User reviews

This is a beautifully filmed Discovery Channel documentary that will give you a new appreciation for these majestic and misunderstood creatures. Although savage in some respects, the wolf pack functions as a true family. Jim and Jamie Dutcher spent years living among wolves in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho. It is easy to see how they became part of the extended pack, and it is sad to watch them say goodbye when the wolves are relocated to their permanent home.

Hopefully this documentary might help to enlighten those who would erase these beautiful animals from the planet.

Ruthless Beasts or Protective Unit? Wolves are mysterious creatures. They are symbols of secrecy and menace. Wolves are the untamed call of the wild. These creatures are considered carnivorous; wild beasts with ruthless intentions. However, is that really the truth? Sure, one can't keep a fluffy wolf pup as a pet, but there are a few dimensions of wolf livelihood that society is failing to consider. The film Wolves at our Door sheds light on the true life a wolf pack raised in captivity experiences through the perspective of the Sawtooth Pack. Jim and Jamie Dutcher spend six years observing and interacting with the beautiful members of the Sawtooth Pack in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. The Dutchers obtained wolf pups they then raised in captivity to observe them in their natural environment, as a pack. The relationship the couple has with the wolf pack is remarkable to see in this film. It is a bond built upon a six- year foundation. The couple lives just beyond a fence next to the pack's enclosure, enjoying the breathtaking patterns and lifestyles of the unit. The Dutchers allow the viewer to really consider how "vicious" a pack of wolves can be. They are a family unit and this film expresses that fully. It is an awe-inspiring film. The up close shots of the pack allow the viewer to feel near the beautiful animals. The sounds in the film are also crisp and clear. A particular scene that captured my attention was the scene when the three new pups are introduced to the original members of the pack. It is intriguing to watch three captive-raised animals immediately submit to animal instincts. Jim Dutcher said, "Kamots is the leader, you guys are going to have to listen to him" to the young pups. It was interesting to see these creatures behave like any other wild animal. As a viewer of this documentary, one can hear the crunch of the snow underfoot of the wolf pack. Jamie also recorded the howls created by the animals; beautiful voices traveling deep into the night. Jim Dutcher reminds us about the kill ratio between humans and wolves. As a society, we have killed thousands of wolves in North America. It is how many of us they have killed that is shocking: none. Jamie and Jim Dutcher show these "devils in the dark" in a new light in this film. In this film, Kamots, the wolf pack alpha, and his family unit are observed over the course of six years. Bottle fed at birth and released into the wolf enclosure at seven weeks, these wolves are considered captive, yet experience freedom for the rest of their lives, with occasional human interaction. The wolves live in a setting undisturbed by civilization and, unlike their wild brethren, are free of hunters. The pack begins with five wolves, but three years later, three pups are introduced into the family unit. The hierarchy of the wolf pack is explored in this film. There are decisive roles in a wolf pack. There is the alpha, the wolf pack leader, the beta wolf, second in command and the peacemaker, and the omega, the lowest rank of the pack who yields to others, are two important slots in pack life. Each wolf has strengths and weaknesses, and each wolf has an important role amongst the hierarchy of wolf society. As the pack expands and as the wolves age, the Dutchers observe their every move over the course of the seasons with minimal interference. Although the pack was raised by humans and understand human contact, I feel they, as a pack, still represent wolf packs in the wild as well. The interactions between the wolves are extraordinary to capture on film, which the Dutchers manage to do well. There is an impending threat for this wolf pack unfortunately. The Dutchers' permit for the land they are on is running out, and Jim and Jamie must find a new home for their little family. Will the family find a new, more permanent home in time? The documentary captures a beautiful story uncovering and dispelling the myths about wolves being dangerous creatures. They are only doing what is best for their family. That is the key beauty to a wolf pack. Family is always first on a wolf pack's priority list. The bonds between wolves grow every day and strengthen the unit as a whole. The only aspect of this film that keeps few viewers wary of wolves is that these are still technically captive wolves being observed, and the idea of "observer bias" must be considered. It is possible the Dutchers' interference with the wolf pack has changed the results of pack life caught on film. Overall, the film is beautiful, observing a solid story with a wonderful family dynamic. Unfortunately, this film lacks comparison to wild wolves. It is lovely to see positive features of these animals, but what are wolves wild and free from human activity like? I think having a wolf expert come in and interview about this topic would give this film that added support it needs. It is true that wolves are carnivorous and, in the wild, are unrelenting to their prey. However, this film shows a mysterious life of a wolf pack uncovered. The Dutchers have a very obvious passion for these animals as demonstrated by the film. Wolves are family, they are a unit, and although they still represent the mysterious, untamed call of the wild, this film sheds light upon the most undisturbed features of wolf life and shows their beauty as a family.

Loved the movie, loved the book even more so. The first comment is quite a typical one from those at WERC. I suggest reading the book form of Wolves at Our Door to get the full complete story. It's is full of fun moments with the Sawtooth Pack, and some moments that just pull at your heartstrings. The struggles the Dutchers endured for these Wolves showed how much they truly cared. It is true, as Jim states in the book, that these Wolves weren't 'wild'. This is a focus on the inner workings of a Wolf pack and it's hierarchy. How an Alpha male runs his pack, from choosing an alpha female, to keeping the omega in it's place. No matter what the detractors say, this movie and it's counterparts show what no other Wolf study has been able to portray in the Wolf.

Wolves at Our Door is a good film about the subject, but with substantial flaws at its core.

To be fair, the wolves are as portrayed; strong, capable carnivores with complex social lives and a reputation which is undeserved. Also, the footage of the wolves is well done.

But all is not well here.

I remember the first time I heard that Disney's True Life Adventures had made footage of lemmings leaping to their doom over cliffs, something which I later discovered that they don't do intentionally, by filling buckets with the rodents and tossing them in the sea. Few things on the screen are as they seem, apparently. Even in the case of wildlife documentaries such as Wolves at Our Door.

For many years, I worked for the Wolf Education and Research Center, the non-profit created to take care of the Sawtooth Pack after Jim Dutcher completed filming Wolves at Our Door. Doing so has given me some insight into both wolves and the work of Jim Dutcher.

The Sawtooth Pack were never really wild. They were born in captivity in Canada and purchased by Jim Dutcher for the film.

During the filming, a black wolf named Aipuyi was euthanized upon orders from Jim Dutcher, against the suggestions of the vet and handler he had hired to care for the wolves during filming. The film gives the impression that the Sawtooth Pack was given to the Nez Pierce tribe in Idaho, but this isn't the case either. The wolves were sold for tens of thousands of dollars to a non-profit organization hastily created to save the wolves, after Dutcher had commented that euthanizing the wolves was an option he was considering. The wolves came with a restrictive agreement which gave most photographic rights to Dutcher. The non-profit group couldn't even use images of the wolves on merchandise in order to support itself or the wolves.

The whole sordid affair came out on the internet, and one can still find references, comments and articles about the issue if one searches. The Internet has a long memory.

I'm almost sorry to say that we -should- view "Wolves at Our Door." It's probably the one video in recent times which has done more to educate people about wolves than most others. But remember, it -is- about the wolves and their plight, and we should always carefully consider if, in the case of wildlife documentaries, the ends justifies the means.