Wolfman's Got Nards Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Wolfman's Got Nards Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 22, 2024

Note that 'Wolfman's Got Nards' is also included as a bonus on Kino's UHD release of 'The Monster Squad.'

Documentary films about other films are popping up all over the place, and for good reason. Fans are passionate about their favorite movies, and even if that film has achieved cult status, it's often fun to turn the camera back in time to explore a movie's journey from obscurity to great success later in life. One of the latest, and one if the best, of these is Wolfman's God Nards, a film that looks back at the initially troubled, but now very noteworthy, existence of a little 1980s film called The Monster Squad, once a critical reject and a commercial failure but now a beloved treasure and one of the defining movies its time.

In the opening moments of Wolfman’s Got Nards, The Monster Squad’s writer and director, Fred Dekker, defines a “cult film” as a film which has become “appreciated in a way that people didn’t necessarily predict.” There are other definitions offered throughout the film, but this one sticks, not because it’s the exact right answer (or the exact wrong answer), or the first of several given, but because it really does capture the essence of The Monster Squad, a movie that has gone from proverbial “zero” to proverbial “hero” throughout its lifespan. But that does appear to be a solid definition of a “cult classic” because many films that nobody would ever label as “cult classic” would fit into that category. For example, just out of the blue and off the top of the head, Saving Private Ryan is not a cult film because it was easy to see that it was going to be a rousing cinematic success as well as an authentic representation of war, which resulted in commercial success and critical applause from day one. The Empire Strikes Back is not a cult film because it followed on the heels of a known property in Star Wars; it was expected to be just about (then) the biggest thing ever, and it met and exceeded every expectation. The discussion could go on and on as to what is definitely not a cult film, but this is a story of a cult film. Does The Monster Squad fit that above definition? Absolutely. And Wolfman's Got Nards backs that up for the duration of its runtime.

This is a straightforward documentary, yet nevertheless very engaging for the story it builds and the passion it presents. The film focuses on discussions centering on why The Monster Squad has enjoyed newfound lasting appeal, the impact it has had on various individuals, and even what would have to be changed for it to fit the culture of today were the film to be remade in 2024 (in one of the more interesting scenes in the film in which a college film professor speaks about it to his class). Beyond that, the film explores original project origins, in depth cast and crew interviews, the process of acting in the film (including the dynamics of working with child actors), the complexities of the visual effects, the film’s early critical struggles and poor showing at the box office (“it bombed,” Dekker says), and the despair that followed.

At this point, the film shifts tone form the hard work to make it and the somber story of its release to a peppy, spirited look at its cult status, hardcore fandom, and fandom’s loving embrace of the film. This dates to the days of HBO and video cassette rentals, but it interestingly disappeared from the popular scene for many years again until the beginning of the DVD era in the late 1990s and the film’s special edition release from Lionsgate which was driven by fans and propelled the film back into the limelight, where it remains today. It was not until 2006 -- almost three decades after its release -- that Dekker himself discovered that people actually liked the movie. Crazy! The film also explores actor Brent Chalem’s untimely death in 1997.

Wolfman's Got Nards Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Gravitas Ventures presents Wolfman's Got Nards on Blu-ray via a burned BD-R 25GB disc presentation. The image looks terrific. It's digitally sourced and results in a consistently clean and clear picture that might not have an abundance of character to it, but that captures the essence of the format and the characteristics of the film's subjects quite nicely. One of the big selling points for the image's faithful and tack-sharp clarity is on those many scenes in which the camera lingers on subjects who are sitting amongst their collectibles, many of which are, of course, themed by and sourced from The Monster Squad (though there are other odds and ends, such as content from other franchises, various action figures, and the like). Audiences will be able to poke around and virtually visit some of these wonderful collections to see all of the elements on the screen, and even some of the smaller details, like wear and tear on well-loved VHS copies of The Monster Squad from around the world, all of which offer some truly wonderful definition. Of course, basic skin and clothing details are excellent, too, especially in the more or less static interview shots. A few clips from the film can look very substandard, but overall the picture looks great. The color reproduction is very good as well. The Blu-ray yields wonderfully balanced and vivid colors which are played straight down the middle with no tinkering to contrast or temperature. The palette is lifelike, supported by excellent black levels, fine white balance, and natural skin tones. Noise is very minimal here, and there are no obvious encode shortcomings to discuss. Fans should be very satisfied with Gravitas Ventures' presentation!

Wolfman's Got Nards Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Gravitas Ventures releases Wolfman's Got Nards to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The film's sonic needs are minimal, and the 5.1 is very efficient, and at times even overkill, for the basic sound design elements. Surrounds are never used in high intensity, high yield fashion, and neither is the subwoofer. Still, surrounds do help with some mild, and at times moderate, atmosphere, such as in packed movie theaters, but mostly the film's audio hangs out up front in the delivery of simple music off to the sides and, of course, dialogue in the center. The spoken word is the film's main audio element, and it is always presented with perfect prioritization, intelligibility, and accuracy. There's just not much going on here, and the track handles the film's meager audio needs as well as can be expected.

Wolfman's Got Nards Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Wolfman's Got Nards contains one supplement: the film's Trailer (1080p, 1:23). The main menu screen features a static image with no accompanying music. Menu options include "Play Film, "Trailer," and "Subtitles." No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

Wolfman's Got Nards Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

One of the great things about Wolfman's Got Nards is that it will appeal to audiences who haven't even seen The Monster Squad. Beyond its love letter to that film is a love letter to film in general and the impact it has on so many lives. Film fans will see themselves in this film, multiple times and in multiple ways, and for that reason alone it's worth seeing, and of course it's worth seeing for its expert telling of the story behind The Monster Squad's unlikely rise from obscurity to be "appreciated in a way that people didn't necessarily predict." It is indeed the embodiment of the "cult classic." Gravitas Ventures' Blu-ray is disappointingly, but usurpingly, all but featureless, but the video and audio presentations are quite good. Recommended.