Curse of the Wolf   Starring: Lanny Poffo, Darian Cane and Brian Heffron Brain Damage Films RRP: £2.99 BDF010 Certificate: 18 Available 12 October 2009

Dakota is a werewolf, but she has rejected that way of life. All she craves is a normal existence, and so she prevents the inevitable changes brought on by the full moon by injecting herself with controlling chemicals. However, you don't walk away from the pack, which is determined to get her back for reasons of both control and preventing her from revealing their nature to the outside world. Dakota thinks she has started a new life, but the pack heads for the city and soon picks up her scent. Determination helps her escape time and again, and she solicits some unexpected help from a nightclub owner. However, she dislikes the idea of putting someone else in peril, and the nightclub boss has his own agenda...

This is a definite improvement on the recently reviewed Hell House - The Book of Samiel and Bachelor Party in the Bungalow of the Damned, also released by Brain Damage Films. However Curse of the Wolf also suffers badly from the extreme low budget factor. Although the entire plot consists of Dakota escaping, being captured, escaping, being captured, and escaping - the movie could have worked had it been more competently handled. The amateur aspect shines from every facet. There are several moments of dreadfully contrived acting (and I use the word loosely). There's nothing wrong with choreographing fight scenes, but everyone here seems to have undergone the "I know Kung Fu." programming from The Matrix (thankfully stopping short from utilising wire work).

The sound quality is pretty low; some dialogue and sound effect sequences feel artificial and badly-timed, and when on location the microphone boom collects a group sound which fails to incorporate a character who speaks that isn't close at hand. Ambient noise is also picked up to the extent that it sometimes becomes a distraction.

The attempt at visceral horror when a wolf attacks is also less than successful. They take such extreme close-up footage, which is moving so quickly, that all you perceive is shades of red and black and squirting blood. The make-up consists of unconvincing rubber wolf masks glued on and surrounded by hair, and only the hands appear to be similarly affected in the transformation.

The way to approach this film is obviously not to expect too much. It has the feeling of a group of friends deciding to have fun and make a movie. As a follower of metal music I should have enjoyed the soundtrack; it has potential, but is seriously marred by a sub-standard sound quality.

3

Ty Power