Monday, September 22, 2014

Underrated Treasures Blogfest


I'm going for a movie called The Company of Wolves, directed by Neil Jordan who is better known for The Crying Game and Interview With The Vampire. I first saw this one as a senior in high school. Back in the day, I'd go to a tiny Mom and Pop VHS rental shop on the way home from school and browse the horror shelf. I'd bypassed this one many times because I thought it sounded too tame. Little Red Riding Hood? Not scary. But the cover, with the wolf's snout sprouting out of the man's mouth finally pursuaded me to give it a try.

Seventeen was the perfect age for this film in which a young girl, Rosaleen, spends the afternoon dreaming. Outside her door, Big Sis hisses, "Did you steal my lipstick? Buckteeth! What makes you so special anyway? Pest, pest, pest." Inside, the audience sees Rosaleen, lips smudged bright red, tossing and turning in her bed as she enters a dream in which bossy sis becomes wolf bait. Ah, the dream of bullied little sisters everywhere.

The set of dream sequences evolve, loosely following the Red Riding Hood story with other short tales about werewolves interspersed. For someone looking for a strong, straight-line narrative, this might not be your cup of tea. But for the MTV generation (yeah, the channel where music videos aired once upon a time), you might enjoy it simply for its visual panache (some gore included).


Fun fact: If you're thinking: Hey, those look more like dogs than wolves! you're right. Due to budget constraints, they used Belgian Shepard Dogs with specially dyed hair. Dude, that's so Hollywood. Even the dogs had hair stylists.

Anyone every seen this one? Love it? Hate it? For me, it was my all-time favorite movie until I saw Gladiator.

Blog update: Stray cat Mr. M completed his 4 weeks of antibiotics and is doing well. My fingers are also healing.

25 comments:

  1. I liked that movie. I don't think it was what most people were expecting.

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  2. I have never heard of this one! It looks totally bizarre!

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  3. Hi, Tamara. Thanks for sharing about this movie for the Underrated Treasures Blogfest. Hadn't heard of this one before today.

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  4. I've seen other movies where they used dog actors to be wolves. Little Red Riding Hood has had her share of movie takes.

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  5. That is kind of creepy - the picture of the wolf coming out of the mouth. YIKES. :)

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  6. The picture is creepy, but I am interested in watching it. :) Thanks for sharing!

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  7. that film was interesting and shared up some great horrific shots, pre-cgi... I know I have the score to it.

    Jeremy [HWR:OLM]
    Howlin' Wolf Records: On-Line Magazine

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  8. It sounds like a great one, and I like Interview with a Vampire, so I'm willing to give it a shot.

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  9. I haven't heard of this one before. But I do like retellings of fairytales. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. Great director! So the director of The Crying Game and Interview with the Vampire cut his teeth on this one, huh? Very interesting!

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  11. I've never heard of this one, but I absolutely love Interview with the Vampire, so I'll have to check it out!

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  12. I missed this one. It does sound a bit of a strange one. Now Gladiator! That's a great film.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  13. That was one freaky film.
    Thanks for participating in my blogfest!

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  14. I would be interested after seeing that weird cover too! Sounds a little scary for me, but good!

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  15. Okay, this looks interesting, and if Neil Jordan directed it's worth a viewing. Fascinating cover, too.

    VR Barkowski

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  16. Never saw this film. I'd have to make sure I had a blanket to hide under if I did. It sounds scary!

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  17. I agree with what most of the others have said. That cover is creepy!

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  18. I love that they had to use "second-rate" wolves instead of the real deal. ha.

    Sounds like a fun movie, in a creepy and scary sort of way. ;)

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  19. Hmm, I'm a bossy older sister - should I still watch? ;-)

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  20. I think I did see this. I don't remember it very well, but it does ring a bell.

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