The Company of Wolves
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Movie Reviews of The Company of Wolves
Movie Review: Fantasy Horror Metaphor for Blossoming Sexuality
Summary: 5 Stars
Neil Jordan (the Crying Game, Interview with The Vampire) directs a screenplay co-written by Angela Carter and based on the short stories concerning werewolves from her collection of short stories, The Bloody Chamber. The film is about a young adolescent named Rosaleen who dreams of various encounters with werewolves. The film has a consistent fairytale theme and it carries strongly into its visual style which stands out, in that it seemingly sprung right out of an old storybook. It is an absolutely gorgeous film. The art director for The Company of Wolves, Anton Furst, of course went on to create Gotham City and the Bat-mobile for Tim Burton's Batman. Ultimately, the dreams that Rosaleen has and the many stories within them circle around her aroused apprehension toward entering puberty.
We meet Rosaleen (Sara Patterson) while she is asleep at the beginning of the movie. She is dreaming of being chased through the forest by wolves that killed her sister. After her sister's funeral, she goes to live with her Granny (Angela Lansbury). Soon Rosaleen dons a red hood and her Grandmother begins to tell her a story that warns her about the dangers of werewolves. This story makes for some of the best visuals in the film and the segment stars Stephen Rea. Rosaleen sees her parents having sex and finds out a bit more when a boy begins to flirt with her. Eventually we see many references to Rosaleen's new sexuality after she kisses the boy. After several other short stores told by Granny (including one with Terrence Stamp as the devil) it is soon revealed that werewolves are indeed in the village. Rosaleen's family even kills a wolf and its paw turns into a human hand. As times passes, Rosaleen ventures out into the woods to her Granny's house only now she seems more aware of the dangers and is armed with a knife. Before she begins her travels she is challenged to a race to get there by a young hunter. If she wins she gets his compass and if he wins, he gets to kiss her. He is of course a werewolf and he arrives first, eating Granny. Rosaleen arrives and the hunter has her remove her red hood and burn it. Then he attempts to charm her. She shoots him and he transforms into a wolf. She pities the injured animal and decides to tell him a story about a young nude wolf-girl (played by experimental musician Danielle Dax) who arrives in the village. Later, Rosaleen's family and the villagers arrive at Granny's house and find two wolves there. Rosaleen's parents recognize that one of the wolves is a transformed Rosaleen. The wolves run into the forest and eventually show up inside the house where Rosaleen is dreaming.
The fact that this is a series of stories being told within a dream is significant as a sexual commentary via the subconscious mind. I don't believe Carter's stories would've been effective on film were they not framed within the context of a dream. Given that narrative, it is amazing how these ideas managed to translate so precisely. There must've been great communication between Jordan and Carter. The stories themselves are a culmination of some of Carter's best work and a whole lifetime of brainstorming. A lot of credit also goes to the cast, especially Sarah Patterson, who was likely a young teen at the time. It is a wonder Patterson didn't go on to become a big star and many still hold out hope that she will surface again in some capacity, even now...decades later.
Maybe some of it is coincidence and no doubt much of it is the talent of the cast and crew, but it seems like everything comes together just right for this film and it comes off as even more cohesive and poetic to me with each subsequent viewing. I've watched the Company of Wolves many times and it still remains one of the best movies I have ever seen.
Movie Review: THE COMPANY OF WOLVES
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a kind of "gothic" retelling of the Red Riding Hood story. From director Neil Jordan (Interview With The Vampire)From a story by Angela Carter. The screenplay is co-written by her and Neil Jordan.
It's deliciously infused with sensual/sexual undertones.
It begins in modern times. A girl, named Rosaleen, has locked herself in her room, to get away from her older sister, Alice, who regards her as a "pest". There she falls asleep, where she dreams that her sister is being chased by a pack of hungry wolves with glowing eyes. She is suddenly at Alice's funeral (she was killed by a wolf.. obviously), and the setting is a small english village (maybe 17th-18th century?)
She's now an only child living with her parents, and her old grandmother (played by Angela Landsbury) who lives in the woods. She goes to stay with her after the death of Alice.
And her grandmother tells her about different types of wolves, the ones hairy on the outside and ones who are "hairy on the inside"---"wolves come in many guises"
She tells Rosaleen a story about a werewolf (played by Stephen Rea) And warns her never to stray from the path in the woods "or you'll be lost entirely" And be cautious of men whose eyebrows meet (a tell-tale sign of a werewolf!) .........
I think "The Company of Wolves" is a wonderful enchanting film, with an ABSOLUTELY MAGICAL ENDING!
