A teenage girl in a country manor falls asleep while reading a magazine, and has a disturbing dream involving wolves prowling the woods below her bedroom window.A teenage girl in a country manor falls asleep while reading a magazine, and has a disturbing dream involving wolves prowling the woods below her bedroom window.A teenage girl in a country manor falls asleep while reading a magazine, and has a disturbing dream involving wolves prowling the woods below her bedroom window.
- Nominated for 4 BAFTA Awards
- 10 wins & 5 nominations total
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDue to budgetary constraints and fears about safety, most of the "wolves" in this movie are actually Belgian Shepherd Dogs whose fur has been dyed. For some of the close-up shots of Rosaleen interacting with the wolf towards the end of this movie, a real wolf was used. During the entirety of the production, only two real wolves were used.
- GoofsIn order to prune a tree in the garden, the priest climbs a ladder. When he talks to the lady, first both his hands are on the pruning sheers, then, all of a sudden, one hand is holding onto a branch. In the next shot, both his hands are on the pruning sheers again.
- Alternate versionsThe original version was censored by 2 minutes by the Central Board of Film Certification of India to achieve an 'A' (adults only - A-621-MUM) certificate.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Troldspejlet: Troldspejlet Special: Ulvehyl ved fuldmåne (1992)
Featured review
Little red riding hood, through the looking glass
"The Company of Wolves" focuses on the dreams of a teenage girl, Rosaleen, which are populated by stories of wolves and other mysterious goings-on occurring in the woods below her family's lush home.
This unusual part-fantasy, part-horror offering was director Neil Jordan's debut feature, and as is the case with many of his films, it is likely to divide a room. The most unusual variable here is that the film does not so much follow a character, but rather the various storybook dreams she has, which themselves are mediated through an 18th-century dreamworld in which the narratives are recounted to her by her grandmother. It is the girl's subconscious that becomes a mode of storytelling, leading the audience through several episodic sequences that feel almost like short films encapsulated in a Russian doll. Running underneath the architecture of it all are fairly obvious themes revolving around Rosaleen's purity, the dangers of sexuality, and masculine rage.
For sake of the uncanny, the lead actress, Sarah Patterson, appears throughout in different roles. The film is populated with great actors, including Angela Lansbury (playing the matronly grandmother of Rosaleen; David Warner as the father; and Stephen Rea and Terence Stamp, both of whom appear in some of the self-contained narratives.
In usual Neil Jordan style, this film is very much preoccupied with its visuals, which are laid on thick. The film was obviously mostly shot on studio sets, but the woodsy recreations are atmospheric and give it the look of a classic horror film. There are some fantastic special effects as well, in particular a practical werewolf transformation scene.
Though it is not a film that all will appreciate, "The Company of Wolves" gets high marks for being visually sumptuous, well acted, and beautifully shot. The multi-pronged storyline and general structure of the film is very unorthodox, and can at times be a bit tedious. Despite this, though, the film is a visual and technical marvel, and overall a psychologically rife take on the "Little Red Riding Hood" fairytale. 7/10.
This unusual part-fantasy, part-horror offering was director Neil Jordan's debut feature, and as is the case with many of his films, it is likely to divide a room. The most unusual variable here is that the film does not so much follow a character, but rather the various storybook dreams she has, which themselves are mediated through an 18th-century dreamworld in which the narratives are recounted to her by her grandmother. It is the girl's subconscious that becomes a mode of storytelling, leading the audience through several episodic sequences that feel almost like short films encapsulated in a Russian doll. Running underneath the architecture of it all are fairly obvious themes revolving around Rosaleen's purity, the dangers of sexuality, and masculine rage.
For sake of the uncanny, the lead actress, Sarah Patterson, appears throughout in different roles. The film is populated with great actors, including Angela Lansbury (playing the matronly grandmother of Rosaleen; David Warner as the father; and Stephen Rea and Terence Stamp, both of whom appear in some of the self-contained narratives.
In usual Neil Jordan style, this film is very much preoccupied with its visuals, which are laid on thick. The film was obviously mostly shot on studio sets, but the woodsy recreations are atmospheric and give it the look of a classic horror film. There are some fantastic special effects as well, in particular a practical werewolf transformation scene.
Though it is not a film that all will appreciate, "The Company of Wolves" gets high marks for being visually sumptuous, well acted, and beautifully shot. The multi-pronged storyline and general structure of the film is very unorthodox, and can at times be a bit tedious. Despite this, though, the film is a visual and technical marvel, and overall a psychologically rife take on the "Little Red Riding Hood" fairytale. 7/10.
- drownsoda90
- Nov 26, 2022
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- The Company of Wolves
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $2,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $4,389,334
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,234,776
- Apr 21, 1985
- Gross worldwide
- $4,389,334
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
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