is killed in the car in Central Park, how the werewolves stalk Becky Neff on her balcony and the whole ending with the camera on the roof to get proof of the werewolves' existence and the final showdown in Becky's apartment. Or even the very first scene in the book, in the car junkyard. So many missed opportunities.
@@positivanollan6353 not to mention the wolf pov chapters (which admittedly are hard to translate to film) and the fact that the wolfen in the book made a point put of disposing of the bodies... while the movie wolfen just left a trail of bodies
It seems pretty clear that "Wolfen" is more of a "Skinwalker" movie based in Native American culture than a "Werewolf" movie. The themes of the movie indicate that I think. Outside of the antagonist being Native American, the themes of the Skinwalker being of spiritual origin are present as well as themes of land being lost and that being at least in part the reason for the carnage.
This might not be the right show but 15 years I was watching Aqua Teen Hunger Force(I think) and they made a Wolfen joke reference and so funny bcuz its such an OBSCURE movie 🤣
I enjoyed this film because it's more cerebral, and the tone is darker than the other two. I like that it's a serious film and it takes its time to explore various themes. The main selling point for me is James Horner's haunting score. Thanks for the video!
This was the second film appearance of Gregory Hines, who made his film debut in Mel Brooks's History of the World Part 1 after years of professional dancing.
Great movie! I never really considered this a werewolf movie, werewolf movies were hokey this wasn’t. It was more of a cautionary tale of greed and power. James Horner did this score proper.
It’s a shame there’s not that many good werewolf movies. It’s weird the 2 best werewolf movies came out in 1981. I can’t remember if I liked Wolfen? Haven’t seen it since the 80’s lol The Howling & London scared the shit outta me when I was 8 lol I think they’re both so great cause some of the crew left Howling to work on London. There’s only a few more good ones I can remember: Bad Moon, Howl, Last Rites, Ginger Snaps. Probably a couple more but I couldn’t even name a dozen 😂😂
One of my all time favorite horror films. I remember seeing this in AMC fear fest back in maybe 05 or 06 and being sucked in by the proto predator vision. Also has an amazing score by James Horner that he would later repurpose parts of for Aliens and Commando. Great vid.
A lot of Streiber's themes were the influence of the "unseen" other. Wolfen, the Hunger, and Communion are all kinda the same story, with variations on the "other".
Great review, but you are missing the single most important point. A beautifully directed sci-fi/horror flick with all the right tropes has the most botched anticlimactic ending of all time. We are expecting a supernatural hybrid creature doing all the damage and we get… wolves? Rewatch the movie and imagine a pack of alien wolf-like creatures. Problem solved. A huge hit. All the best.
I know I'm in the minority on this, but I have a fondness for this misfit toy of a movie. It brings back early 80's late night cable TV nostalgia for me. I also think it's good goofy fun on all its own. Thanks for covering it.
A great movie, striking visuals and fine performances all around. As a werewolf fan, this, The Howling, and American Werewolf in London make for a fine trinity, a truly fantastic year.
Best Wolfen review to date. You actually watched it😆 It’s weird now but was a smash hit at the time. Looked like nothing else special effects wise. Scary enough. Gory enough, Good acting. Sound. Loved it!
I remember being mad at this movie. I had seen AWIL and the Howling first, it was a werewolf boom year. My 10 year old self just tolerating the dialogue to get to the reveal.
WOLFEN, An American Werewolf In London, The Wolfman (THE ONE WITH LON CHANEY JR.), Dog Soldiers, The Howling, Bad Moon, And Ginger Snaps 1,2 and 3 I Have All Of These Werewolf Movies On DVD And They're A Bloody Gorey Good Time.
It was werewolf heaven in the '80's. I was so impressed with this when I saw it, knowing the director also gave us Woodstock. I wish he had made more films.
Is this the film that is based off of Whitley Strieber's "The Wolfen"? The famous author who claims to have been abducted by aliens and wrote the best seller Communion?
Of all the "black sheep" of the Friday the 13th, Jason Takes Manhattan, Jason Goes to Hell, and Jason X are all dogshit in the franchise. New Blood was bad, but not as bad.
Albert Finney was a supremely good actor. He was excellent as Scrooge and pretty much anything he did. Outstanding actor.
I remember this. I read the book first, much better than the movie. The Wolfen in the book were an elder species of wolf. It was The apex predator, feeding on all the weaker of all species, including man. There is a spiritual aspect to the Wolfen but it might be explained by our weaker awareness of our surroundings.
