After a night of downing a couple too many drinks, you might wake up the following morning with a hammering headache and one thought dominating your mind: "What happened last night?" In writer/director Lowell Dean's latest film, alcoholic police officer Lou Garou ponders that question when he notices the pentagram carved into his chest one morning. Talk about a rude awakening. Things get hairy, bloody, and very funny from there for Lou and company in Dean's WolfCop, a Canadian horror comedy that's a welcome addition to the werewolf sub-genre. With WolfCop now available on Blu-ray and DVD, we caught up with writer/director Lowell Dean to discuss WolfCop’s ’80s influences, casting Leo Fafard in the titular role based on his performance as a lycanthrope in a music video, the upcoming WolfCop sequel, and much more.

Thank you very much for taking the time to talk with us. How did you come up with the idea for WolfCop?

Lowell Dean: The idea for WolfCop was born as I was developing scripts and brainstorming ideas. I put all my current ideas on a table, and the thought of mashing two of them together – a wolf script and a cop script – was the most exciting concept of them all.

In previous projects that you’ve directed, such as the reality series, Dust Up, and the horror film, 13 Eerie, the wilderness has been a key component of the story and WolfCop is no exception. As a director, what do you enjoy most about telling stories in somewhat isolated environments?

Lowell Dean: I think I am drawn to it because it is what I know! I am from Saskatchewan, so I spend my time in smaller cities where the wilderness is always just five minutes away. I think it is an interesting place to set a story, especially a horror film, because people are often out of their element and isolated – which can be a scary thing.

I understand you directed Leo Fafard in a music video in which he played a werewolf prior to filming WolfCop. What aspects did you see in his performance that made you want to cast him as WolfCop / Lou Garou?

Lowell Dean: He actually became a werwolf! Not literally (I don't think), but he changed his body language, barely spoke, and was hard to control. He even caused property damage. THAT is commitment! He was so transformed and “in the moment” that I was drawn to it, and wanted to see more.

WolfCop features both modern-day self-awareness and a delightfully retro feel. Were there any movies, books, or comics that influenced you while writing the film?

Lowell Dean: Yes, several. For movies, I watched a lot of high-concept ’80s movies that flirted with multiple tones. Movies like An American Werewolf In London and Ghostbusters. In terms of books or comics, there was no one specific reference – but we definitely explored a comic book aesthetic in terms of colours, composition and even some aspects of performance.

Eye-popping practical effects reign supreme in WolfCop. How important was it to you to preserve the practical approach to werewolves that was featured in films like An American Werewolf in London and The Howling?

Lowell Dean: It was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to make this movie. WolfCop is an homage to high-concept ’80s films, and practical effects were so key to that style. A digital werewolf transformation would have felt false and out of place in the world we were trying to create.

WolfCop takes a unique, darkly humorous approach to the hairy howler sub-genre. What did you want to play around with in the werewolf sub-genre that hadn’t really been done before?

Lowell Dean: I wanted our big contribution to be putting the werewolf front and center again, not in the shadows and not on the sidelines of some other monster's movie. I also wanted WolfCop to be a hero, a lover, and a fighter – not just a monster.

I understand you had a sprained ankle for part of the shoot. How much of an additional challenge was that injury and did it change your approach to filming in any way?

Lowell Dean: It just slowed me down, which was probably a good thing, because I have a tendency to run around a lot. It forced me to actually sit in a chair for a few days. The best part was a couple crew members provided me with some badass canes to use on set – which is pretty eccentric, I admit – but one of them has a sword hidden within, so how could I say "no"?

The barn brawl made for a raucous fight scene, with the meth lab in flames and WolfCop really getting to show his chops against a slew of bad guys. What was it like filming that scene?

Lowell Dean: It was the most fun scene to shoot, hands down. At least for me. It was what we had been building toward – WolfCop stepping into a room full of villains, using his claws and his gun to pretty much destroy everything in his sight. It was a big logistical challenge, and a lot of things to juggle and prepare in all departments, but so much fun to execute.

Was there anything that ended up on the cutting room floor that you wish could have made it into the final cut?

Lowell Dean: No deleted scenes or anything, just a few extended moments. My favorite is actually on the DVD in the outtakes section. It is when Tina (Amy Matysio) is investigating the bathroom crime scene. After she finds Lou's severed face on the ground, she finds a severed penis and makes some funny jokes about it. The penis part was cut from the final movie. It was one of the biggest laughs of the rough cut and I'd love to put it back in one day – along with a few other bizarre moments and violent moments – if I ever do a director's cut. Overall I'm happy with the current cut, though.

In addition to a werewolf, we also see another type of creature in WolfCop: reptilian shape shifters. Are there other creatures you’d like to include in the sequel, ones that would either go up against WolfCop or help him?

Lowell Dean: There are MANY creatures I'd like to bring into the WolfCop universe. The sequel will offer something new, but I feel like there are many opportunities in the future to do our own riffs on some classic monsters – either as enemies or allies.

Alcohol is equivalent to Popeye’s strength-providing spinach for WolfCop. Was that always an integral part of the script or did that develop over time?

Lowell Dean: That definitely developed over time (and different drafts of the script). Lou was always a hard drinker, but in the first draft he actually puts down the booze to save the day in the end forest fight. It was more closure for the character for sure, and perhaps came a bit too soon for Lou – who is just getting warmed up as a hero.

What direction do you want to take WolfCop and Tina in the sequel? Can you tease anything for our readers?

Lowell Dean: I don't want to give anything away, but I will say the sequel takes place not long after the first movie, so there are a lot of questions that need answers in Woodhaven. WolfCop and Tina will face some new threats. We will also get to know them a bit better this time around.

With WolfCop now available on Blu-ray and DVD from Image Entertainment, what projects do you have on deck that you’re excited about, and where can our readers find you on social media?

Lowell Dean: Next up is most likely WolfCop 2. I'm also developing some other horror films I hope to shoot after that. For updates on WolfCop and beyond, they can find me on twitter @lolofilm. Thanks!

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"Officer Lou Garou isn’t the best cop in small-town Woodhaven – in fact, he’s probably the worst. He mostly just looks to avoid anything that could possibly interfere with his goal of getting wasted. Oneevening during the night shift, Lou investigates a mysterious disturbance at the edge of town and wakes up with a pentagram carved in his chest, heightened senses and body hair that’s growing at an alarming rate. To solve the mystery of his transformation, he’ll have to take on a case no normal cop would be able to solve, but this half-man, half-beast is not just a cop…he’s a WOLFCOP."

  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.