WolfCop is here. A lycanthropic horror-comedy romp that just screams fun, WolfCop is nothing if not entertaining. To celebrate the release of the film, we’ve gone back and revisited the Top 11 Police Officers in Horror.
Now we’re not talking about private eyes or police force detectives, but flatfoots, beat cops, the boys in blue. To make this list, you’ve gotta be wearing the badge, sidearm holstered on your hip, and be dressed in uniform. Before we kick off this one, we’ve got some honorable mentions for you.
Just missing the Top 11 were Sheriff Andy Bellefleur from “True Blood” and Officer Deborah Morgan from “Dexter.” Both were detectives at one point or another in their respective series, but they also walked the beat. A shout goes out to two officer dads in iconic horror films. Sheriff Leigh Brackett (father of Laurie’s friend Annie) in Halloween and Lieutenant Donald Thompson (father of Nancy Thompson) in A Nightmare on Elm Street were not only doting dads, but they served and protected as well. We’d also like to throw a little love to New York Police Officer Ralph Sarchie, whose story was the inspiration for Deliver Us from Evil, and last, but certainly not least, is the PMS Cop. Ya gotta love it.
And now the…
Army of the Damned – Officer Carpoza
It was a pure stroke of genius to cast wrestling legend Tommy Dreamer, the Innovator of Violence, as a police officer in Army of the Damned. Dreamer has the perfect look to play an officer of the law. He’s got the solid jaw, the apparently surly persona, and the burly physique. Carpoza goes on a routine house call in Army of the Damned, only to find out that it’s much more than he could ever have expected. Partnered with Thea Trinidad (better known in the wrestling community as TNA’s Rosita, who also made one helluva cop) as Officer Lawson, the two veterans of the squared circle made for fantastically believable officers in this supernatural, bloody adventure.
“Holliston” – Officer Duffy
You don’t normally associate a physically imposing, nearly 6’6″ horror veteran with outrageous comedy, but Derek Mears is more than just your average horror vet. Mears also just happens to be one hilarious individual, and a great illustration of that is his portrayal of Officer Duffy in Adam Green’s “Holliston.” Officer Duffy and his equally funny partner Officer Pappas (played by Colton Dunn) make for the perfect pair of flatfoots to try to rein in the shenanigans of the “Holliston” crew. Amid a slew of recurring characters played by horror legends in the beloved “by horror fans for horror fans” “Holliston” show, Officer Duffy is one of the best!
The Devil’s Rejects – Sheriff John Quincey Wydell
Sheriff Wydell is nothing if not driven. Played by the chameleon-like William Forsythe, Sheriff Wydell goes on a revenge-fueled rampage against the Firefly clan in answer to the murder of his brother, Lieutenant George Wydell, as seen in House of 1000 Corpses. From an insane interrogation scene that resulted in the death of Mother Firefly to some seriously deviant torture of Otis Driftwood, Captain Spaulding, and Baby Firefly (with some especially intense cruelty toward Baby), Sheriff John Quincey Wydell was the only lawman that was able to give The Rejects a run for their money. Of course, in the end Tiny emerged from the darkness to tip the scales toward the Fireflys, but considering how everyone else fared against them, Wydell had one helluva run. Fuck Groucho!
From Dusk Till Dawn – Texas Ranger Earl McGraw
Texas Ranger McGraw didn’t last very long in From Dusk Till Dawn. He really didn’t last very long at all. But goddamn, he was funny. Played by Michael Parks in the few short minutes Earl McGraw is onscreen, he came up with some fantastically memorable lines in his interaction with liquor store clerk Pete Bottoms. McGraw was quoted as saying, “Well, it’s been one long goddamn hot miserable shit-ass fuckin’ day every inch of the way,” “I think I’m gonna get tanked tonight,” and “Jesus H. Christ, Pete. When you gonna learn that microwave food’ll kill you faster than a bullet? I mean, them damn burritos ain’t good for nothing but a hippie when he’s high on weed.” You can also throw in another quote when Earl refers to a mentally challenged local resident as a “potato head.” For sheer entertainment quality per minutes onscreen, Texas Ranger Earl McGraw may be the undisputed champ.
Last House on the Left – Sheriff and Deputy
Sheriff and Deputy. That’s how they are credited. To give credit where it is due, Marshall Anker played Sheriff, and Martin Kove was Deputy. Certainly, when this duo were shooting their ridiculous scenes (of course you all remember the insane chicken truck riot), they could never have imagined that their work would still be hailed as one of the most beloved, groundbreaking horror films of all time. The police officers played an incredibly important part in The Last House on the Left… comic relief. It’s often forgotten that amongst the insane brutality of Last House that Wes Craven made an effort to give audiences a break with a pair of laughable, zany police officers running amok. So thank you, Sheriff and Deputy, for helping us get through The Last House on the Left. Incidentally, horror icon Steve Miner appears uncredited as another member of the force, listed only as “Hippie Taunting Deputy.”
