The Wolf Man was always my favorite of the old Universal horror movie characters. I loved those films where Lon Chaney Jr as Lawrence Talbot travels through strange, unnamed European countries, followed by or following an assortment of vampires, man-made monsters, hunchbacks, mad scientists and an old gypsy woman. Talbot only wants to die but there's always a beautiful maiden or rich baroness wanting to prevent that. Looked like fun to me, well, except for the waking up in blood and wondering what constable, burgomaster, or villager you slew the night before.
As for modern werewolf movies, I love Silver Bullet (the church dream sequence is always fun), Wolf (love the ending), the Ginger Snaps series and Company of Wolves, which I haven't seen in ages and must hunt down the dvd. Also love Cursed, Christina Ricci is so howl-t!
Those are some of my many favorites. What are yours?
Posts: 8291 | Location: State of Insanity | Registered: 22 September 2005
Werewolf of London (1935) has always been one of my favorites. Most people forget it came six years before The Wolf Man (1941), another great film. I was never a big fan of Lon Chaney, Jr., but the other actors (especially Claude Rains role and Bela Lugosi's cameo) and the atmosphere make that film stand out, as well.
There's a big gap for me until An American Werewolf in London (1981). This movie scared the water out of me when I was a kid. The off-the-wall mix of gruesome horror and bizarre comedy make it one of my favorites to this day.
Ginger Snaps (2000) follows in that tradition and I enjoyed it as well. Outside of these I feel that werewolves often get the shaft. In general some of the worst horror films I've ever seen are bad werewolf flicks. I still love 'em, though.
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I have to agree that An American Werewolf in London is supersweet. In fact, it's so good that it's hard for me to mention any others, even though I enjoy them. Maybe I'll come back later, after I recall all the classic scenes from this flick.
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Posts: 12865 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004
The only werewolf movie I remember seeing was Wolf with Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer and I thought it was really good. They don't really make a lot of werewolf movies these days do they? It's mostly zombie flicks and slashers.
Yeah, I loved Wolf. And I forgot to mention An American Werewolf in London earlier. I dunno, it's not my favorite werewolf flick, probably because there's too much comedy and I wasn't crazy about the huge wolf. Nicholson was perfect playing a sarcastic bad-ass wolf man but still something was missing from that film too. Maybe someone will redo the original Wolf Man and create a definitive modern werewolf movie.
An American Werewolf in London came out same year as The Howling. It was okay though I never saw any of the 7 or 8 "Howling" sequels. ivocaliban is right, the werewolf gets the shaft.
Posts: 8291 | Location: State of Insanity | Registered: 22 September 2005
Wasn't there a foreign movie a few years back, from Spain maybe, dealing with werewolves? Or maybe it was vampires, or vampire werewolves, or something like that.
Originally posted by Commontone: Wasn't there a foreign movie a few years back, from Spain maybe, dealing with werewolves? Or maybe it was vampires, or vampire werewolves, or something like that.
Maybe that'd be Romasanta, which was released as Werewolf Hunter in the states. I've read some good things about it but have never seen it.
Posts: 8291 | Location: State of Insanity | Registered: 22 September 2005
Well I finally caught Werewolf Hunter on dvd the other night. The film is based on the true story of Europe's first serial killer who claimed to be a werewolf. Julian Sands plays Romasanta, a travelling vendor who's accused of a dozen or more murders back in the 1850's. There's one cool transformation scene but otherwise don't expect any werewolf scenes, just the four legged wolf variety. Still it's worth renting, the lead actress, Elsa Pataky, is very nice to watch and she does a good job as one of Romasanta's love interests and foes. Being more to do with wolves than werewolves, the movie reminded me of Wolfen and Brotherhood of the Wolf, two more fine wolf-based films.
Posts: 8291 | Location: State of Insanity | Registered: 22 September 2005
Ah, Julian Sands...I think that's why I never pursued that movie. He's kind of like Eric Roberts to me, a slimy, low-budget soft-porn kind of actor, and I don't expect much from him. But maybe I'll netflix it.
