Wolfpack

This film has it all. Great action scenes, Fantastic dialogue, Nazi subtext.The sound track is something to behold. And the stories not bad either. The film was buried in the States but like Donnie Darko it was reborn on release in the UK.

It's the story of a High school Football team that under the influence of an unnamed organisation, decides to clean up the school of drug dealers, punks and pushers. To do this Star player Jack "Boot" Butkowski runs for class president. But they go too far and students and teachers alike begin to feel the hunted by the "Wolfpack". Only one man is brave enough to take a stand disillusioned Tight end Sam Adams. He is reaching for the stars but is being dragged in to the gutter by the Wolfpack.

Adams goes head to head with the Jack "Boot" Butkowski,star Quarterback and leader of the Wolfpack, in a blockbuster finale.

if you get the chance to see this film take it. It can usually be found in the darkest corner of your local budget video store, or petrol station counter. I believe the original copy that started it all came from WH Smith in swindon.

OK I am in the movie so I am biased, but if you watch the film it is actually pretty good. The main characters are interesting and well acted, especially Tony Carlin as Jack "Boot". The idea of the film is intriguing and surprisingly not explored in other movies of this type that I know of or have seen. Basically a high school football team mirrors the 3rd Reich of Nazi Germany and take control of the hearts and minds of the students and faculty through a winning football team, charismatic quarterback and intimidation tactics of a lovable player named "Wedge" Randazzo. Of course as supporting actors go that "Wedge" is great! Insider information is the movie was made to be an after school special and the main writer, Fred Sharkey, was an ex-priest turned school teacher. So there is no profanity or nudity, which may or may not have enhanced the movie in some ways. All the school scenes were filmed at Wayne Hills High School in Wayne, New Jersey. Most of the extras and several of the more memorable characters were actually students turned actors from the school, including of course the great ... OK I won't say it!

You can see this feature having a cult following, and it looks like it does bestow a tiny one. That's all it needs to stay alive and eventually gather momentum. I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but Bill Milling's low-budget 'Wolfpack' is a minor, but neatly handled and authentically shot presentation. What the material gathers up is ambitious and thoughtful with its ideas about the forceful influence that sports and politics can emit on a hungry crowd and those who go on to abuse it for self-gain. Underneath this contagiously rowdy spirit, is an ominous charge which in spots manages to unsettle and strike up some intense conflict. The script has some witty moments, and discusses a few interesting texts (Nazism), but predictability and a sappy side (the padded romance sequence) can needlessly creep in. The appealing cast give suitable performances. Tony Carlin is poignantly good as the spearhead / quarter-back of the school and Jim Abele's solid performance works well along side Carlin. Milling's direction is straight-forward, but has some kick to it and the agile camera-work incorporates many swift shots. I have to say I liked how it ended too.

In 1985, my senior year English Lit. teacher, Fred Sharkey told me the premise for a movie that he was writing called Jack Boot (what would eventually be released as Wolfpack). Fred was doing some film work "Americanizing" the scripts of animations that were being produced in then Yugoslavia and this was a pretty big break for him. After spending a few minutes telling me about the plot, I told him flat out, it was the same premise as a 1981 film I had seen on ABC called "The Wave" (it's listed on IMDb). Without reading his script, I went on to tell him the plot of "The Wave" and the impact it had on me in 1981. This didn't go well with Mr. Sharkey, but I give him credit, he asked me to audition for the film anyway. After the film was shot, I got a hold of a VHS that had the rough edits of the film and I was sorely disappointed, but I tried to give the film the benefit of the doubt since I hadn't seen the full, cut version. Eventually, I would buy it online on DVD and my first impression still goes: if you want to see a really effective film on this subject, check out "The Wave." Now with all that said, I have to say Wedge aka Tony Randazzo did a phenomenal, Oscar worthy performance. Nick "Ludes" Di Archangel

I saw this at my cousins place in England many years ago. Apart from the name of the film I don't remember anything else