Werewolves are as much a part of modern horror mythology as vampires, mummies, zombies, and other things that go bump in the night. Beasts of pure animal fury, cursed persons who must live with the curse of turning into a mad creature every full moon.
That is why it felt appropriate to cover this delightful piece of horror cinema goodness for the last review of October. Halloween is literally days away. Pumpkins have been carved, costumes have been prepped, candy bought. All the things that make this a most spooktacular time of year. And what Halloween season would be complete, without a few good tricks from some old horror treats.
The Wolf Man, produced and directed by George Waggner (above), is not in fact the first ever Universal Studios werewolf movie. It was preceded six years earlier by the 1935 classic Werewolf of London. And while the famous poem about wolfsbane is now synonymous with werewolves and the transformation, it was in fact created solely for the movie by its scriptwriter Curt Siodmak.
Regardless of where the poem came from, Lon Chaney Jr. was and, by today’s standards, still is amazing in his dual role of Larry Talbot and the Wolf Man. As gifted an actor as his father, and working within the medium of sound movies, Lon Chaney Jr.’s acting ability allowed him to bridge the gap between man and beast. And all while doing it with a costume that was none too comfortable and with technology for the transformation process that was extremely limited.
According to the book ‘Universal Classic Monsters- 100th Anniversary’ by Scott Chessman, the process for turning Chaney into the Wolfman would take about two hours. Universal makeup artist Jack Pierce recalled that he would need to put the hair on a bit at time and that the process was quite tedious. Of course, not counting the hair, there is also to consider that Chaney’s costume consisted of a mask, furry chest plate and two clawed gloves. Working in a costume like that, going through a process such as that, truly shows the caliber of professionalism that Lon Chaney Jr. exhibited.
While beforehand, no behind the scenes documentation of Frankenstein was found, this intrepid film reviewer happened upon a gem beyond gems. So enjoy this wonderful documentary on the making of the 1941 classic The Wolf Man.
Normally for reviews, the writings of a critic from the New York Times is dug out. But today this review excerpt comes from The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wolf Man serves its horror straight. A very substantial cast undertakes to sell believably a tale of superstitious folklore — the one about the werewolf — and producer-director George Waggner dresses it up with all the craft at the command of a studio practiced in spinning horror yarns. Still it is impossible to guess how the public will accept The Wolf Man in these times.
That tidbit shows that there was clear interest in the picture. Bear in mind, it was released only days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the declaration of war by President Roosevelt. Still, having stood the test of time alongside other Universal Studios horror movies, it’s clear that The Wolf Man will always remain a firm favorite for audiences.
With Halloween literally days away, that celebrated night of dressing up and having fun will no doubt be a memorable one for many people this year. And with such a memorable night, comes memorable movie going experiences. So make sure that whatever horror film or shock grabber you watch, if it’s a classic from Universal Studios, that you leave the lights on. After all, who knows what sorts of things will be out after it’s dark. Pleasant screams to everyone.
