Review: Wolf Hollow

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2023
Images from the Internet

Wolf Hollow
Directed by Mark Cantu
Mezek Films, Big Bell Productions; Hinds Productions; Cineworx
80 minutes; 2023
#wolfhollow #FollowTheHollow #mezekfilms
#pittsburghfilm #cineworx2023

Of his thirteen films to-date, be it features or shorts, so far, I have seen/reviewed three of them (this will be the fourth), each of a different genre. There was action thriller Elite (2017), post-apocalyptic anger infection Night Zero (2017), and slasher Massacre Academy (2021). This time at bat, it is the lycanthropy field.

While saying it fits into the werewolf canon is true, there are so many horror genres mixed together here in a Horror ghoul-ash. Y’gotcha cabin in the woods, backwoods hunters and murderers, and even the meta-filmmaking (a group shooting a film within the film). The latter with werewolves has been done before as well, such as Wolf Manor (2021). But every film is different, and I am looking forward to this, as a werewolf fan.

Lynn Lowry

Filmed outside Pittsburgh, PA, some of the scenery is quite awe inspiring, showing off the forests and mountains of, I am assuming, Oak Hollow Park. You get to see less of it as time goes on due to it being night, but meanwhile, enjoy.

With a prologue that reflects on themes from both The Howling (1981) and Blade (1998), we are off to a bloody start that had me smiling. A year later, there are two storylines that are bound to converge. First, there is the film crew heading to said Wolf Hollow to make their movie, starring washed up diva Marla Taylor (The Lynn Lowry, of 1971’s I Drink Your Blood, GA Romero’s The Crazies in 1973, Cronenberg’s 1975 Shivers, and more recently, Debbie Rochon’s 2016 Model Hunger, among so many other classics). The second is that a larger township is commandeering a local area – yep, said Wolf Hollow – and plans to kick out the Neuri (the name means the nervous system) family, run by matriarch Evie (The Felissa Rose, most famous as Angela in 1983’s Sleepaway Camp, but has become a major actor/producer in the indie film field). The town leaders are quite obnoxious and condescending about the land grab (i.e., their “tough nuggies” attitude).

Brian Ceponis, Feissa Rose (foreground)

There is tension all around: for the Neuri family: a member of the clan who has run away to New York, Ray (Noah J. Welter) has returned with the young and green film crew (e.g., one just graduated from NYU Film School), bringing additional tension between him and his brother, Bart (Brian Ceponis), who is struggling financially, along with his wife Evie. As for the potential filmmakers, well, it is one argument after another, as they try to placate their spoiled faded star, Marla. I love that many of the strongest characters are women, though it seems to me that even though there tends to be more women victims in horror flicks, they also tend to be the fiercest (check out Carol J. Clover’s amazing book, Men, Women andChain Saws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film). 

With all the arguing going on with both sides and each other, it makes it hard to find a connection with some the characters, who tend to be a bit flat at times, though mostly undefined personalities. But with mishaps and anger comes the night, and the filmmakers are trapped in their trailer while the beasties beat on the door, metaphorically and eventually literally. But that should come as no surprise.

Christina Krakowski

It should be quite apparent to anyone who has a history of watching creature features to figure out who are the werewolves. It starts with a slow burn first half (after the prologue), but then it just spins the dial up. A major saving quality to the film is that once the action really starts, about a third of the way in, it does not let up. It is wolf-brutal with, to paraphrase Arlo, “blood ‘n gore ‘n veins in the teeth.” While there are few surprises throughout the film, and parts are predictable, that does not take away from the fun factor: there are a lot of wolves, though you see one at a time. My guess is that there was only one suit that was used over and over. This would make total sense given most indie’s budget constraints.

That being said the wolfies, designed by Midnight Studios FX, looks great, seeming to be modeled on those in The Howling (no complaints there), with the exception of the head of the lycanthropes, who’s initial change looks more like the human/cat face in Sleepwalkers (1992). The overall gore effects are also quite well done, if sometimes a bit dark (remember, it is night when the action comes).

Noah J. Welter

Most of the main characters are likeable, though some of the cast is almost interchangeable given such little exposition background (more time for action, I guess). Some of the personality standouts include the meta film’s director, Alex Romero (Christina Krakowski) – filmed near Pittsburgh, of course she is named Romero, duh – and her beau, Ray (Noah J. Welter), brother of the head of the Nuri clan. Another role of note is scene stealing Lucky Steve (Brandon Krum), who is the comedy relief of the film crew, and definitely has the best lines. There are a lot of local police who tend to blend into each other, even those at the higher level, but a standout is Officer Mills (Valena Zitello).

The question that nagged me for a while is why Ray brought the crew to Wolf Hollow, whether it was to see family, to get comeuppance to the clan, or was he a Judas Goat. It becomes clear by the end, and I ain’t spillin’ the beans.

It is pretty apparent that the director, Mark Cantu, is a big Wes Craven fan. There are many references to Craven’s cult films, such as the RV trailer-under-attack-by-bloodthirsty-locals as in The Hills Have Eyes (1977), and one of the wounded characters comments, “I’m feeling a little woozy here,” arguably the most requoted line from Scream (1996). I believe Craven would have been proud to have his work referenced here.

IMDB listing HERE