Although known to the British public as Emmerdale’s loveable veterinarian Paddy, actor Dominic Brunt has another life. When he’s not walking the dales, he’s at work making movies. His genre of choice is horror and the last decade has seen him screen several of his films at Arrow Video FrightFest. This year the tradition continues with the world premiere of Wolf Manor.
Written by Joel Ferrari and Pete Wild, Wolf Manor is set during the production of vampire film Crimson Moon. Production is drawing to a close, but the crew get more than they bargained for when they come into the path of a rampaging werewolf; cue blood and gore galore. Firmly positioned within the comedy side of horror, Wolf Manor wastes no time showcasing its silly side. The kills are over-the-top and played for laughs, with amusing one-liners and heightened, almost farcical, violence. There’s a running joke where the cast and crew uncover body parts, but due to the nature of the production, assume they are props. As hard as Wolf Manor tries for humour, the execution doesn’t land as well as one might hope. Whilst definitely amusing in places, it doesn’t push itself as hard as it could and feels a tad flat. It’s less wall-to-wall hilarity and instead garners the odd chuckle.
The bulk of the humour that lands comes from the analysis of the film industry. Every role from press, to producer to star is cast under the spotlight and ridiculed. The producer is one highlight, portrayed as a very recognisable personality type. Another is James Fleet’s Oliver Lawrence, a former horror star whose diva-ish behaviour and oblivious nature causes a handful of key deaths.
In Wolf Manor Brunt lets his love of the werewolf shine, littering the film with nods and homages to key werewolf texts. Some, such as the scene inside the The Blue Moon, are obvious, but others are a little sneakier. A lot of work has been spent in the construction of the wolf and it makes for a commanding visage. The appearance calls back to Hammer Horror days and given that’s the type of film the crew are making, it explains some of the victims’ inability to detect the threat. Brunt doesn’t push too hard for realism with his monster, the kitsch nature working into the tone of the piece.
Though not quite as hilarious as it could be, Wolf Manor still manages to have enough entertaining components to it. For maximum enjoyment, Wolf Manor is best viewed with a like-minded crowd, making the FrightFest audience the best place to debut it.
Wolf Manor
Summary
Those familiar with the Brunt brand of filmmaking will already have an idea of what is in store. Fans of Brunt’s back catalogue are sure to be delighted with Wolf Manor.
Wolf Manor was reviewed at Arrow Video FrightFest 2022.
