[The News Bot]

Reviewed by Chris McEneany, 20th September 2009
I recall the movie debuting and receiving much trumpeting from critics lauding its artistic approach and celebrating the resurgence of British fantasy cinema. Something about the film is deliciously intoxicating and, although it was hardly the rampaging werewolf story I had expected to see, The Company Of Wolves still held me spellbound. On video it became a firm cult favourite and even if this BD incarnation has been a long time coming, it is still very well worth seeking out if you don't already have the Special Edition. If you do, however, own the previous release, then this may not seem as though it represents much of an upgrade. The video transfer is most certainly better, but not by much, and the sound doesn't carry any difference at all that I can discern. As it stands, the film has a respectable transfer that I can't now see ever looking any better, unless some unwanted processing takes place for a newer edition some time in the future. It is a shame that the extras have been chewed away and something that I cannot see any valid reason for. But at least we still retain the wonderful commentary from Neil Jordan that does go a long way into the background of the production and the themes explored.

The director leapt into the equally elegant and literate Interview With The Vampire (again based on a female writer’s highly literate work, and the BD release is reviewed separately) with similar imaginative scope and a lushly baroque visual and emotional sensibility, but it is to his tale of werewolfry rather his sensual ode to vampirism to which I would rather return. The film is witty, menacing, magical and probing. It rakes its claws through established folklore and societal moral constraints, exposing the raw deceits and frightening disinformation that lie therein. The film, as always, comes very highly recommended … but, unless you don't already have the Special Edition, or you are a massive fan (like me) who will be happy with the improvement in the image, I can't really urge you to upgrade, since the disc still seems quite expensive.


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[Pecker]

Cheers, Chris.

You're too kind on this Blu-ray Disc - you say it is 'an improvement, but not much', which is true, but 'hardly any improvement at all' would be nearer the mark.

This is the most disappointing high def release I own in terms of PQ. However, you're right in that the problems appear to be inherent in the original film; it certainly had a low-budget look at the cinema.

Great film, though. And if anyone out there doesn't own it, it's worth buying.

Steve W