Wolfen Review - Off The Shelf Reviews

This week Gary and Iain review and discuss, Wolfen (1981) by Director, Michael Wadleigh. Starring, Albert Finney, Diane Venora and Edward James Olmos.
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[@reesepacker7983]

For some reason Wolfen (to me) has a vibe going for it that ALMOST feels like it was going to be a John Carpenter movie ...i mean its based on location in old 1980's gritty run down NYC ..i can almost hear the Carpenter synth score ...see Kurt Russell and Keith David instead of Finney and Hines and maybe even throw in Donald Pleasence as the police captain...only Edward James Olmos (imo) brought any kind of presence on screen with his character but as Iain stated it was not well written or directed (or both)

[@tobiasbracknagel4998]

Honestly, I never categorized Wolfen as a werewolf movie, but a supernatural thriller with horror elements. I was 15 back then in 1981, and I really gobbled up the movie.

[@randallbesch2424]

The novel is better and is sifi horror.

[@johnw8578]

"Wolfen are massive, burly creatures with lupine characteristics, including such rare specimens of wolfhood as maned and red wolves. They have thick fur, long furred tails, strong muzzles filled with sharp teeth, and tall, well-muscled bodies. Wolfen are not werewolves, but are a separate race of intelligent beings descended from canids that live secretly alongside mankind."

[@deus_ex_felis]

I love Iain's enthusiasm for this film 😅

[@kimrice394]

Loved this movie! Perfectly cast in my opinion. The director drama story makes sense now. It was definitely jumbled together.

[@anthonyhudak9363]

I'd love to see you guys discuss Orca (1977) in the future. I personally find it underrated and more than just a basic Jaws knockoff

[@JD.78]

The only time i've ever saw Wolfen was about 30 years ago on TV, i was a teenager back then and quite enjoyed the unusual detective nature of the investigation involving Wolves. It's not a brilliant movie by any means, but i never forgot it, so it's at least memorable. Maybe a remake with more action, more deaths, better Wolf scenes, and a tighter script would do the story justice. Cheers for the review guys.

[@Stroheim333]

Roger Egert loved this movie. Look it up. It is obviously not for viewers who expect a 80's werewolves movie (American Werewolf in London, The Howling and so on), but it can be viewed as an occult movie in its own right.

[@1kylecurry]

I first saw this on cable in 1982, a watchable Werewolf movie...part of a trilogy of the genre in 1981. Yes a troubled shoot, but a unique story, good actors, you can't go wrong with a James Horner soundtrack, slow burn horror/thriller/drama. By no means a classic, but not terrible either. A subjective choice...give it a look. You know if it is ever decided to make a new "Phantasm" movie Tom Noonan would be a great "Tall Man"...!

[@randallbesch2424]

NOT A WEREWOLF MOVIE no werewolves you have an unknown species of intelligent canid that hunts and eats only humans. Book is way better.

[@TheBeird]

A movie where we get a glance at Admiral Adama's admirable banana

[@johnw8578]

I liked this movie when it came out but I didn't go into it expecting a werewolf movie, because it is not. I think it would have been better done today as a mystery-horror-investigation for a one-season streaming show. I absolutely LOVE the tagline for the movie and the poster rocks!

[@reesepacker7983]

Wolfen is movie that deserves /needs a remake ..by people that understand the the source material much better imo..remember seeing the movie trailer on tv in 81 when i was 11yrs old and how bad ass scary it looked

[@reesepacker7983]

Always cool to see Eddie Olmos in films prior Blade Runner and tv's Miami Vice..its like he aged almost ten between Wolfen and the start of his run on Miami Vice lol

[@kramalerav]

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this film, but I remember it as showcasing technical mastery (with the outstanding camera work in particular). The director brought a nice energy to the material, but ultimately this police thriller failed to payoff in the horror department, which is what the movie was aiming for.

[@jamielandis4308]

I was disappointed when this came out. The book creeped me out; the animals are intelligent wolves preying on the dregs in order to stay obscure. If memory serves, they have hands (it’s been decades since I read it). For some reason, the thought of intelligent wolves stalking winos in our cities is unsettling to me. Too bad the movie didn’t do a better job with this.

[@randallbesch2424]

No budget for creature effects whatsoever.

