This 2001 Horror Movie Inspired 'Bloodborne' - But Should Fans Watch It?
Hunters of Yharnam, rise! Rejoice, killers of beasts and seekers of the old blood, for after a decade of slumber, Bloodborne has returned! Much like Uncharted (2022) and The Last of Us (2023), Sony is now giving the same treatment to FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed masterpiece. Sony may not be interested in remaking or remastering what is widely considered one of the best video games of the 2010s, but an R-rated animated adaptation is good, too!
For those who have never played Bloodborne, it is the personification of Gothic horror. The decrepit streets of Yharnam are populated with nightmarish creatures directly inspired by H. P. Lovecraft. However, game director Hidetaka Miyazaki didn’t just offer his reinterpretation of Lovecraft’s vision of cosmic horror for his magnum opus; he also drew inspiration from a 2001 French film that can be easily streamed on Prime Video and The Roku Channel. For hunters looking to sharpen their weapons as they await Bloodborne’s animated debut, venture into the darkness that is Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001).
What Is ‘Brotherhood Of The Wolf’ About?
Bloodborne, at its core, is a game about a hunter killing beasts. Those beasts can be unfathomable monsters or humans that have succumbed to madness, but in Brotherhood of the Wolf, the hunter’s target is something far more feral and realistic, yet all the more dangerous.
The film, directed by Christophe Gans of Silent Hill (2006) fame, is a historical horror-action film set in the south of France in the region of Gevaudan. A wolf-like monster has besieged the area and been devouring people and tearing their flesh apart. Hunters have been brought from throughout France to hunt the beast, though there’s much more to its rampage than meets the eye. The destruction caused by the beast seems almost intentional, as if it’s being controlled by someone, and several groups seem very keen on ensuring the beast can continue its indiscriminate killing. The whys and hows aren’t exactly clear, but the assembled hunters have very little time to ensure the monster is put down before more lives and more evil can spread.
Interestingly enough, while Brotherhood of the Wolf frames its action as a supernatural action film, its plot is loosely based on real events. In France, from 1764 to 1767, similar reports of a beast in the region of Gevaudan that appeared to be a demonic wolf began to circulate around the countryside, driving the residents into hysteria. Over a hundred peasants were killed, and it was a large enough problem that King Louis XV offered a bounty for the beast’s death. In reality, the Beast of Gevaudan was just a semi-large wolf, but Christophe Gans took their bit of folklore and decided to make it into a Gothic action movie unlike any other.
Just How Similar Are ‘Brotherhood Of The Wolf’ And ‘Bloodborne’?
Just from that description, it’s easy to see a lot of narrative similarities between Brotherhood of the Wolf and Bloodborne. Both are European in origin and feature hunters stalking the night to kill monsters plaguing the innocent, but the connections go way deeper than that.
Just by looking at the poster of Brotherhood of the Wolf, it’s impossible not to draw similarities between how its hunters are depicted and the hunters of Yharnam. Both are clad in leather with large hats obscuring their faces, and honestly, they look cool as hell. The designs are slick and stylish, which helps to make the hunters stand out in the dark and dreary French countryside. Gevaudan may not be as impressive a setting as Yharnam, but the tone is almost identical, depicting a world that feels tired and barely holding on by a thread.
Then, there’s the beast itself. It’s a gnarly mixture of flesh and metal, brilliantly brought to life by the Jim Henson Company, and it perfectly fits the description of a demonic creature. All you have to do is look at it, and you’ll instantly understand why Hidetaka Miyazaki used Brotherhood of the Wolf for direct inspiration for Bloodborne. Bloodborne is known for its feral monsters. The Cleric Beast, Father Gascoigne, and Ludwig the Holy Blade are breathtaking creatures of brutality, and the Beast of Gevaudan would fit perfectly in their ranks.
Should You Watch ‘Brotherhood Of The Wolf’?
Brotherhood of the Wolf is very much a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none. It mixes so many different genres that there’s a little something for everyone. Like the aesthetics of films like Sleepy Hollow (1999)? Brotherhood of the Wolf has you covered. Want political intrigue with a grim undertone? There’s a subplot for that. Historical drama fans will eat up the setting and real-life inspiration of the film, and even wuxia action fans will find a lot of the action choreography impressive and fun.
The film can be a bit busy because of it, with the myriad of tones and styles overlapping one another. However, if you’re willing to give it some slack for throwing everything and the kitchen sink together to make a two and a half hour horror epic, then you’ll easily understand why Brotherhood of the Wolf has earned its cult status. Brotherhood of the Wolf is no mere bad dream. It’s the origin of the greatest gaming nightmare of all time.
