Late Phases (Adrián García Bogliano, 2014)

One of the most beautiful films I saw as a child was Joe Dante’s The Howling. I’m sure most of you have seen it, with its foggy, almost dreamlike visuals - a nagging feeling of that something is not right, like a nightmare is on the prowl. My favorite sequence is in the porn store, in the booth, and the transformation is about to happen after Dee Wallace have met up with her secret admirer. You don’t see anything, it’s all panic and then its over. I don’t mean to be pretentious, but I remember scenes like that often more clear than the stuff you actually see. Don’t make a mistake here, I love to watch things. I want to see the monster. I want to see the gore and special effects, but the magic lies in the storytelling.

It was a long time since I saw a decent new werewolf-movie. I actually think The Wolfman starring two very bored actors, Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins is quite decent, even if its soulless and deeply flawed. But the gore and monsters are cool, no doubt about that. Spanish director Adrián García Bogliano is obviously out to change the lack of good werewolf-films and therefore gives us Late Phases, a slightly uneven but in the end great horror film set in a community for retired people, among them Ambrose (Nick Damici), a blind vietnam viet who’s placed there by his impatient son. The first night the neighbor woman is attacked and killed - and the creature is trying to break into his house also. He learns that this happens at least once a month, wild animals - they live close to the forest - attacking humans. But Ambrose is not stupid and adds one and one and quickly understands it’s not an animal, or human, doing the attacks...it’s a werewolf!

Late Phases has its up and downs. It starts off quite strong with a nice introduction of characters and an intensive attack scene, but then it kinda slows down and goes into some weird low-energy mode which just doesn’t fit with the rest of the film. It’s very well-acted and Ambrose’s investigation takes its time, introducing more characters - including the always excellent Tom Noonan as a nice priest - but here what it started to stress me. Because I want to feel included in the story, not like here where I feel outside. Like it doesn’t matter there’s audience. The idea of violent animal attacks every months without the cops doing anything is also a bit too absurd, and it doesn’t get better the two cops in existence in this world is close to retarded. It hits a bit too much with the realism of the rest of this part of the story.

But then, almost like a surprise, the story takes a turn and the energy level is up at the top again. Like it should be. It’s actually like the filmmakers felt like it took too much time for Ambrose to identify the werewolf so they just made it happen like there’s a reel gone or something. It goes fast, but the whole story is turned around and suddenly we get the old-school werewolf film we’ve been looking for, filled with cool monster suits, gore, action, shoot-pots, blood and a few twists here and there. A couple of times it felt like I was watching Silver Bullet or any other eighties horror film. The suits looks cool, at least when you see them from the waist up - the few shots where you see the monsters from the feet to the head they look a lot like they’ve forced a production assistant to wear it and pretend to be a werewolf.

Despite it’s flaws it’s a great film and it has the best transformation scene since The Howling and An American Werewolf in London, and this one looks like it’s shot in one take also, rotating around the room - one second we see the witness and then back to the person transforming into a werewolf, over and over again - ripping clothes and skin, growing nails and hair, eyes bulging and limbs twisting until they’re deadly fucking weapons. Extremely cool stuff! 

Late Phases is not Bubba Ho-Tep, but it’s good enough for me. Even if that means nada I guess.

Comments

[Fredrik]

I have to see this, sounds really interesting! I love "American Werewolf in London" and "The Howling" as well, so this could be right up my alley!

[Megatron]

"One of the most beautiful films I saw as a child was Joe Dante’s The Howling. I’m sure most of you have seen it, with its foggy, almost dreamlike visuals - a nagging feeling of that something is not right, like a nightmare is on the prowl."

Yeah, Silver Bullet (1985) had some scenes like that too, and Le poil de la bête (2010) had some really good night scenes.

"including the always excellent Tom Noonan as a nice priest"

Yeah, I remember him from RoboCop 2 (1990).

"Despite it’s flaws it’s a great film and it has the best transformation scene since The Howling and An American Werewolf in London, and this one looks like it’s shot in one take also, rotating around the room - one second we see the witness and then back to the person transforming into a werewolf, over and over again - ripping clothes and skin, growing nails and hair, eyes bulging and limbs twisting until they’re deadly fucking weapons. Extremely cool stuff!"

Now that is something I want to see.....

"Late Phases is not Bubba Ho-Tep, but it’s good enough for me. Even if that means nada I guess."

I haven´t seen Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) yet....this one sounds cool, good review and thanks Fred.