I also remember the book wolfen always cleaning up the bodies and leaving no trace, while these just left bodies all over the place 😅
@stefvanroey8191
Yes, the book depicted them for untraceable clean kills throughout history, legends & myth. The pack taking only the outcasts, sickly, and loners for food. Creepy smart with incredibly focused sensory.
The most underrated werewolf movie of 1981
I'm so happy he brought up "Looker"(1981)
First, I read the book. Then I saw the movie. It blew my socks off! My advice, read the book first.
Definitely 🩶
I did both but can't remember the order..so long ago.
Definitely underappreciated. It's one that's grown on me over the years even if I was harsher on it at a younger age
Saw this for the first time last Halloween as I wanted to complete the 1981 werewolf trilogy. While its not my favorite of the three, I will say that the POV shots had me on edge and unnerved in a special kind of way the others didn’t and I still found myself interested in the potential commentary in it
I’m going to have to rewatch this. As a kid I was obsessed with werewolf horror. I saw this as a kid , like 10 or 11 and did not understand it. Looks like it’s deeper than the typical werewolf movie. At the time I thought they were just regular wolves, but it looks like they might be more of spirit thing, or skin Walker maybe.
I've always loved the tagline: "They can hear a cloud pass overhead"
I remember watching this on the UPN network back in 2001/2002 and it's really impressive! This was the first film to use Infrared Photography until PREDATOR was released in 1987.
James Horner's music is very powerful and epic, and it has some motifs tht would be used in ALIENS and Star Trek III.
That is what I remember most about the movie is his score, one of the best horror movie scores ever by one of Hollywoods greatest composers.
A very under appareciated film. It completed the werewolf trilogy in my opinion. Wolves/shapeshifter, bi-pedal werewolves, and quadpripedal werewolves. Wolfen took on the spiritual back to nature approach which was very unique and we wouldnt see that for some time until later films and series' reintroduced the concept. Definitely worth a watch and read.
I agree 100 percent.
Oh wow, The Horror Geek just dropped a Silver Bullet vid and now THIS! A wolf boy’s dream.
This is a good day for lycanthropy!!!! :p
Hell Yeah !!! I love me some werewolf movies. I remember first watching this movie in the early 80s on HBO. Damn, I'm old 😂
you all did a wonderful job of this review: the attention to detail, the editing and the music are so restrained, paced and tasteful. thank you so much, all of you!
My favorite of the era is still 'Silver Bullet.' I saw it in theater with Dad when I was 6 and I still think of werewolves lurking anytime I see a nature landscape reminiscent of Tarker Mills.
This is one of my favorite horror movies. I always felt was more a skin walker than werewolf.
WOLFEN and THE HUNGER ARE CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED❤
Wolfen us such an underatted movie
Everything is fully explained in the novel. Wolfen are NOT werewolves. That is, they are not humans that turn into wolves. Rather, they are an extremely ancient offshoot of the canis species, similar to wolves, but larger, with an almost human like intelligence, their own language, and social structure. Their paws are closer to having a thumb than a paw, and they have hunted humans and everything else over 20 thousand years. Hundreds of years ago, they took to the forests as man became more dangerous to hunt. There is the suggestion that they may have even shared a relationship with certain men in past times. Their presence inspired the legends of werewolves, but they were not, in fact, werewolves. They are simply an incredibly intelligent species of a wolf-like creature, strong and hideous. They feed on the outskirts of our cities, killing any who find out about them. Again, it's explained a lot better in the novel.
Always felt this was a forgotten film. Haven't seen it in years as it rarely pops up on TV or cable. And yes, Michael Crichton's LOOKER is a really overlooked movie and far more relevant than it was in '81.
For another different take on wetewolves, i would suggest A Company Of Wolves.
I remember the book written by Whitney Streiber. Same guy that later wrote Communion, the landmark alien abduction book. Recommend both
Thanks for showing some love for Wolfen. This was played often on HBO in the 80s and even then, I thought it was a solid film. Fans of the wolf genre should watch this, but skip Bad Moon, that was so awful I gave up half-way through.
I definitely discovered it on early 80s HBO.
Awoo!
🌞🐺
This has always been one of my favorite movies
Mine too.
I absolutely love this movie, and have watched it many times. The characters are realistic and sympathetic. I highly recommend it.
Wolfen is an interesting movie. Albert Finney was always great and the wolves in the film are scary beautiful animals.
Love this greatly underappreciated movie!!!!
