Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) 4-disc 4K UHD Release Review
Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) 4-disc 4K UHD Release Review
Lavishly filmed and thrillingly gripping, Christophe Gans’ film is an irresistible mix of period drama, blood-pumping action and chilling horror. With a fantastic cast including Samuel Le Bihan (BRAQUO), Jérémie Renier (IN BRUGES), Vincent Cassel (LA HAINE), Monica Bellucci (IRREVERSIBLE), it also features a breakout performance from JOHN WICK 3 martial arts star Mark Dacascos.
The film has costume design by Dominic Borg (which won him the 2002 César), a sumptuous score by Joseph LoDuca (Emmy winner for XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS), and gorgeous cinematography by Dan Lausten (Oscar-nominated for THE SHAPE OF WATER).
Director Gans went on to make the 2006 video game adaptation SILENT HILL (which he is currently working on a sequel to), and a live action version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in 2014 (starring Vincent Cassel). Cassel is one of France’s biggest movie stars and has appeared in over 100 films, including IRREVERSIBLE, BLACK SWAN and EASTERN PROMISES.
During the reign of Louis XV an isolated district of south-central France is haunted by the “Beast of Gévaudan” which has savagely killed over 100 people, mostly women and children. As panic sweeps across the region, the King sends his finest military minds, the scientist and adventurer Grégoire de Fronsac and his martial-arts-trained Iroquois blood brother Mani to flush out the Beast and kill it…
I first watched BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF when it hit the UK rental market following its theatrical release back some twenty years ago. It was a title that I had heard great things about and I was more than a little pumped up for seeing it. It turned out that perhaps I was a little TOO pumped up. I lost interest quickly as it wasn’t how I had envisaged it ad being which was my fault for not taking it for what it was rather than I thought it should be. It wasn’t simply the standard monster flick I craved, it was much more than that and but at the time a simple monster flick was all that I wanted.
Now twenty years have elapsed and here I was being presented with another opportunity to watch BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF and this time round, I found myself addicted to its ample delights as I now fully realised that it intended to buck the natural order of both the period movie and monster flick genres whilst still playing well within a framework that invokes both, rather than be one or the other. I think that makes sense…
Admittedly the creature CGI doesn’t quite hold up twenty years on however Jim Henson’s Creature Shop more than compensate such shortcomings with their uniformly excellent puppetry and animatronics. And yes, it’s far too long, playing out at close to nearly two-and-a-half hours running time. For the most part this is a lean mean machine of a machine that has more going on within its plot than is first apparent complemented by lush visuals that enhance the period setting. Besides any film that stars Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci and Philippe Nahon is always worth a look.
INCLUDED WITH THE DVD (1 Disc):
BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF Director’s Cut (2022 restoration)
Audio Commentary with Christophe Gans
Audio Commentary with Vincent Cassel & Samuel Le Bihan
New Trailer
INCLUDED WITH THE BLU-RAY (2 Discs):
BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF Director’s Cut (2022 restoration)
Audio Commentary with Christophe Gans
Audio Commentary with Vincent Cassel & Samuel Le Bihan
New Trailer
NEW Interview with Christophe Gans & Jean-Baptiste Thoret
The Guts of the Beast
Behind the scenes
Deleted Scenes:
o The Fight
o The Crow
o Fronsac and Sardis
o The Frozen Lake
o The House Tessier
o Montage
La Legend: a programme on the origins of The Beast
Theatrical Trailer
Restored Original trailer
INCLUDED WITH THE 4K UHD (4 Discs):
BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF Director’s Cut (2022 restoration)
Audio Commentary with Christophe Gans
Audio Commentary with Vincent Cassel & Samuel Le Bihan
New Trailer
NEW Interview with Christophe Gans & Jean-Baptiste Thoret
The Guts of the Beast
Behind the scenes
Deleted Scenes:
o The Fight
o The Crow
o Fronsac and Sardis
o The Frozen Lake
o The House Tessier
o Montage
La Legend: a programme on the origins of The Beast
Theatrical Trailer
Restored Original trailer
BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF (Theatrical Cut) unrestored
Interview with Christophe Gans by Jean-Pierre Jackson
Featurettes:
o The Extras
o The Studies of Fronsac
o Mise-en-scène
o Emilie and the music
o Thomas & Apcher
o Jérémie Rénier and the horses
o Special effects
o Make-up
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 155 mins DVD/141 mins UHD/BD approx.
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