The Company of Wolves
Directed by Neil Jordan
A wise grandmother (Angela Lansbury) tells her granddaughter Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson) a disturbing tale of innocent maidens falling in love with handsome strangers ... and of their sudden mysterious disappearances when the moon is full and accompanied by the strange sound of a beast in the woods.
Fascinating and imaginative, this riveting thriller from director Neil Jordan brings the timeless tale of "Little Red Riding Hood" and werewolf fables together in a haunting, compelling and eerie way.
Cast: Sarah Patterson, Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Graham Crowden, Brian Glover
Member Reviews
Pretty good, nice practical effects, and set, but not enough horror, and dragged a bit. Worth a watch though!
An adolescent girl dreams of herself in the 17th century living in a forest village stalked by werewolves. Everything is a manufactured set, as the director is creating a dreamlike world, but for me, it removed me too far into reality. The special FX are not bad for 1984, but again, they were just too phony for me. Sarah Patterson as the lead is quite good with her insolent, sexual self, but Angela Lansbury is the standout as an amusing, misogynistic grandmother. I found the first half of the film engaging, but the world created ran out of steam, and the second half dragged as it became more an exercise of imagery rather than focused on story. I was glad when the credits rollled.
I love all the different interpretations of transformation in this film. And I also enjoy using the eyebrow lore and the lore about fur on the inside too. Very unique film.
I love how the dog running in the beginning is so badass they just jump over a fallen tree and unintentionally kill a frog or totally render it unconscious. Either way it's the best part of the movie. No need to continue after that.
Saw this when I was a kid, remembered liking it even then, though I'd forgotten most of the details. Watched again recently, and there's even more to appreciate as an adult. Not the "scariest" or most horrific film here by a long shot, but there's a lot to love here. Dark and atmospheric, and surprisingly good effects you might not expect from an English film from the period (no offense to the English, just lower budgets in general). The story is quite rich, weaving together classic werewolf lore, symbolism, and the Red Riding Hood tale. Dark enough for grownups, but also probably mild enough to let all but your youngest or most sensitive children watch for maybe a Halloween season movie evening. This movie is both a good horror film and a work of art.