Reservoir Dogs – Officer Marvin Nash
Many of the officers on this list are serious kickass individuals. Now, not to say that our next two entries were BAMF’s, but through circumstances somewhat beyond their control, they ended up in some seriously, seriously shitty situations. Officer Marvin Nash experienced one of the most memorably bad-guy-on-good-guy moments in recent cinematic memory. Officer Nash (played by Kirk Baltz) is wickedly tortured by Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) in a scene that made sure viewers would never listen to the song “Stuck in the Middle With You“ the same way again. Certainly, Reservoir Dogs is more an action film than a horror jaunt, but what Mr. Blonde does to this unfortunate officer could certainly be worthy of any horror movie. Ears to you, Officer Marvin Nash.
Collar – Officer Dana
Director Ryan Nicholson sat down with Dread Central recently and talked about making Collar. He mentioned how star Nick Principe helped to reel him in, at one point saying, “Really Ryan? Another rape scene? Really?” Principe’s comment perfectly illustrates just what Nicholson inflicted upon Officer Dana in Collar. The film was inspired by a dream that Nicholson had where a psycho drags a police officer through the streets, removing body parts along the way, until the psychotic conclusion. And Nicholson did a great job bringing that nightmare to life. Officer Dana is absolutely ravaged after being ensnared by the heavy of Collar, a homeless menace named Massive. This is an experience that must be seen to be believed. And we can safely say that filmmakers would be hard pressed to top the devastation that befalls Officer Dana in Collar.
30 Days of Night – Sheriff Eben Oleson
It’s not easy being the one line of defense between an army of intelligent, hungry vampires and a town full of… well… food. The concept behind 30 Days of Night is one of the best ever. Although the comic series goes on to flesh the story out considerably, the original tale told of a herd of vampires that descend upon Barrow, Alaska, just before the town hits its annual stretch of 30 straight days of darkness. And, of course, in the span of that month, the vamps can walk freely, able to feed at will without having to return to the shadows during the daytime. And yeah, Sheriff Eben had to battle this. Not to mention Danny Huston playing the incredibly violent and vicious leader of the vamps. Eben would eventually meet his own demise at daybreak, but he battled those undead bloodsuckers like a champ.
“The Walking Dead” – Sheriff Rick Grimes
Venturing through the post-apocalyptic world of “The Walking Dead” armed with his signature weapon, the impressive, high-powered Colt Python, Sheriff Rick Grimes (played by Andrew Lincoln) is, of course, the focal character in “The Walking Dead.” He’s gone from badass police officer to farmer to evolved man and then back to badass police officer. Rick has become a modern day horror icon who’s carried his professional duties into the new world. And his partner, the late, unforgettable Shane Walsh (Jon Berenthal), certainly deserves a mention on this list as well for all those fans of Team Shane.
Scream – Deputy Sheriff Dwight “Dewey” Riley
Deputy Dewey is as much a horror mainstay as Ghostface himself. David Arquette portrayed Deputy Sheriff Dwight “Dewey” Riley in all four Scream movies and managed to keep our hearts in our throats wondering whether he would survive each of them. He seems to fall in the category of bumbling law enforcement officer, but Deputy Dewey does manage to pull off victories from time to time, certainly challenging his categorization as a bumbler. Not the least of which was his ability to woo Gale Weathers (played by Arquette’s one-time real life wife, Courteney Cox). Dewey certainly matured as the Scream series rolled on and eventually became sheriff of Woodsboro and married Gale. Not bad for a character that wasn’t supposed to survive the original film. Dewey was originally slated to die (and you can verify that, as any scene showing the injured Dewey in the climax of Scream had him not breathing); however, director Wes Craven liked the character so much he shot a scene of Dewey being loaded into an ambulance, alive, instead of dying, just in case audiences fell in love with him too. They did, and Deputy Dewey thrived. Below is a typically hairy moment for him, this one from Scream 2.
Maniac Cop – Officer Matthew Cordell
When it comes to honoring horrific law enforcement officers, is there anyone more appropriate for the recognition than Officer Matthew Cordell? Or, as you may better know him… Maniac Cop! Maniac Cop was an 80’s standby. Up against two genre heavyweights in Bruce Campbell and Tom Atkins (playing Jack Forrest and Frank McCrae, respectively), Maniac Cop Cordell had his work cut out for him in the original film. Played by solid-chinned Robert Z’Dar (Zdarsky for those of you keeping score at home), the Maniac Cop would finally go on to provide three films worth of violence and brutality. Not bad for an officer that was supposed to be dead in the first film. He’s uniformed, he’s evil, and he’s not fucking around! Maniac Cop is the real deal.
WolfCop (review) was written and directed by Lowell Dean and stars Leo Fafard, Amy Matysio, Aidan Devine, Jesse Moss, Sarah Lind, Jonathan Cherry, and Corrine Conley.
Synopsis:
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. One evening 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.