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Werewolf? Here, here wolf!

post #1 of 107
2/8/10 at 2:34pm
Thread Starter 
As this is a proverbial Shark Week of wolf men at CHUD I figured the Corner should have a discussion going on the furry fellas. I initially (lazily) was going to have this be "Best Werewolf Movies Ever," but immediately realized what a tragically monotonous and short thread that would be.

Instead I open the floor to any and all things lycanthrope related: best/worst make-up, literature, songs, werewolf ep of an anthology series, comic book, whatever you can think of. Bring it.

I throw out there the two WORST werewolf films I've ever seen...

Howling: New Moon Rising
The series had already been circling the drain for years, but this installment was a truly uninspired turd. It was written, directed and starring Clive Turner, who played a supporting role in parts IV, V. But Turner seemed more interested in featuring a lame band (friends presumably) than an actual werewolf. Insanely boring.

Werewolf
I bought this film for $3 because of the tagline: "Rest in Beast." This is another werewolf flic that attempts to sneak by without ever really having a werewolf in it. And once it finally does, the monster looks like a mask they bought at a Halloween store. When will people learn... you can't make a werewolf movie with NO money. That's why God invented slashers.

Best werewolf song - I nominate "Werewolf" by Five Man Electric Band.
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post #2 of 107
2/8/10 at 2:38pm
Not a great film, but I have always really liked Dog Soldiers.

It's a charming film about coming of age in a British special forces unit hunted by bipedal werewolves trying to find their place in the world.
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post #3 of 107
2/8/10 at 2:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyWorm View Post
Best werewolf song - I nominate "Werewolf" by Five Man Electric Band.
I'd never heard that before. I dig the hell out of it.
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post #4 of 107
2/8/10 at 2:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jackson View Post
Not a great film, but I have always really liked Dog Soldiers.

It's a charming film about coming of age in a British special forces unit hunted by bipedal werewolves trying to find their place in the world.
I'd say it is a great film. It's a good take on the "under siege" genre that happens to have 7-foot-tall lycanthropes. The ending sequence with Kevin McKidd tearing through the house trying to escape is fun, fast-paced, and well directed. One of the better werewolf films.
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post #5 of 107
2/8/10 at 2:46pm
I recently did a reread of King's "Cycle of the Werewolf". It's a fun--if slight--story, but the Bernie Wrightson illustrations push it into the realm of greatness.

Side note: everyone knows the best werewolf song is "Wolf Like Me" by TV On the Radio.
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post #6 of 107
2/8/10 at 2:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyWorm View Post
Howling: New Moon Rising
The series had already been circling the drain for years, but this installment was a truly uninspired turd. It was written, directed and starring Clive Turner, who played a supporting role in parts IV, V. But Turner seemed more interested in featuring a lame band (friends presumably) than an actual werewolf. Insanely boring.
Oh man this movie. I'm pretty sure there's a werewolf in it for about thirty seconds of halloween-mask fun. Turner just went out to Pioneertown, California, filmed everyone there acting wacky, spliced in some clips from other Howling movies and called it a day. There are seriously more scenes of line dancing than there are werewolves.

Also, no werewolf thread is complete without a mention of Project: Metalbeast. This movie has it all: werewolves, metal skin, Barry Bostwick...
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post #7 of 107
2/8/10 at 2:54pm
Thread Starter 
In general I prefer my werewolf movies to be about a single werewolf. Other than The Howling, I'm not a huge fan of what I'd call Werewolf Army movies. But I do agree that Dog Soldiers is fun as hell. It sorta treats werewolves like a zombie movie, which on paper I don't like, but Marshall pulls it off with like 85% success.

As a wee lad whenever my mom would go to the bookstore I'd always seek out Cycle of the Werewolf to look at the artwork. Really cool stuff.

Project: Metalbeast? I must see this film!!
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post #8 of 107
2/8/10 at 3:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyWorm View Post

Best werewolf song - I nominate "Werewolf" by Five Man Electric Band.
Actually, my vote goes to:

Werewolf- The Frantics.

The b-side is called "No Werewolf;" same song without the verse recital or werewolf noises.
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post #9 of 107
2/8/10 at 3:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeb View Post
Actually, my vote goes to:

Werewolf- The Frantics.

The b-side is called "No Werewolf;" same song without the verse recital or werewolf noises.
Dig it.

Quote:
Side note: everyone knows the best werewolf song is "Wolf Like Me" by TV On the Radio.
Also good. Maybe all songs about werewolves are great.
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post #10 of 107
2/8/10 at 3:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyWorm View Post
Maybe all songs about werewolves are great.

Hmmmm, you may be on to something there.
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post #11 of 107
2/8/10 at 3:23pm
If you're looking for a good modern werewolf book, SHARP TEETH is a good'n. It's one of those underground tribes of wolves stories.
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post #12 of 107
2/8/10 at 3:25pm
And for the love of all that's hairy, stay far far away from Skinwalkers.
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post #13 of 107
2/8/10 at 3:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyWorm View Post
Werewolf
I bought this film for $3 because of the tagline: "Rest in Beast." This is another werewolf flic that attempts to sneak by without ever really having a werewolf in it. And once it finally does, the monster looks like a mask they bought at a Halloween store. When will people learn... you can't make a werewolf movie with NO money. That's why God invented slashers. [/URL]
One of the best episodes of MST3K was using this movie. A real cinematic atrocity.

