Keeping the Werewolf Drugged

Making a connection between lycanthropy and drug addiction should add an effective metaphorical texture to Joel Potrykus’ short film, Coyote.

Drugs and addiction have been effectively applied to the vampire mythos, where an obvious synchronicity exists between the vampire’s need for blood and the addict’s need for drugs, but I don’t recall a werewolf film that has used this particular metaphor to give a human dimension to the supernatural curse that plagues the lycanthrope.

Synopsis:

Joshua Burge stars in this genre-mixing, postmodern, werewolf short. After each full moon, Coyote wakes up in the forest, confused and sick. With no family, no friends, and no real home, he turns to drugs to try and escape the horrors of his late-night madness.

Coyote was shot on super 8 film, something that has become very rare these days but it’s an approach that arises from the Grand Rapids (MI) filmmaker’s belief that low-budget needn’t mean shooting on video. “I studied film at Grand Valley State University,” explained Potrykus, “where I got into the French New Wave. This, combined with my love for The Evil Dead, made me want to make gritty, artsy monster movies. And keep them on film. My previous short, Gordon, was also shot on super 8. It’s about a lonely zombie who can’t find his way in the world.”

[Coyote is] a tribute to the old monster movies, with no flashy editing, CGI, or modern music. It’s about a junkie who happens to be a werewolf. Not much blood and guts. It stars Joshua Burge, of the Friction Records band Chance Jones. Minor Threat and Paul Simon have been secured for the soundtrack. It will be playing at the Thriller Chiller Film Fest in Grand Rapids, MI in October.

A rough cut of Coyote won the Audience Award at the Movie Mitten Project festival in March this year, and the film is now available on DVD via mail. Potrykus isn’t publicizing it too much in the area (MI) until the new cut premieres, but he’s taking payment via Paypal or cheque (check) to out-of-area fans. Paypal payment can be made to zoozersadd@yahoo.com — cheques to Sob Noisse Movies, 22 Lafayette Ave NE Suite 1, Grand Rapids, MI 49503). He says the new cut is finished, ready to be shipped out. Cost: US$9, postage paid, in the US and US$14, postage paid, outside the US.

Trailers:

Note: Potrykus comments on the above trailer: “The Tales from the Darkside thing was kind of a goof … I just love that TV show and wanted to experiment with the format.”

The image below is of Potrykus with “Beetlejuice”. When I asked who “Beetlejuice” was, Potrykus answered: “Beetlejuice is a c-list celeb. Made famous by Howard Stern — in no way related to the movie. Just a sweet photo.”

Addendum: Trailer for Joel’s earlier zombie film, Gordon:

• Source: Joel Potrykus via Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood