No doubt about it, wolves have suffered from a lot of bad publicity (especially from the worldwide membership of the Little Red Riding Hood Fan Club), but filmmakers Michael Rosen and Sharon Howard's Wolf: An Ancient Spirit Returns attempts to restore honor, dignity, and respect to these misunderstood creatures, from which all other canine breeds are derived. As Canis lupus is reintroduced into the wilderness of Yellowstone National Park, this 45-minute documentary serves up interview clips with animal behaviorists, wolf trainers, and even an Arapaho Indian chief, all praising the wise and lovable wolf in almost euphorically spiritual terms. But while the filmmakers' love for wolves is certainly infectious (especially when we're shown several minutes of adorable wolf cubs cavorting with their trainers), there's something vaguely suspicious about a film that dotes on wolves so passionately, while devoting barely one minute to detractors (such as a disgruntled farmer near Yellowstone) who've suffered from the wolves' instinctive, predatory behavior. Still, it must be conceded that the newfound freedom of wolves in Yellowstone is a win-win scenario for the vast majority, and despite overly sentimental narration by liberal activist actor Peter Coyote, Wolf qualifies as a concise yet thorough portrait of a species in transition. A strong optional purchase. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)
Wolf: An Ancient Spirit Returns
(2003) 45 min. VHS or DVD: $250. Bullfrog Films. PPR. Color cover. ISBN: 1-59458-048-0 (vhs), 1-59458-049-9 (dvd). Volume 20, Issue 1
Wolf: An Ancient Spirit Returns
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