The documentary, The Wolfpack, has been in my Netflix queue for a few months now. I had heard bits and pieces of what it is about and Norman Reedus promoted it some on his Instagram when it was released (he is friends with the director, Crystal Moselle) but I just never got around to watching it: I tend to do that, leave things in my queue for months and months while picking other things to watch instead Any way... wow.
The short of it is: six brothers (they have one older sister, Visnu, who has cognitive disabilities) were kept in a 6 room apartment on the 16th floor in the Lower East Side of NYC by their parents and were only allowed outside on very rare occasions. The mother home schooled them and for entertainment, as well as a way to escape their confined reality, the brothers became obsessed with cinema. They would transcribe entire scripts from films such as The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, The Dark Knight, and Reservoir Dogs then create props and costumes to use in reenacting the movies. This was their normal for over fourteen years before one of them, Mukunda, decided to disobey their father and leave their apartment building alone in 2010.
Only 15 at the time, Mukunda wore a mask fashioned after Michael Myers that he had made for reproductions of the Halloween franchise. In the film he says he went into a grocery store, a bank, and a pharmacy before the cops were called due to his unusual masked appearance. Once Mukunda stepped out, the others began to go outside with him (in their "wolfpack") after they confronted their father and told him they were no longer going to live by his rules. On one of their adventures out they met Crystal Moselle, started discussing films with her, and from there began telling their story on camera which turned into this documentary.
My understanding of their situation was that their father, Oscar Angulo, has problems with alcohol as well as some mental conditions (paranoia) and felt that by keeping his family close and shielded from society he was protecting them. The mother, Susanne, does not strike me as a weak woman, but one who was convinced that Oscar's extreme views were necessary. She has since reconnected with her family that she had not seen or spoken to for decades. It appears that the father is essentially ignored by the family now and that while most of the boys still live in the apartment with their parents who remain married, they are taking steps to lead a "normal" life and are pursuing careers in the film industry.
In my typical fashion, I have read a bunch of articles about the family and watched interviews on YouTube. They have a fascinating story to tell and, all things considered, look to have adjusted to life in the limelight rather well. From their Instagram accounts I have gleamed that they are becoming world travelers as they promote the documentary as well as some short films they have made. With Crystal's help they are creating Wolfpack Pictures, a film production company. All of the boys, er, young men, are intelligent and polite with an extreme love for their mother and a true passion for storytelling. I think the world will continue to see unique and awesome things from these guys!
From left to right: Krsna (who goes by Glenn now) 18, Govinda 23 (twin), Narayana 23 (twin), Crystal Moselle (director & friend), Susanne (mom), Mukunda 21, Baghavan 24, and Jagadisa (who goes by Eddie now) 17.
I recommend checking out the documentary as well as their short films: Mirror Heart and Window Feel!
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