In light of JOE JOHNSTON’S THE WOLFMAN howling at the screen next week (on February 12 that is), I figured I’d take a look back at the werewolf subgenre and share with ya my 7 FAVORITE WEREWOLF MOVIES. I gotta say it, the werewolf genre has a lot of stinkers stuck to its fur but hey I managed to find my darlings – all that matters. Now I am not saying these are the best of all time, I haven’t seen every wolf-man bastard ever stamped to celluloid, but these are just my picks out of the ones I’ve neutered. It should be barked that I have never tackled the original 1941 classic THE WOLF MAN… I know…shame, shame… I have to change that…but that’s why its not mentioned on this hit-list. My attorney is ready to deal with your insults:) HOWL AWAY!
7- GINGER SNAPS (2000)
GINGER SNAPS TRAILER
Why: The Canadian made GINGER SNAPS (directed by John Fawcett) was an original, intelligent in-depth look at two teenage girls going through the hardest period of their lives…and one of them just happens to be turning into a werewolf. Much like Cronenberg’s “The Fly” was a metaphor for AIDS, this flick used the werewolf convention as a parallel to a young woman’s entry into womanhood (yes, “the rag”). And it had nifty chick to wolf transformation scenes to boot! See it!
6– WOLF (1994)
WOLF TRAILER
Why: Mike Nichols WOLF was a different kind of werewolf flick, more mature and cerebral than the norm. Nicholson gets bitten by a werewolf and he actually becomes a better man for it, specially within the big business/corporate takeover setting he’s rotting in. This puppy was classically shot, had a score by the great Ennio Morricone and sported some solid performances (Nicholson owned this role, Pfeiffer was pleasant on the eyes and Spader was doing what he does best: playing a scumbag). Even though I could’ve done without the trampolines and slow motion abusing in the end, WOLF was still a werewolf flick to remember and revisit…which I will do soon!
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5– BAD MOON (1996)
UNCUT – OPENING OF BAD MOON – NSFW
Why: Based on the book “Thor”, ERIC RED’S BAD MOON was a slyly written and strongly directed little gem. It’s strength lied in the GENIUS conveyed conflict between man-wolf Ted and Thor the dog (I hear the book is all told from the dog’s point of view). Seeing a man and a dog messing with each other like that, stuck in a turf war if you will, was gold – mucho unique and suprisingly credible. Moreover, the pace of the film was fast, Michael Pare gave a tour de force performance, there was some slick gore and the last 15 minutes will whoop you silly. This flick was criminally overlooked on the big screen – see it if you haven’t doggy-styled it yet.
4- IN THE COMPANY OF WOLVES (1985)
GRISLY TRANSFORMATION CLIP
Why: Neil Jordan’s strikingly shot and brilliantly acted gothic horror fantasy was a clever spin on the Red Riding Hood story and was filled to the brim with spooky imagery, eroticism, red grub and freaky transformations. The film basically acted as a surreal cautionary tale addressing the “don’t ever trust a stranger” theme and it brought its point home with gusto. Finally, ask yourself this: when’s the last time you witnessed a wolf nuzzle peer out of a man’s open mouth? Exactly! F*cking weird but in a GREAT WAY!
3- THE HOWLING (1981)
AWESOME TRANSFORMATION CLIP
Why: Joe Dante’s The Howling was a somber, layered and movie reference-filled flick with a whoop-ass finale. If you’re looking for a well communicated story filled with chills, brains, a likeable female lead and Grade-A werewolf transformations…you’ve come to the right dog park. It should be said that effect-wizard Rob Bottin (of “The Thing” fame) delivered the goods here and I’m part of the many that think that his werewolf transformations still don’t get the props they deserve. They easily rivaled “American Werewolf in London” as the best displays of man-to-lupine onscreen transformations.
2- DOG SOLDIERS (2002)
DOG SOLDIERS TRAILER
Why: Take the spooky setting of “Night of the Living Dead” and the relentless action of “Aliens”; toss in there some crazy werewolves for good measure and you get a sweet drink called “Dog Soldiers”. Sure, I’ve seen most of these mad happenings before: they hold up in a house, pad the windows, the lights go off, there’s a wolf in the fold (pun intended) etc. But director Neil Marshall delivered the familiar elements in such an earnest and enthusiastic manner, that it all came across as fresh as French bread. Tag to that a meticulously paced buildup, surprisingly strong dialogue that was as gripping as the mayhem, a beyond engaging show by Sean Pertwee (Wells), action galore and you get a horror fan’s sweet nightmare come to celluloid life.
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1- AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981)
AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON TRAILER
Why: A simple story gets an eccentric approach…and aren’t we all thankful? Guy gets bit by a wolf, has weird dreams, receives visits from the undead, falls in love, turns into a wolf and kills people. Sounds pretty simple, no? What made John Landis’ werewolf classic stand out was the seemingly effortless blend of humor and scares. Both ingredients gelled together so well. One second you’re sitting in your couch horrified as a horde of werewolf “Nazis” break into a house and murder a family and the next moment, you’re smiling or laughing at actor David Naughton’s naked antics. Landis played by his own rules and managed to make a love story, crazy dream sequences, a living dead friend, funny situations, an astounding werewolf transformation sequence (one of the most effective I’ve ever seen, lets see how Rick Baker fares in the upcoming THE WOLMAN) and a smashing car pile-up all stick together…WOW! Yup, my NUMBER 1 werewolf flick.
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GET YOUR WOLF ON BONUSES
COOL WEREWOLF CLIP FROM WAXWORK (1988).
OZZY OSBOURNE – BARK AT THE MOON MUSIC VIDEO
MICHAEL JACKSON’S THRILLER MUSIC VIDEO
TRAILER FOR THE WOLF MAN (1941)
HOWL AT HER MOONS AND BRING ON WOLFMAN ALREADY! HOWLLLLLL!
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