I can't believe "The Legend of Wolf Lodge" aka "Into the fire" was actually released to some theaters in 1988 because, aside from the tame nudity, it feels like a TV movie, and not a good one, which isn't to say it doesn't have some positive qualities.
The melodramatic story involves a young musician (Lee Montgomery) who drifts into a town in the Winter and takes a job by a guy (Art Hindle) who, apparently, abuses his alcoholic wife (Susan Anspach). The guitarist and his dog stay at the small rental house adjacent to their huge home, Wolf Lodge, which looks like it was really something back in the day. The wife thinks she's hotter than she actually is and makes the moves on the rock stud, but he's more interested in a local waitress, a young hottie (Olivia d'Abo).
Someone criticized the film on the grounds that the only likable character is the dog, and this is pretty accurate. Montgomery, in his final film, is always likable, but his character here is so stupid he loses the viewer's sympathy. For instance, the husband proves himself to be a masculinity-on-overdrive psycho and yet the rocker willingly makes out with his wife when the man's barely around the corner. It's so stupid it's unbelievable. However, Montgomery is such a quality protagonist that you tend to overlook it, sort of. Speaking of unbelievable, the final act spirals out of control on this front.
Olivia d'Abo is in her prime here and there's some tame top nudity of her and Anspach, but the latter's character is so scary it's impossible to regard her as sexy.
What makes this B movie worth maybe catching is the effective Winter Ambiance, shot in Kirkfield Ontario in the middle of Winter. The blaring 80s score often detracts, but it has some interesting elements as well.
Although I appreciated these factors, my wife gave me a look when the credits rolled that said: "You made me sit through THAT?"
The film runs 78 minutes and has too many uninteresting stretches.
GRADE: C-