[@G_Elektrik]

They had all these surreal supernatural elements, and a murder mystery, however, they approached it like a slow drama, and the pacing ended up clashing with the concept, with monster effects and a horror take it could have been a better movie.

[@ryanjacobson2508]

Given the sea of bad monster movies from the 70's, and bad slasher movies in the 80's, I have to say Wolfen has aged fairly well and just the cast alone makes it interesting. It does fall a little flat but it never feels low-grade or embarrassing.

[@paullanier3597]

I absolutely remember his roll in Looker. 👀

[@bfmb4891]

Had read the book long prior to watching the movie. Tho underwent many different changes I thought the film was fine and still enjoy watching it from time to time. Anyone expecting a "werewolf" movie needs to learn to listen and read (marketing made it quite clear) Excellent camera as well as the unique (for the time) animal perspective and Finney and Hines are good. Nice review fellas tho Iain might stop trying to rewrite the film nonsensically while still watching it. It'll improve his viewing experience immensely 😆✌

[@8yerbrain]

I liked this one as a child, but I understand attention spans have diminished considerably since then.

[@-redacted_by_youtube]

Lol now imagine trying to sit through 4 hours of this movie.

[@kowalsolosolo]

Guys,you should review the CAT PEOPLE /1982/ horror movie with Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell !!!!!!

[@fredlandry6170]

Tom Noonan who was Cain in Robocop 2 is in it.

[@RobRomano-TheLostBoy]

How this channel isn’t in the millions of subscribers is beyond me. The knowledge, synopsis and quality of the videos, not to mention the dynamic between you two is epic and quite a pleasure to listen to. That aside, Wolfen sucks. I feel like there was such a good story there, but they just blew the execution. Nicely done men 👍🏻

[@VFRZen]

I liked it because it was so odd. It’s a hot mess but a fun watch, to me.

[@Lonovavir]

For all the film's deviations from the novel (which makes me wary of dogs after reading it) I like the film. Especially the part where the wolfen teleport away at the end.

[@barniculas]

It's nice to know someone else has ❤ for Tom Noonan.

[@bvaugh11]

I have to agree with Iain, the film is bloody dull. I saw it as a kid expecting a werewolf film but was rather disappointed. The only thing that stood out (the one time I watched it) was Tom Noonan’s wolf exposition. It is one of those films I’m happy to have not thought about in years.

[@ManDuderGuy]

Yeah well the Wolfen called and said he's coming tonight for you, and I said "ok".

[@Ski-bd1rq]

I’m 53. I remember looker quite well. Imagine being very young and seeing “ The Shining” and Altered States on cable.

[@jujutaylor2186]

I find myself thoroughly enjoying y'all reviews and I've been going through y'all catalog. Keep up the good work 💪

[@jeeveseventynine9263]

I liked it. But I like slow mystery movies. It's another one of those mismarketed movies. The real wolves look stunning imo. Very weird to see them in an office or street environment.

[@ryanjacobson2508]

Natural wolves can be scary, too. For whatever reason it never bothered me that they skipped the special FX for actual wolves.

[@randallbesch2424]

@@ryanjacobson2508 it always bothered me the like replacing Godzilla with an iguana.

[@TheUballe]

Dude, y'all need to review Blood in, Blood Out!

[@randallbesch2424]

The move was good just minus the wolfen. Instead regular wolves.

[@randallbesch2424]

The wolfen have human level intelligence, hand like paws and only hunt humans.

[@johnw8578]

I loved LOOKER!

[@AubreyTheKing]

Seems boring lol I guess this is one of those films that deserve a remake, ya think? Great review guys!!!

[@randallbesch2424]

The book deserves a remaking as a better film is what it needs.

[@adamdavies1068]

G'day guys. I remember not really enjoying the film, but I mainly remember the Whitley Streiber novel. There weren't any "spirit of the wolves" ideas. They were an actual species of intelligent wolf. Nothing supernatural. Like the crypdid Dogman

[@randallbesch2424]

Yes a fantastic SF/Horror idea.

[@marcbraun5342]

Can you do Wolf from 1994 with Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer? I always liked that movie and I'm curious what you think of it. I did mention that 90s Michelle Pfeiffer is in the movie, right? I don't want to convince you to watch it, just putting that out...

