Fascinating and imaginative, this riveting thriller from director Neil Jordan (Interview With The Vampire) brings the timeless tale of “Little Red Riding Hood” and werewolf fables together in a haunting, compelling and eerie way.
A wise grandmother (Angela Lansbury) tells her granddaughter Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson) a disturbing tale of innocent maidens falling in love with handsome strangers … and of their sudden mysterious disappearances when the moon is full and accompanied by the strange sound of a beast in the woods. Nominated for four BAFTA awards including Best Costume Design, Best Make Up Artist, Best Production Design/Art Direction and Best Special Visual Effects, The Company Of Wolves is a tale that will chill you like no other …
For thoughts on The Company of Wolves, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Scream Factory presents The Company of Wolves with a wonderful 2160p transfer in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. This film has never been released on Blu-Ray within the United States, so the fact that we are jumping straight to 4K UHD is a welcome perk. For those who are not 4K capable, the included Blu-Ray has been sourced from the same new master. While that release is also really great, this 4K UHD presentation stands as a lovely improvement.
This disc retains the magnificent natural film grain of the source which brings out so much distinct texture in the whimsical production design, the grotesque special effects and more. This grain resolves without issue as nothing ever appears frozen or spiking throughout the plethora of shadowy sequences. This is a gritty film from a grain perspective, but everything appears quite natural. The black levels are immensely strong with no blatant crush present, and white levels never get too hot. The film does have a hazy, storybook aesthetic that should not be mistaken for print softness. This new master has cleaned up a great deal of the print damage with nary any specks remaining. The special effects showcase with such clarity that the more squeamish among you may want to brace yourselves for the transformation scenes. There are a few moments where the encode may have been able to be better optimized, but it by no means falls apart.
While this does take on a storybook quality in its presentation, the world as presented is not overly garish in the hues represented on screen. This does not make the Dolby Vision presentation any less impressive, as it brings so much depth and nuance to the colors that are on screen. Elements of the production design and specific costumes, such as the attire of the high society folk, allow for more interesting pops of pastels. There is also a greater accuracy to the more ruddy colors such as the wood walls inside of Granny’s cabin. The new presentation reaches a level of accuracy and color detail that likely tops the original prints. Fans who have been waiting for years to even own this in high definition will be thrilled by what Scream Factory has delivered with this 4K UHD presentation.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a really solid DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track which captures this material quite well. The wondrous score from George Fenton sounds fantastic without a hint of damage. It feels like such an essential element of the story as it establishes the tone of the narrative. Dialogue comes through with impeccable clarity even when sequences are getting more chaotic or horrific. Environmental noises such as the milling around of villagers or the tearing of flesh are given a notable place within the mix. You never have to worry about fidelity when it comes to this one even when things take a turn for the more grotesque. The low end of the track has enough weight to add texture, but without a dedicated channel it is not a standout aspect of the audio experience. Overall, Scream Factory provided a fantastic audio experience for this one. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who want them.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary #1: Justin Beahm from Reverend Entertainment moderates a collection of virtual audio interviews with Producer Chris Brown And Actors Micha Bergese And Kathryn Pogson. This is a really engaging track in which the subjects discuss the origins of the project, the decision against shooting in actual forests, the inspiration for the visual aesthetic, the makeup effects, the path the performers took to their roles, the fairytale qualities and more. This is well worth a listen for any fans.
- Audio Commentary #2: Director Neil Jordan provides a very thorough and entertaining commentary track in which he discusses how they landed on this structure, leaning into the dreamlike nature of the story, the casting process and the performances in the film, technical aspects of the production, the cinematography, playing with perspective, and so much more that is an absolute delight to delve into for fans.
- Where Fairy Tales End – Scoring The Company Of Wolves: A 19-minute interview with composer George Fenton in which he discusses where he was at in his career at this point in time, the film as a cautionary tale, wanting to bring a fantastical feeling to the story, his collaborators who helped bring the music to life, working with Neil Jordan and more.
- Alice In Dreamland – An Interview with Georgia Slowe: A six-minute interview with the actress in which she recalls her memories from the production, drawing on her relationship with her sister, the impressive production design, working with the animals and more.
- Still Gallery: A collection of stills from the film, behind the scenes moments and more are provided here.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half red band trailer is provided here.
- TV Spots: The 31-second television spot is provided here.
Final Thoughts
The Company of Wolves is a really fun dark fairytale for adults. The narrative is like a Russian nesting doll of dreams and storytelling which always gives the story a heightened quality that represents the intent well. Outside of perhaps Angela Lansbury, who inspires a natural warmth just by her presence, you may not find yourself too invested in any one character, but every performance is really great and is integrated into this world seamlessly. The special effects work are surprisingly effective, oftentimes rivaling some of the more acclaimed works from the genre which typically get the spotlight from gorehounds. Scream Factory has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that delivers a fantastic A/V presentation and a pretty solid array of special features. This is a really entertaining film, and those who have been waiting for it to finally hit stateside should be thrilled by the results. Highly Recommended
The Company of Wolves (Collector’s Edition) will be available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack on November 22, 2022.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.