Wolf: Beyond the Fairy Tale

I bet you think that, given its druthers, a hungry wolf would rather sink its fangs into your fleeing backside than play catch with a stick. Well, you insensitive thing: the wolf has been a victim of bad PR, pure and simple, dating all the way back to the Brothers Grimm' anti-wolf fairy tale Red Riding Hood and earlier. Aiming to "lay the myth of the big, bad wolf to rest," this beautifully shot documentary looks at the history of wolves in North America (both grey wolves and the much less common red wolves), and their eating, mating, and socializing habits. The video also includes recent reports on re-introduction efforts and scientific studies regarding wolf behavior, as well as a look at the popular wolf-dog hybrid. There's also a lovely pro-wolf ballad, written and sung by Native American singer Jack Gladstone. a good companion piece to World of Discovery: Wolf--Return of a Legend (VL-5/94). And, joking aside, Wolf: Beyond the Fairy Tale is not a simplistic eco-bunny who cried "wolf" sort of story. It does caution viewers about the dangerous and often unpredictable behavior of wild animals (wolves included), but it also reminds us that wolves are not the monsters of popular imagination. Recommended. [Note: a lovely pictorial oversize paperback, Wolf: a Year's Journey, is available for an additional $9.95.] (R. Pitman)