[@johndenver3002]

I DONT THINK ITS A BAD MOVIE....... I LIKE IT.............DISAPOINTME A LITTLE , FIRST TIME I WATCH IT........BUT SINCE THEN IT GROWS IN ME.........................

[@useyourillusiongnr]

OMG! hahaha! Iain's opening for this...hahaha! Nice guys!👍 this movie was..shit..!

[@MrLorenzovanmatterho]

The horror film with the dodgiest moral in history, let giant mutated wolves eat the homeless because that's nature's way?

[@Lonovavir]

Perhaps Dewey's a social darwinist?

[@toddaulner5393]

I have seen this movie a very long time ago, maybe a year after release and i full on remember the night vision stuff and the wolves of course but nothing else.

[@reesepacker7983]

funny the Olmos runnng around naked in the shallow water ..he would kinda do similar scene much alter Miami Vice on the beach ..except he was wearing a black speedo type thingy lol

[@trishadockery6177]

The only way I know about this movie is from aqua teen hunger force when er says or god is a wolf and the other dude goes that’s wolfin.

[@krissymarklewis1793]

I've always been interested in watching this but you guys haven't sold me on it lol.

[@conorhal]

The movie is an awful adaption of a book that absolutely terrified me when I read it as a kid. In the book you get the 'wolves' perspective, and they are absolutely werewolves, but a pretty unique take on werewolves, because they are a an intelligent species of highly evolved wolf, they aren't shape shifters or anything. They are like urban foxes, predators that have migrated to cities and evolved to scavenge on the detritus of an urban society (aka, the homeless) as prey and are about as smart as chimpanzees. The problems for the pack of wolfen in the book, starts when a young wolfen makes a mistake and kills someone that will actually be missed and who's killing will absolutely get investigated, which worries the pack and things escalate. They understand from the scents at the scene of their hunts (the detective slowly beginning to grasp the reality of what's actually going on) that they themselves are being hunted, and that they as a pack must hunt the hunter or risk being exposed. It's a really interesting modern take on the werewolf genre, as werewolves as a species smart, evolved, urban predators adapted to predate humans (they can set traps and lures) in their hunting ground that has become the city, but the movie goes in a completely different direction that is supernatural eco-mumbo-jumbo rather than evolutionary predators and it just doesn't work. The books was really scary because it presented the notion that, in dark alleys lay pack of evolved wolves, that were patiently waiting to see if you were the kind of prey that could be gobbled up by an urban predator and disappear without a trace in the big city and humans had an apex predator that was not themselves.

[@randallbesch2424]

I had a continuation of the story line 30 years hence. The wolfen aren't hunted except outside of their enclaves in the poor sections of every city. The Hindus of India have been hunting them for centuries. This is a global activity though the wolfen are not diminished.

[@HeatherQuinlan]

Wolfen was ahead of its time regarding NYC gentrification, I wish werewolves would put a stop to it.

[@reesepacker7983]

Wolfen = Meta Wolves ..seems like thats what the movie was going for

[@randallbesch2424]

Why kill and not eat?

[@doctorpicardnononono7469]

10:17 this reminds me of Mike the headless chicken.

[@BlueCarpet23]

Love you guys & your videos!

[@slapwagon]

shelf life! 🎉

[@avalangrin4904]

The only thing good about this film to me is seeing NYC in the early 80’s. They probably filmed mostly in the Bronx with all those burned out buildings. 🤣🤣🤣. However, I think NYC is not the best setting for a movie about werewolves fighting against ecological destruction of the environment. The lore would be better served in maybe the Midwest that is less developed than NYC. Maybe even upstate New York. I saw this movie back then, and after seeing American Werewolf in London Wolfen was a big joke to me. 🤣🤣🤣.

[@randallbesch2424]

Wolfen not werewolves. They are not supernatural they are evolutionary freaks.

[@WildFungus]

I went on a huge werewolf movie binge trying to find one that didn't suck. This one was okay. Someone made another with the same title more recently it's better.

[@chrisdee1583]

Slower than a week in the tin pail.

[@rickybrunch2968]

Please do Wer 2013 🙏🙏🙏

[@TheUballe]

40k m*fuckas! Well deserved, yet long overdue. Out of the nearly 1.5k channels I subscribe to, this is my favorite and I often replay reviews from year back, duing long commutes for work. Not going to lie, I ALWAYS look forward to getting my KZbin alert for these.

