Wolf (1994)
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A New York book editor begins a terrifying physical transformation into a wolf after being bitten by a wild animal.
The story
Will Randall, the editor-in-chief of a large New York publishing house, experiences a life-altering accident on a Vermont country road when he is bitten by a large black wolf. Shortly after, he faces professional turmoil as a tycoon takes over the company, leading to Will's demotion and the promotion of his unscrupulous protégé, Stewart Swinton. As Will begins to notice his senses sharpening and his vitality increasing, he becomes consumed by suspicion regarding his wife's fidelity. His life takes a supernatural turn when he discovers he is undergoing a physical transformation into a wolf, forcing him to navigate a dangerous duality between his human life and his burgeoning predatory instincts.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being bitten by a wolf in Vermont, New York publishing editor Will Randall begins to experience heightened senses and physical changes. Suspecting his wife Charlotte is having an affair with his protégé Stewart Swinton, Will confronts them and bites Swinton's hand. Will eventually begins a relationship with the tycoon owner's daughter, Laura Alden. After a fainting spell at the Aldens' villa, Will awakens in a transformed state and mauls a deer. A pagan expert, Dr. Vijay Alezais, confirms Will is turning into a wolf and provides an amulet to delay the process. Will struggles with his identity, occasionally losing memory of his nocturnal activities, which include attacking muggers and marking territory. Despite his efforts to remain human, Will's condition worsens. After a series of events including a mutiny at the publishing house and a tragic death in Central Park, Laura locks Will in a stable to protect herself. However, Swinton—who is also transforming—invades the estate and attacks Laura. Will discards his amulet to fight Swinton, ruthlessly mauling him before Laura finishes him off. In the end, Will disappears into the New England woods as a wolf, while Laura's eyes begin to change, suggesting she is also transforming.
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 125
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mike Nichols
- Writers
- Jim Harrison · screenplay; Wesley Strick · screenplay; Elaine May · uncredited
- Cast and characters
- Jack Nicholson · Will Randall; Michelle Pfeiffer · Laura Alden; James Spader · Stewart Swinton; Kate Nelligan · Charlotte Randall; Richard Jenkins; Christopher Plummer · Raymond Alden; Eileen Atkins; David Hyde Pierce; Om Puri
- Genres
- romantic horror; fantasy; thriller
- Themes
- Corporate politics; Identity; Metaphor for sexuality; Human values
- Tone and mood
- Darkly comic; Romantic; Horror; Seductive
- Premise and plot tags
- Werewolf; Office Politics; Adultery; Transformation
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and was generally well-received, though some critics found it to be overly polished or redundant. It held a 62% score on Rotten Tomatoes and received a 'B' average on CinemaScore.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 62% · review count: 63
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · Best Writing · Won; Saturn Award · Best Horror Film · Nominated; Saturn Award · Best Actor · Nominated; Saturn Award · Best Actress · Nominated; Saturn Award · Best Supporting Actor · Nominated; Saturn Award · Best Make-up · Nominated; Grammy Award · Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television · Nominated
- Production trivia
- Jim Harrison left the production due to creative differences with Mike Nichols.; Mia Farrow was initially signed for the role of Charlotte Randall but turned it down.; Sharon Stone turned down the role of Laura Alden.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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