What a beautiful movie!

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is one of my favorite books. I read it as a child, have read it to my children, and plan to read it to my grandchildren. I was excited to see that there was a film adaptation. After watching it, I am terribly disappointed. With such a great story to work from, it is difficult to understand how this movie happened. The movie showed some promise in the beginning, but it slowly deteriorated as in continued. The book has a very detailed plot, great character development, and is very believable. All of these are missing in the movie. What a shame. Skip the movie and go straight to the book. Joan Aiken continues the story with "Black Hearts in Battersea" and "Nightbirds on Nantucket". The series is called "The Wolves Chronicles" and Ms. Aiken expands the stories even further, but the first three are my favorite.

To begin with I have not read the book, and I can understand frustration when films aren't faithful to books, I hate that too. I first saw this film when I was a kid and was enthralled by the atmosphere, characters and story and the memory stayed with me. I have seen it twice since then as an adult, and still love it.I do understand worrying that it will scare children (and I certainly wouldn't show it to a 5 year old, it's not meant for small children) but I think that lots of children would love this film and parents should base it on their own knowledge of their children, most parents know roughly what their own kids will love and what they will find scary. I've been trying to find a DVD of this but there isn't one :(

i have searched and asked what was this movie's name the girl actresses. i remember so vividly.and the well and the wolves eating the lady.it sounds awful but they persevere and save the day there was like a horseback carriage.and the scenery was so pretty.its on youtube the first seen is the wolf silhouette.it's a well done movie especially for the year i loved this movie and i know you will too i watched it with my grandma too.check it out.i know you will love it.

I remember this film well from my childhood, that's not a good thing. I echo the comments of other reviewers: how was this ever conceived as a family film? The scene where someone gets squashed between rollers has stayed with me for life, as the first, and most terrifying vision I had ever encountered. Forgive me for I remember little else of the film, that scene was enough. I have a blossoming 5 year old daughter, dear lord strike me down if I ever show this film to her!Fortunately, we have come to realise as a society that scaring the wits out of our young ones may not be in their best interests. Go and find Latcho Drom, by Tony Gatlif, instead and inject some vitality into your weekend.