4 Howls for Red Riding Hood for Fun YA movie

I did not have high expectations but must admit I loved the imagery and the sweet Twilight-like Romance. I'm also a sucker for all the versions of Little Red Riding Hood. Next full moon I will be interviewing my favorite version, TBA soon. Anyway, the story revolved around a small village at the edge of the forest with a big canine problem. Like Twilight there are two hot guys who like the same girl. Amanda Seyfried plays Red Riding Hood.  Shiloh Fernandez plays Peter (was he named after Peter and the Wolf?).


Max Irons plays love interest number 2, Henry, the rich blacksmith's son.

Unlike Jacob from Twilight, these guys keep their shirts on. Must be the cold temperatures.



Gary Oldman plays the tormented Werewolf Hunter (his story is based on an old legend). He has a creative way to make you confess to being a werewolf. Racks and thumb screws are so yesterday, though his technique is not cost effective. Not 'green'.

The grandmother is definitely baby boomer, not like sweet plump old granny from older versions. Very  new age.


If you pay close attention you get to see the 3 little pigs, a man in sheep's clothing and big bad wolf "my what big features you have" references. The werewolf is typical Hollywood. There is the full moon, silver used to kill the beast, its aversion to holy ground and its bite that will turn one into a werewolf.

The audience is kept guessing on who the werewolf is. Though in the beginning there is a subtle hint. No spoilers here. Could be anyone. In my town I think the werewolf was my former math teacher.


Who is the werewolf in your neck of the woods? Could it be Charlie Sheen? No, Duh! He has tiger not wolf blood. Nonetheless, I never let my kids talk to strangers.

I liked the village. No city distractions and they really know how to throw a fun celebration with cool masks.
Village occupations seems to be woodcutters, blacksmiths, priests, mask makers, pig farmers and healers. Do they have high unemployment? They apparently outsource the production of silver swords.  There were no school  but maybe they closed because of the economy. I bet the kids are home schooled. There was one pub. Not sure about the menu. The village is alpine but no one seemed to complain about the cold. We are such wimps. We wear snow boots, gloves, down jackets and have snow days. So that's why there was no school.
What would be your occupation in Red Riding Hood's village?

The werewolf was the super-sized variety seen in Twilight and in my novels. Real wolves are about the size of a German Shepard. No real wolves used in the making of this movie. Using the lycanthrope werewolf, like in 'The Howling' type might have turned the movie into a horror. What is your preference?
The music was modern meant perhaps for the teen audience. I would have preferred music by Medieval bands such as Corvus corax, Medieval Babes or Nox Arcana. What do you all think?

My favorite part was grandmother's cool home in the woods. What a cool place to write my werewolf novels. Totally off the grid. Then again, I would need internet service.


I also found the ending satisfying. Feel free to let me know what you thought of the movie and or the answers to my questions. Here are some folks that read this blog;

Gary Oldman



My favorite wolf reporter.