Wolf (1994)

Wolf is a 1994 supernatural horror movie following Jack Nicholson as Will Randall, editor-in-chief at a large publishing house who gets bitten by a wolf after hitting them with his car on a dark snowy lane. Soon after this, he starts inhibiting qualities of the animal as he learns of his wife’s infidelity and gets replaced at work by Stewart Swinton, the man she’s cheating with.

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I never set out to pick up Michelle Pfeiffer tapes for spooky season, but that’s what the universe has lead me to and I’m not complaining because she never disappoints. This is another film I wasn’t familiar with, but it’s perfect for these cooler evenings when the autumn chill is creeping in.

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What I really liked about this film is the subtlety of it all - the wolf makeup itself is effective without looking ridiculous like other lupine plots we’ve seen, and I love the little ways Will changes as the story progresses, his senses becoming more keen. There’s an excellent close up shot of Nicholson’s face as he tilts his head and gestures his eyes like a wolf might, taking everything in.

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Another scene that’s really cool is in the mens bathroom, as Randall pisses all over Swinton’s shoes marking his territory. The whole alpha wolf theory has been disproven as nothing more than a horror trope, but this moment and the film as a whole is a cool exploration of masculinity.

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Pfeiffer comes in as Laura, the daughter of Raymond Alden who took over the publishing house and demoted Will, and Randall soon falls for her as he tries to make sense of his new abilities. Eventually he starts to hunt and mauls a deer; after this, he seeks answers and connects with Dr Vijav Alezais, pagan expert who gives him an amulet to prevent him transforming.

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Laura continues her relationship with Will despite her concerns, until his wife turns up dead with canine DNA on her body. She locks him in her stables while she goes to the police station to make a report, but is found by Swinton who was bitten by Randall earlier. He follows her home and a fight ensues, as Will takes his amulet off so he can transform and protect her after Stewart tries to sexually assault her.

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The movie ends with Laura shooting Swinton, Will having fully transformed and run off into the woods. When they meet again, she remarks about her heightened senses, and it finishes with a close up of her face as her own transformation begins.

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I thought this was a really cool interpretation of the wolf genre, with a great cast including James Spader and Prunella Scales. Exploring lycanthropy through a more psychological lens connects better to the audience, as we’re able to imagine how we might behave if we were inflicted with the curse. It’s a refreshing adaptation and definitely worth checking out.