I've gave WOLFEN a rewatch last night. It is a decent film. It does suffer from looking and feeling like a 70's flick rather than the 80's. James Horner score is great and it's shot really nicely. Knowing this film went through issues with the film taken away from the director and was edited by a bunch of guys, I did notice a lot rough edges to the story's coherency. There's focus on some small details that don't go anywhere and location jumps (especially in the last 3rd of the film) but the biggest thing is no one ever find Tom Noonan's character and Gregory Hines' character is just left at the scene as the film never tidies up those details. It's a really interesting but it does have its flaws.
The book is much much better.
Love this movie. I have the dvd and make it a point to watch it every Halloween season along with “Serpent and the Rainbow”.
I love this movie. Such a cool take on werewolf mythology.
Love this movie. Saw as a little kid and was fascinated. Glad to see it’s getting appreciation today
I watched this as a kid, too young to enjoy really. The wolf vision is the only thing I remember the most
This movie is a joke. I have read the book a dozen times. It is one of my favorite books. I was so happy when I learned that it had actually been filmed. But my happiness was quickly gone when I realized that the movie was nothing like the book. Except for a couple of scenes that are kind of lifted from the book and the names of the main characters, there is really no connection between the book and the film. I really do wish that a PROPER movie adaptation of this great book will be made one day.
Agreed, just finished watching the movie (and having read the book about 10 years ago) the addition of the eco terrorism and such are jarring as all hell. Basically a whole new story.
That being said, i loved all the wolf scenes in the movie. They felt likehow i remembered the wolf scenes in the books and more horror movies need to film through the eyes of the monsters like this imo.
And i appreciate they kept my favorite scene from the book: the wolfen immitating the baby sounds
@@stefvanroey8191 Yes, the scene where they imitate the baby is one of the scenes that is actually lifted from the book, but the rest of the book have so many great scenes that I would LOVE to see on film, like how the coroner is killed in the car in Central Park, how the werewolves stalk Becky Neff on her balcony and the whole ending with the camera on the roof to get proof of the werewolves' existence and the final showdown in Becky's apartment. Or even the very first scene in the book, in the car junkyard. So many missed opportunities.
@@positivanollan6353 not to mention the wolf pov chapters (which admittedly are hard to translate to film) and the fact that the wolfen in the book made a point put of disposing of the bodies... while the movie wolfen just left a trail of bodies
It seems pretty clear that "Wolfen" is more of a "Skinwalker" movie based in Native American culture than a "Werewolf" movie.
The themes of the movie indicate that I think. Outside of the antagonist being Native American, the themes of the Skinwalker being of spiritual origin are present as well as themes of land being lost and that being at least in part the reason for the carnage.
This might not be the right show but 15 years I was watching
Aqua Teen Hunger Force(I think) and they made a Wolfen joke reference and so funny bcuz its such an OBSCURE movie 🤣
I enjoyed this film because it's more cerebral, and the tone is darker than the other two. I like that it's a serious film and it takes its time to explore various themes. The main selling point for me is James Horner's haunting score. Thanks for the video!
This was the second film appearance of Gregory Hines, who made his film debut in Mel Brooks's History of the World Part 1 after years of professional dancing.
Wolfen is the RC Cola of 1981 werewolf movies. Although Albert Finney was pretty good in this one.
😂 well said
People actually do like RC Cola tho.
Great movie! I never really considered this a werewolf movie, werewolf movies were hokey this wasn’t. It was more of a cautionary tale of greed and power. James Horner did this score proper.
It’s a shame there’s not that many good werewolf movies. It’s weird the 2 best werewolf movies came out in 1981. I can’t remember if I liked Wolfen? Haven’t seen it since the 80’s lol The Howling & London scared the shit outta me when I was 8 lol I think they’re both so great cause some of the crew left Howling to work on London. There’s only a few more good ones I can remember: Bad Moon, Howl, Last Rites, Ginger Snaps. Probably a couple more but I couldn’t even name a dozen 😂😂
One of my all time favorite horror films. I remember seeing this in AMC fear fest back in maybe 05 or 06 and being sucked in by the proto predator vision. Also has an amazing score by James Horner that he would later repurpose parts of for Aliens and Commando. Great vid.
I totally thought that was Brian Cox - and not Albert Finney. 🤣🤦🏽♂️
The Wolfen will come for you with his razor.
I scratched my WOLFEN DVD 😭
I watching this at least six times when it came out. Just to see that dead ant covered hand
Hines was also in Eve of Destruction, in terms of genre pics.
