The Company of Wolves (1984) Review

Tagline: “The desire... the fantasy... the nightmare.”

The Company of Wolves (1984) Review

 

The Company of Wolves is less horror and more dark fantasy, but in a similar way to a later werewolf film, Ginger Snaps, it is a feminist take on the mythic monster, though a far less conventional tale, in comparison. Of its contemporaries at the time, it bears some similarity to the earlier Wolfen with the way it depicts people turning into actual wolves and not just wolf-like creatures, but the similarity is only in that way. I can’t say The Company of Wolves is much like any other werewolf film I can think of.

The creepiness begins quite early, and it isn’t even to do with a werewolf at first. A young woman named Rosaleen is asleep in her bed, dreaming, and her dolls and stuffed bear come to life and attack her, then all of a sudden, her sister is running through the woods being chased by a pack of wolves. They used some real wolves in the production, but most of the “real” wolves are actually dogs that look like wolves, but it still works; I wouldn’t call it a flaw. Rosaleen’s sister Alice is killed, and she goes away to stay with her grandma in her spooky little cottage in the woods for a night. As the story continues, it becomes clear Rosaleen is dreaming this whole time, and this might be the point where some viewers would turn off the movie. With only a few exceptions, I don’t really like the “it was all a dream” trope, but here, they’re at least up front about it, and it helps me buy into the more fantastical elements. But, it gets even more complicated than it just being all a dream.

The Company of Wolves is almost an anthology film, because then characters start telling stories within this dream story, and sometimes it gets really confusing. One minute you think it’s still the 18^th century when out of nowhere someone drives up in a car! Mostly it’s the grandma who tells Rosaleen the tales, emphasizing the animalistic nature of men and how women have to watch out for their wolfish tendencies (including eyebrows that meet in the middle, apparently). Grannie’s first fable is my favourite, with a woman’s first husband returning after an extended absence and revealing his inner wolf in an insane transformation sequence. It’s no American Werewolf in London transformation, but then again, no others ever have been, have they? It’s fantastic in its own right, and the effects, along with all the visuals throughout, are the highlight, for me.

Narratively, this movie is in shambles. Some might call it bold or unconventional, but I just found it uneven and strangely paced. Even if that is part of the point, given it’s all a girl’s dream, it still lacks buildup and payoff. Like I find with most anthology films, some stories are stronger than others, but the core narrative just lost its thrust by the end, and I think that’s partly because it’s jerked around in so many different directions. Maybe if it had committed to being either an actual anthology or a more traditional three-act narrative it would’ve been more cohesive, but then again, maybe it would’ve lost something from the weirdly dreamlike flow.

It was based on a short story which the author helped adapt into the screenplay, and the story was heavily inspired by classic tales like Red Riding Hood and Snow White. Again, I wouldn’t call that a flaw, because there’s no hiding it (the grandma knits Rosaleen a red shawl, for crying out loud!) and it remixes the familiar story beats in interesting ways. While it is a feminist take, it doesn’t shy away from the sexualized nature of werewolves often seen in these kinds of tales, but then it gets kind of uncomfortable when you remember the lead actress, Sarah Patterson, was only fourteen at the time of filming. She does a good job in the role, as do the other cast members, but none of the characters are anything too special, mainly because we don’t actually get that much time with them before they start narrating and it fades back into story time again.

While the narrative structure may not have worked for me, I do appreciate that the author of the source material was involved in the adaptation, and I think she was ultimately happy with how the movie turned out. Beyond that werewolf transformation fairly early on, there are other shocking and gruesome highlights throughout. The production design is quite intriguing; it has that feeling of being shot on a set reminiscent of old Hammer horror films, and at times even feels like a colourized Universal horror classic, with fog and miniatures and exaggerated set decorations. There’s some interesting use of slow motion, as well, and many visuals that had me gaping at the violence and gratuity, though many that also had me scratching my head just for how bizarre they were—but, this is all a dream, don’t forget.

The Company of Wolves is a unique 80’s werewolf film with a narrative that will make your head spin and visuals that will leave you mystified, unnerved, and revolted, or all three at once. I wouldn’t say it’s a must-see for every horror fan, but for werewolf fans in particular, it’s worth checking out, especially if you’re tired of the same old story.