I think that anyone who enjoys things with "gothic" themes, will like it. I loved the performance by Sarah Patterson (who I had never seen anywhere before) as Rosaleen. Shane Johnstone as the boy from Rosaleen's village who has a crush on her (listed in the credits only as "amorous boy"!) Of course great performances from Angela Landsbury as Rosaleen's old granny & Stephen Rea. I thought the script was very good, and I loved the dark mystical settings.
And I'm SO glad it's on DVD! It's an excellent film!
Quote from the end of the film:
"Little girls this seems to say...never stop upon your way. Never trust a stranger friend. No one knows how it will end. As you're pretty, so be wise. Wolves may lurk in every guise. Now as then tis simple true. Sweetest tongue has sharpest tooth"
From "Petit Chaperon Rouge" by Charles Perrault, 1912.
Movie Review: dazzling in it's darkness
Summary: 5 Stars
long before tim burton released his beloved sleepy hollow and just on year before silver bullet, neil jordan had released his little known but rich little masterpiece which most of us have perhaps forgotten over the years. let's get a few things straight before we begin though. no, this is not one of the cutesy, cool horror films like scream which will have teenagers bouncing off the wall nor is company a gentle fairytale for the younger audience. neil jordan and angela carter have fabricated a vivid but nightmarish atmospheric drama which literally takes a wicked twist on the classic little red riding hood story. what not to like? angela lansbury is wonderful as always but our young actress sarah patterson also makes a splendid young rosaleen dressed in soft red wool. in comparison to most horror films, this wonderful film is perhaps less gory but nevertheless still has the power to haunt and to provoke while holding you breathless in it's beauty. imagine your favorite classic horror films and what they migth've been like with a bit more fantasy or perhaps had they been a bit more visual. while the film has no explicit sex, it is evident throughout the whole film that director neil jordan had orignally intended to make a movie which would completely explore the mysterious relationships between man and woman. he clearly identifies strengths, weaknesses, fears, and longing as if he were a psychology teacher and we were the students. thus, perhaps this is the most intellectual werewolf flick ever made and it's release on dvd is long overdue. many kudos to hen's tooth for seeing fit to bring this wonderful film back into our lives on both dvd and video for those who have not yet completely converted to dvd.Movie Review: ...And Puppy Dog Tails...
Summary: 5 Stars
If you think that all men are pigs, guess again! Nope, they're werewolves- voracious beasties that long to lure innocent girls from the path of chaste virtue. I've always known this to be true. THE COMPANY OF WOLVES takes us into a 12yo girl named Rosaleen's (Sarah Patterson) dreams of encroaching adulthood. We see her struggle between being a child and becoming a woman. This is all done with dream imagery, using metaphor and symbolism to illustrate Rosaleen's internal battle. We are transported into Rosaleen's mind, an ancient fairy-tale world full of superstition and dread. Granny (Angela Lansbury) tells her stories within dreams, meant to warn Rosaleen of the dangers of losing the innocence of youth. This warning is mostly about those charming, sly young men who make deals w/ the devil (Terrence Stamp) in order to get hairy and stalk unsuspecting maidens. Watch out Rosaleen, they have only one thing in mind! TCOW is sort of a companion to the GINGER SNAPS movies. This time we have the guys on the prowl, seeking to deflower the unwary and devour those who would try to stop them. I really enjoyed this film, and highly recommend it to those who like movies that are outside of the usual hollywood formula... P.S.- Sarah Patterson has returned to making movies after disappearing for so many years. Hopefully, she will stick around...Movie Review: little red riding hood for grown ups
Summary: 5 Stars
this movie is a a very dark psychological trip into the the mind of a young girl coming into puberty and the decisions she must make as she approaches adult hood. her grandmother played by angela lansbury-a wonderful and gifted movie and stage actress,singer etc., takes the young girl under her wing and does her best to teach her about the many dangers she faces in the world and how best to protect herself.
there are actually 3 or 4 different stories that the grandmother is telling the young girl to try and teach her so she will not come to the same fate as her older sister whom died earlier on in the picture.
there are alot of underlying metaphors and deeper meanings spread throughout this wonderfully directed,acted and produced movie, the sets are as i said before are very dark but put together very well and the time period is set up wonderfully also.
i can highly recommend this movie as a thinking persons "little red riding hood" definately not for children basically because of some violence and transformation scenes that are quite cruesome but really are necessary for the story line and they are very well done also. if you are looking for a very,very good horror movie this is it.