In the mid-80s, Czech director Vera Hitilova turned to the genre of science fiction thriller for the only time in her creative career. The director, who previously shot comedies and social dramas, also acted as a co-author of the script, on which she worked in a creative tandem with playwright Daniela Fisherova. The animator Jiri Barta worked on special effects for the movie “Wolf Camp” (1985). The creative experiment was a success, two years later the picture was marked with a nomination for the Golden Bear of the Berlin Film Festival.
Most reviewers tend to position the genre of the tape as a psychological thriller. Fantastic motifs, manifested in the narration closer to the middle, were introduced by the creators to facilitate understanding of the plot, to mitigate the glaring scenic absurdities. Many critics recommended that you think carefully before recommending the picture “Wolf Camp” to view a young audience.
Plot. Tie
The narration of the tape “Camp site“ Wolf ”” begins with the public acquaintance with the main characters. These are eleven high school students who arrived at the campsite in the mountains to improve their skills in skiing. Upon arrival, their coach, calling himself Pope, states that the children will participate in an important experiment. In addition to him, there are two assistants from the adults at the camp site - Dingo and Babeta.
Soon, children notice strange behavior in the behavior of instructors, Babet and Dingo periodically as insane as they wallow in the snow. And the Pope announces that there should be ten of them, offering to get rid of one of the participants. After the systematic bleeding of the guys with each other begins, in the children's team quarrels more and more often arise.
Intrigue
At some point in the plot of the movie “Wolf Base”, adults admit that they are aliens, their strategic goal is to capture planet Earth. But the tactical goal is to correct the composition of a group of teenagers. Only ten should survive. One teenager should be sentenced to death and killed. Accepting this message as another quest, the children are further convinced that everything said is bitter truth.
As a result, high school students are saved by mutual assistance, only by joining forces, they will be able to avoid a terrible fate.
Many reviewers did not appreciate such an unexpected turn in the behavior of the characters. The sharp transition from bestial fury and hatred to consolidation of efforts and mutual self-sacrifice seemed false to the majority.
Criticism
The director of the film “Camp site“ Wolf ”” Vera Khitilova is known for her original views on the future and present of mankind, the problems of the relationship between generations and genders. One of the topics covered in her filmography is destruction. The destruction of society, the collective, personality and everything incomprehensible. This theme was most clearly expressed by the director in the early work of Daisy, in the thriller she touched her only partially.
The main advantage of the fantastic project is the powerful life energy of the film. “Wolf Camp” (1986) is a very impulsive, incredibly peppy band. Cameraman Jaromir Shofr often uses a hand-held camera, uses angle shooting, numerous surges.
In the 80s, film experts considered the thriller an ideal genre project, because the drama idea corresponded to the director’s abilities and acting. The picture was often called philosophical, and all the basic ideas were retold not in a dry pseudoscientific language, but in the language of genuine human drama.
Children's movie
At certain points in Wolf’s Chalet, the director intentionally exaggerates, adds aggressiveness to her teenage heroes, and for the time being almost completely deprives them of proper self-esteem. Because of these directorial decisions, the actions of the characters look unnatural. Sometimes it begins to seem that young performers simply replay, which is not true. The root of the problem in the script and genre framework.
Almost all attempts by Vera Khitilova to be extremely serious are doomed to failure. Long plans with ice and snow do not escalate the atmosphere of despondency and hopelessness. A gloomy meditative musical accompaniment of Michael Kochab sometimes sounds pretty cheerful. Like it or not, the director filmed a children's movie. It may have been scary for high school students in the 80s and 90s, but they cannot penetrate an adult audience and modern teens. The movie “Wolfhouse” can be recommended for viewing by nostalgic moviegoers.