By Diltaj Atwal
Lou Grenou (Leo Fafard) is a lazy, alcoholic, womanizing cop in the small town of Woodhaven. After a satantic cult transforms him into a werewolf, he becomes WolfCop — a beast of a police officer who serves justice with fangs, fuzz and campy horror.
Unlike many horror films, WolfCop, which is now in theatres, doesn’t rely on CGI for its special effects. The practical effects bring a retro feel, reminiscent of old monster movies.
Wearing the WolfCop costume was fun and challenging, says Fafard.
“It’s a bit warm and at times it feels like this big, itchy cactus kind of a thing, because your hair has been matted and stuck to your head for so many hours,” says Fafard, who plays both incarnations of WolfCop. “But, overall, it’s not nearly as uncomfortable as you’d think.”
Monster maker Emersen Ziffle says director Lowell Dean gave him creative freedom in creating the WolfCop costume.
The initial design was used to create the film’s trailer, which was entered into the CineCoup Film Accelerator — a contest for independent filmmakers to develop and market their films. The Canadian-made WolfCop beat 92 films to win a million-dollar prize and guaranteed distribution in Cineplex theatres.
For the film, Ziffle says they wanted to bring some humanity to the werewolf aspect of the character.
The aim was to create a “crusty little scuzzbag,” who’s “really not that bad,” says Fafard.
“You have an alcoholic womanizer on one hand that has other character flaws that are unpleasant, but at the same time you don’t want the audience to be against him,” says Fafard.
One year after being greenlit, WolfCop is playing in theatres and a sequel has been approved.
“The reason why I think WolfCop stood [to CineCoup] out was because of the F word: franchise,” says Dean, who notes they’ve created a WolfCop action figure and graphic novel. “We’re really trying to push the envelope and say it’s not one thing, it’s a universe.”