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One of the "documentary-entertainment" titles put out by Eyewitness Videos, Werewolf delves into the legends and myths surrounding man's mythical transformation into wolf during the full moon. Citing the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, among other examples, the video examines both the history of man's relationship with nature and the wolf, and the anthropomorphic projection of human fears onto the wolf. Possibilities of the wolf-man legend include the 18th-century explanation of violent crime such as murder and rape: blame the wolves. Violent crime and desires seemed explicable only as "animalistic" tendencies to audiences of the past, and thus the violent man turned into a wolf to commit his crimes. Crisply edited, Werewolf uses a full array of media to illustrate its content, including a fascinating three-dimensional rotating diorama of Little Red Riding Hood meeting the wolf in a cemetery on a dark night, with accompanying sinister music. Examples of old engravings and depictions of wolves and werewolves also illustrate the commentary. Overall a thoughtful if brief examination of the werewolf legend and its derivations, Werewolf is almost too swift in its contrite presentation, and offered little comment on the violence man has wrought against the wolf throughout time. A caveat: more than one mention of wolf attack as rape and murder metaphor may make this an unsuitable video for children. One couldn't help but wonder if the makers of the video were offering a level of sophistication high enough to mention rape metaphors, why they didn't delve deeper into the werewolf legend and offer more academic analysis. --Gilia Angell
From Parents' Choice®
As this stunning video points out, the notion of metamorphosis from man to beast, and back again, has been with us since early times. The werewolf has long been believed to be the sign of the devil, or the amoral nature of humans. "Beauty and the Beast" and "Little Red Riding Hood" explore that connection with the savage. In a visually compelling form, full of movement and sound and computer-generated images, the audience is treated to an overview of the history and lore. Beyond the learning experience, the juxtaposition of photos, music, and narration are guaranteed to evoke an emotional response, an eerie mood. There are more questions than answers, a successful technique for further exploration. Why are wolves considered evil creatures? Could it be that during times of famine in the Middle Ages, that they had to steal infants to survive? Are there kernels of truth in all of our legends? This series points the way to exploration, and it does so with a keen eye towards the dramatic needs of its audience. A 1998 Parents' Choice® Gold Award.
Reviewed by Yvonne Coleman, Parents' Choice® 1998