I did see American Werewolf In London the other night, and enjoyed it. The transformation scene was pretty great. My only big problem was that David Naughton was clearly an amateur actor, while his love interest, the nurse, seemed like a very fine, professional actress. So it was unconvincing in that respect. But there were some good scenes -- the rampage at the end was nicely done. And the balloon bit was pretty funny.
AWIL rules as a werewolf flick. It's the funniest, but it's also the scariest, the sexiest, the most honest, the saddest, and the best-directed and has the greatest effects.
The attack on the moors is the scariest thing I've ever seen. That's awesome, even after the wonderful pub and pentangle scene.
The nightmares, with the family and the nurse, where everybody dies, are tremendous, and then, at the end, you've got the melt-down at the porno theatre, which is unique, and you've got the destruction of Piccadilly Square, which is the goriest werewolf scene ever. That movie is AWESOME!!
"Naked Woman, Naked Man Where did you get that nice sun tan?"
Posts: 12865 | Location: Behind the Orange Curtain | Registered: 14 May 2004
I would definitely have to agree about An American Werewolf in London, that's pretty much the only one that comes to mind and is definitely my favorite (of what I've seen, and mind you that's not much). I love the Nazi zombie things too. And it's amazing how funny a scary movie can be.
"I should like to be able to love my country and still love justice." - Camus
Posts: 178 | Location: the back of your mind | Registered: 29 June 2004
Dog Soldiers is OK - it's hugely entertaining, but a little flawed. It's the sort of film that blokes will love for all it's guns and bravado, but it gets a bit carried away with the macho aspect. However, it's well worth watching just to see Sean Pertwee fight a dog to retrieve his own intestines.
Best werewolf film for me is probably American werewolf in London. Despite the infamous 'werewolf in a wheelbarrow' (which looks a bit rubbish), it's a great film. Brilliant performances, rock solid script and very scary. It also made me laugh a lot. That transformation scene is still one of the most spectacular use of animatronics I've ever seen.
The Howling was good too.
EDIT - for obvious reasons.
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None more Black
Posts: 435 | Location: Kent | Registered: 29 September 2005
Originally posted by Duncan Black: Dog Soldiers is OK - it's hugely entertaining, but a little flawed. It's the sort of film that blokes will love for all it's guns and bravado, but it gets a bit carried away with the macho aspect. However, it's well worth watching just to see Sean Pertwee fight a dog to retrieve his own intestines.
But yes the best has to go to AWIL. That underground scene is cool. And the moors, and the mutation, and the....on and on. Totally scared the poo out of me when I saw it as a kid.
But yes the best has to go to AWIL. That underground scene is cool. And the moors, and the mutation, and the....on and on. Totally scared the poo out of me when I saw it as a kid.
Shit - I'm not doing very well on werewolf movies am I? Maybe I'll post back here later and make it a hat trick!
None more Black
Posts: 435 | Location: Kent | Registered: 29 September 2005
Watched Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory tonight. It's a 1961 flick so the girl's dorm part is void of naked flesh. Anyhow, a new professor with a shady past shows up at the school for girls (who also have a tainted past). Soon afterwards, a student is slain by a werewolf, and everyone's a suspect. The werewolf parts aren't too bad for an extremely low budget '61 film. The transfer to dvd was pretty awful, especially where the sound was concerned. Still, I enjoyed it- and the cool opening credits song- "Ghoul From the School".
Posts: 8291 | Location: State of Insanity | Registered: 22 September 2005
Anyhow, a new professor with a shady past shows up at the school for girls (who also have a tainted past). Soon afterwards, a student is slain by a werewolf, and everyone's a suspect. The werewolf parts aren't too bad for an extremely low budget '61 film. The transfer to dvd was pretty awful, especially where the sound was concerned. Still, I enjoyed it- and the cool opening credits song- "Ghoul From the School".