[@paulhirst7602]

Never a huge fan of this film myself, better werewolf movies out there like American werewolf in London, The Howling, Dog soldiers....even silver Bullet I liked. Just my opinion people.

[@johnw8578]

Wolfen is not a werewolf film -- the studio tried to make into one to go with the hits of the time (The Howling and American Werewolf) to its own detriment. Too bad, because I love the idea of these wolf-gods. Today, it would have been a good investigative-with-tinge-of-horror one season streaming show if done right.

[@paulhirst7602]

@johnw8578 It's subjective...I just think there are better flicks out there of this particular genre. Wolfen isn't really my cup of tea, but if you like and enjoy the film, that's perfectly fine.

[@johnw8578]

@@paulhirst7602 Definitely better flicks out there. I really like DOG SOLDIERS!

[@randallbesch2424]

NOT A WEREWOLF FILM.

[@randallbesch2424]

@@paulhirst7602 I like the book if only they would have fully adapted it.

[@volusize]

Congrats on 40k subs!🎉

[@mattmidgley4275]

40k 🎉🥳👊

[@UnCreativeDeconstructionism]

*Turn up!*

[@brentmackey279]

I last seen this film back in the early 80s with the Malcolm McDowall Cat People on VHS...I remember the Cat People but not Wolfen so much except for Eddie's line: " I swim like a fish and fuck like a bunny."

[@martinrenner2992]

I'm a big fan of American Werewolf & The Howling but I've never seen this one (I remember Fangoria articles about it though). I'm pretty sure I don't need to see Gaff / Captain Castillo starkers.

[@NegativeAirsoftTech]

I've been addicted to this channel for a month now

[@silverscreenreviews8521]

Thank you lads! As always will get me through work haha.

[@TheAkal]

Perhaps you'd be better off sticking with short attention span theatre.

[@Richie-Scarface]

First off 🎉👊🎉👊🎉👊🎉 Congratulations on 40k subscribers 🎉👊🎉👊🎉👊🎉 well deserved. And awesome review guys as always 👊👊👊👊

[@tjenahoj]

Holy Moly! I have planned to see this this weekend, so cant watch the review atm. I just hope its better than that Chris Walken alien abduction movie...

[@miikasuominen3845]

So, Iain is waiting for the 4,5h Director's Cut - version. He can sink his teeth into?

[@wcoleman99]

At some time on the set Reginald VelJohnson just goes i could play a better cop than these guys and does so.

[@daydreamindavey7315]

🎶 "There's a she-wolf in the closet. Open up and set it free. Ah-ooh." 🎶

[@phoenixshroud]

Awesome review as always guys! 👊👊 But did Iain call asleep twice whilst reading the wiki? 😴

[@sharadvemalanathan5236]

A new video from Off the Shelf Reviews! Happy days are here again!

[@hansoloimac]

I tried watch this flick when came out on VCR many times . I had hard time not comparing too American Werewolf and Howling when I watched . I like your review very much cause very well put the reasons why . It is a diff kind of movie ))))

[@randallbesch2424]

Yet this is a different animal literally from a shape-shifter monster.

[@easterbunny3850]

Interesting, I never heard about this movie. Saw review. Oh, thank god i never heard about this movie

[@johnw8578]

I really liked it back when it came out. I understand it might not hold up to today's standards.

[@Forsetee3825]

It is the same type of movie as The 13th Warrior. An attempt to provide a plausible explanation for an inplausible myth. Maybe you should try reviewing the movie you saw not the movie you wanted to see

[@randallbesch2424]

it failed since it ignores its source material.

[@AarenJable]

Thanks guys.

[@RioBroski]

It sucks

[@robwalsh9843]

Good movie. Still seems like these Wolfen could thrive in the wild as opposed to cities though. It's not like there aren't deer and other prey animals in New York state.

[@randallbesch2424]

They prey only on humans and where are most of the humans is in and around cities. A nicely made movie without the title creatures.

[@VillaBoys123]

Long long time viewer from the start, rare comment maker. Can you start reviewing movies we've heard of , that's half the fun knowing how you feel about a film compared to how we do..

[@paullanier3597]

With all due respect, just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean none of us have.

[@barricade1391]

Best way to start a Thursday