Main Cast: Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, Gregory Hines, Tom Noonan
Release Year: 1981
Country: US
Run Time: 120 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Wolfen, a frightening horror movie based upon a novel by Whitley Strieber, is an absorbing update on the werewolf legend. Detective Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) is assigned to investigate the strange murder of a millionaire and his wife in a downtown park. Wilson and his friend, city coroner Whittington (Gregory Hines), aided by criminal psychologist Rebecca Neff (Diane Venora) connect the killing to those of several others, primarily winos, drug addicts and derelicts, all of whom seem to have been mutilated by wild animals. Their search leads them to a group of Native Americans led by Edward James Olmos who tell them of a legend of a superior species that once roamed the area, but now are living and hunting in the slums of New York. The film is engrossing, frightening and intelligent, with sensational special effects. Director Michael Wadleigh uses these effects to great advantage, frequently showing the movements of the characters through the eyes of the "Wolfen." This film is also the screen debut of Gregory Hines. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
Dick O'Neill - Warren; Dehl Berti - Old Indian; Peter Michael Goetz - Ross; Frank Adonis - Scola; Victor Arnold - Roundenbush; Ralph Bell - Commissioner; Roy Brocksmith - Fat Jogger in Park; Max M. Brown - Christopher Vanderveer; Corey Burton - ESS Voices; Burr de Benning; E. Brian Dean - Fouchek; Sarah Felder - Cicely Rensselaer; Linda Gary; Sam Gray - Mayor; Charles Howerton; Reginald VelJohnson - Morgue Attendant; John McCurry - Sayad Alve; Richard Minchenberg - Policeman; Robert Moberly; Caitlin O'Heaney; Anne Marie Photamo - Pauline Vanderveer; Tommy Ryan - Detective; Ray Serra - Detective; Donald Symington - Lawyer; Rino Thunder - Native American; James Tolkan - Baldy; Jery Hewitt - Victim; Michael Wadleigh - Terrorist Informer; Tom Waits - Song Performer - Jitterbug Boy; Mel Welles; Annie Gagen; Jeff Ware - Interrogation Operator; Robert Louis King; Dan Sturkle; Cullen Oliver Johnson; David Connell - Victim
Credit
David Chapman - Art Director, Cis Corman - Casting, John Boxer - Costume Designer, Steve Barnett - First Assistant Director, Steven Felder - First Assistant Director, Alex Hapsas - First Assistant Director, Michael Wadleigh - Director, Marshall M. Borden - Editor, Dennis E. Dolan - Editor, Chris Lebenzon - Editor, Alan King - Executive Producer, James Horner - Composer (Music Score), Craig Safan - Composer (Music Score), Carl Fullerton - Makeup Special Effects, Paul Sylbert - Production Designer, Gerry Fisher - Cinematographer, David M. Eyre, Jr. - Producer, Rupert Hitzig - Producer, Alan Hicks - Set Designer, Robert Blalock - Special Effects, Dennis Maitland, Sr. - Sound/Sound Designer, Steve James - Stunts, David M. Eyre, Jr. - Screenwriter, Michael Wadleigh - Screenwriter, Whitley Strieber - Book Author
NYPD Detective Dewey Wilson (Finney) is assigned to solve a bizarre set of violent murders in which it appears the victims were killed by animals. In his investigation, Wilson learns of an Indian legend about wolf spirits, and that there may be predatory shapeshifters living in the vicinity[1].
Production and release
The film is known for its early use of an in-camera effect to portray the subjective POV of a wolf. Similar to thermography, the technique was later adopted by other horror films such as the Predator series.
The setting for the transient home of the wolves was shot in the South Bronx (intersection of Louis Nine Blvd & Boston Road). The church seen in the opening panorama shot was located at the intersection of E 172nd & Seabury Pl. The shot of this neighborhood is from the north looking roughly S - SE. The decrepit site of ruined buildings was no special effect. It was built (and burned) especially for the film.[2]Urban decay in the Bronx in the early 80s was so widespread that it was the ideal production setting. Today, this community contains mostly suburban-style privately owned houses.
The Wolfen were not werewolves, but in fact a more advanced version of a wolf which sat above man on the food chain.
Selected premiere engagements of Wolfen were presented in Megasound, a high-impact surround sound system similar to Sensurround. Director Wadleigh was unsatisfied with the final cut of the movie, but so far no director's cut of the film is available.
Novels: The Wolfen (1978) | The Hunger (1981) | Black Magic (1982) | The Night Church (1983) | Warday (1984) | Wolf of Shadows (1985) | Nature's End (1986) | Cat Magic (1986) | Communion (1987) | Transformation (1988) | Majestic (1989) | Billy (1990) | The Wild (1991) | Unholy Fire (1992) | The Forbidden Zone (1993) | Breakthrough: The Next Step (1995) | The Secret School (1996) | Confirmation: The Hard Evidence of Aliens Among Us (1998) | The Coming Global Superstorm (2000) | The Key (2001) | The Last Vampire (2001) | The Path (2002) | Lilith's Dream: A Tale of the Vampire Life (2002) | The Day After Tomorrow (2004) | The Grays (2006) | 2012: The War for Souls (2007)