Wolves are such beautiful creatures.
Love this movie! I've seen it many times.
A lot of Streiber's themes were the influence of the "unseen" other. Wolfen, the Hunger, and Communion are all kinda the same story, with variations on the "other".
I loved this movie...omg I was 1 years old when this movie came out 😢😅but I saw it as a teen on showtime and I loved it
I watched this when I was way too young to be watching 'usa UP all night'
Shoutout to Tempe!
I was kinda let down by this movie, but still enjoyed it. It’s a good movie, but not good horror movie.
I have loved this one a very long time. Great video
Very nice overview...shows very respectful insight. Always enjoy the view of old NY..especially the Twin Towers. Kudos on the critique!
Our pleasure!
Great review, but you are missing the single most important point. A beautifully directed sci-fi/horror flick with all the right tropes has the most botched anticlimactic ending of all time. We are expecting a supernatural hybrid creature doing all the damage and we get… wolves? Rewatch the movie and imagine a pack of alien wolf-like creatures. Problem solved. A huge hit. All the best.
Thanks for liking! 👍😱👍
Finney kept looking like Antonio Banderas to me throughout this video. Anyone else think that?
My mom and I watched this any time it aired.
I always loved this horror movie since I saw it it the first time in the 1980s in TV. Great.
Now would be a good time to do a video on looker
This was one of my favorite “werewolf”movies as a kid. I think I first saw it on tv in the late 80s or early 90s.
This came out with the howling and American were I of London
I do love this movie!
It's a pretty good movie
I know I'm in the minority on this, but I have a fondness for this misfit toy of a movie. It brings back early 80's late night cable TV nostalgia for me. I also think it's good goofy fun on all its own. Thanks for covering it.
"Misfit toy of a movie"?? WTF??
You tried I guess.🙄
A great movie, striking visuals and fine performances all around. As a werewolf fan, this, The Howling, and American Werewolf in London make for a fine trinity, a truly fantastic year.
Now this is a movie they need to remake....I still like this movie it's better then all the howling remakes😂
Best Wolfen review to date. You actually watched it😆 It’s weird now but was a smash hit at the time. Looked like nothing else special effects wise. Scary enough. Gory enough, Good acting. Sound. Loved it!
Unfortunately you can't find it here on RUclips....
Great movie
I remember being mad at this movie. I had seen AWIL and the Howling first, it was a werewolf boom year. My 10 year old self just tolerating the dialogue to get to the reveal.
I remember watching this on VHS Back then, was an all right movie after Werwolf in London just a little underwelming.
Been a fan of this movie since it came out. Read the book as a kid too.
🐺😈
Man that's wolfen.
Godda Dameron.
it was this and Cat people.
🤘
You improperly introduced this movie. You stated that "a movie doesn't have to be a black sheep to be bad". That should have been "baaahd'.
Hines also did Eve of Destruction.
Don't forgot action film Running Scared 1986
Saw this more than once slow but it possible you might fall asleep lol
WOLFEN, An American Werewolf In London, The Wolfman (THE ONE WITH LON CHANEY JR.), Dog Soldiers, The Howling, Bad Moon, And Ginger Snaps 1,2 and 3 I Have All Of These Werewolf Movies On DVD And They're A Bloody Gorey Good Time.
Your collection sucks without Silver Bullet.
This movie aren’t werewolf film
Gregory Hines was excellent in this.
Love this movie!!! Looker is so underrated...these two ruled my childhood!!!
❤
It was werewolf heaven in the '80's. I was so impressed with this when I saw it, knowing the director also gave us Woodstock. I wish he had made more films.
Is this the film that is based off of Whitley Strieber's "The Wolfen"? The famous author who claims to have been abducted by aliens and wrote the best seller Communion?
Yep
@@supoa9489 Thank you.
This is not werewolf movie. There was no werewolf. They’re just wild wolves pack in the big city
Since you mention it I wish Jo-Blo would do Looker. I love that movie.
I realize like all horror of80s 70s90s200s
Thank you for your imput
Of all the "black sheep" of the Friday the 13th, Jason Takes Manhattan, Jason Goes to Hell, and Jason X are all dogshit in the franchise. New Blood was bad, but not as bad.
Funnily enough
I've never seen it but will check it out
It looks like it has a certain pedigree..
Every time I mention this movie peeples like you mean the howling I'm like no damn it no I don't😂😂 the books a pretty decent read as well