The Last Wolf: Karl Edward Wagner

The Last Wolf: Karl Edward Wagner

Knight Visions / Yellow Rose, 2020

5 / 5 Stars

I don't usually review videos or movies about sci-fi, fantasy, or horror subjects because there are plenty of blogs that do that very well. 

However, I haven't seen this 2020 documentary (filmed over the space of three years for a cost of only $1,000) given much attention in the blogging sphere I inhabit, so I thought I'd give it some promotion. Because its subject, Karl Edward Wagner, certainly is germane to 'The PorPor Books' blog, which focuses on the field of horror and fantasy fiction produced during the interval from the late 60s to the late 80s.

As a horror and fantasy fan who grew up during the 1970s and 1980s I was well aware of Wagner (1945 - 1994), as both the author of the 'Kane' novels and stories, and as the editor of the DAW Books 'Year's Best Horror Stories' anthologies. But like most of the authors who worked in those genres during that time before the advent of the internet, information about him was not easy to come by, making him a somewhat obscure figure compared to (for example) Stephen King. 

Over its 1 hour and 41 minute running time, 'The Last Wolf' relies on interviews with family members, friends, confidants, his former wife, and well-known authors of horror fiction, to provide a overview of Wagner's life and work. It's consistently interesting and informative, particularly when it turns its attention to the transformation of horror and fantasy fiction from a niche genre in the early 70s to its current-day prominence. 

The documentary covers the advent of the 'Silver Age' of horror, and how Wagner and his fellow authors, such as Ramsey Campbell, Peter Straub, and Dennis Etchison, among others, witnessed - and in some instances benefitted from - this transformation.

A chapter in the documentary titled 'Undone By His Own Bad Habits' offers a straightforward look at the role alcoholism played in Wagner's downfall as a writer (he couldn't meet his contractual obligations), the dissolution of his marriage, and his (gruesome) demise in October 1994.

The closing chapter of the documentary covers the continuing presence of Wagner's works in Europe, even while the U.S. sees a dearth of new editions of his books. According to Wagner's family members, it is difficult to find publishers who are interested in issuing reprints of Wagner's titles, hence, accessing his material remains dependent on e-Books (or, for those with deep pockets, used copies).

I recommend 'The Last Wolf' to anyone who is partial to horror, fantasy, or sci-fi literature, particularly as it was practiced during the 70s and 80s. It can be rented (for 48 hours) from Vimeo for only $3, or purchased for $6.