As for good Werewolf songs, CHUD's own Lucky Nightsticks did Japanese Werewolf, which is a very fun song.

But really, can anyone top Warren Zevon? Maybe it's overplayed but it's one of my favorite songs.
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post #14 of 107
2/8/10 at 3:55pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug View Post
If you're looking for a good modern werewolf book, SHARP TEETH is a good'n. It's one of those underground tribes of wolves stories.
This book sounds excellent, despite my inherent dislike of werewolf tribes.
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post #15 of 107
2/8/10 at 3:57pm
I saw an MST3K movie about a wearwolf one time, I just wish I could remember more about it
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post #16 of 107
2/8/10 at 4:03pm
I need to revisit it because a lot of the finer points have gone all fuzzy, but I remember loving GINGER SNAPS.
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post #17 of 107
2/8/10 at 4:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGButler View Post
I need to revisit it because a lot of the finer points have gone all fuzzy, but I remember loving GINGER SNAPS.
And well you should. You can happily avoid the sequels, though.
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post #18 of 107
2/8/10 at 4:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Erik Wacker View Post
One of the best episodes of MST3K was using this movie. A real cinematic atrocity.
Is this the one were the wolfman is driving a car and Tom Servo uses the line, "American werewolf in traffic"? That line still makes me laugh.
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post #19 of 107
2/8/10 at 4:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattioli View Post

Hmmmm, you may be on to something there.
Shit, I loved that show as a kid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EEslgaK8BI
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post #20 of 107
2/8/10 at 4:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGButler View Post
I need to revisit it because a lot of the finer points have gone all fuzzy, but I remember loving GINGER SNAPS.
It's great, one of the top werewolf movies ever. So is Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed, an unexpectedly excellent and unique sequel. Ginger Snaps Back isn't nearly as good, but still better than most werewolf movies out there.

Howling fans should rightly freak out over this new t-shirt:

http://www.fright-rags.com/the-howling-p-341.html
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post #21 of 107
2/8/10 at 4:38pm
Ginger Snaps 2 takes such a strange and different direction from the first.

And it has that bizarre fairy tale/ superhero angle with the little girl. Just a really off-beat and interesting film.
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post #22 of 107
2/8/10 at 4:40pm
By the way, what ever happened to Dog Soldiers 2? Wasn't Rogue Pictures developing it? Did it get the ax when they were bought up?

Or did I dream the whole thing?
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post #23 of 107
2/8/10 at 4:51pm
DOG SOLDIERS and GINGER SNAPS are clever little movies, but calling them great is getting carried away.

Most disappointing werewolf movie? WOLF. Mike Nichols re-teaming with Jack while tackling Horror? Expectations high. Results geek dream shatteringly dull.
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post #24 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Clarence Boddicker View Post
Shit, I loved that show as a kid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EEslgaK8BI
Hmmmm, try this instead: Spooky, scary.
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post #25 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattioli View Post
Hmmmm, try this instead: Spooky, scary.
And some more silliness!

GINGER SNAPS would probably make it to my top ten werewolf movies (though admittedly there isn't super steep competition). I think it's a really fun modern take on the classic werewolf story. And I like the whole puberty allegory the film has. Very BUFFY-esque.
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post #26 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:23pm
There's a lot to be said for walking around the discussed-to-death obvious one (American Werewolf) but its Parisian counterpart? Goddamn. Such a boring, muted, milquetoast little movie.
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post #27 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Elvis View Post

Most disappointing werewolf movie? WOLF. Mike Nichols re-teaming with Jack while tackling Horror? Expectations high. Results geek dream shatteringly dull.
I wanted to love it; Jack has some incredible moments in it, and there's several good supporting performances.

That said, I think it's a decent script that Nichols just never really gets his hands around, and Pfeiffer seems to be in another movie most of the time.
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post #28 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:31pm
I think Pfieffer spent the entire movie thinking she was doing Ladyhawk again.
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post #29 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGButler View Post
There's a lot to be said for walking around the discussed-to-death obvious one (American Werewolf) but its Parisian counterpart? Goddamn. Such a boring, muted, milquetoast little movie.
I think that was the first time I'd seen a CGI werewolf transformation. If that had been the only use of CG I'd ever seen I would've voted to shut down the technology right then and there. A truly horrendous film all around.

Actually... has there been a genuinely awesome CG werewolf transformation yet? I'm not saying there hasn't been, but I'm having a hard time thinking of one.
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post #30 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:42pm
BEST WEREWOLF FILM FEATURING ANGELA LANSBURY

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post #31 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:44pm
I assume that broken link represents Company of Wolves, which is indeed terrific.

ETA: Ah, there it is...
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post #32 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:54pm
There seems to be a nostalgic reappraisal of SILVER BULLET happening, but I still hate it as much as I ever did.

My all-time fave is THE HOWLING. I'll take it even over AMERICAN WEREWOLF.
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post #33 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Elvis View Post

My all-time fave is THE HOWLING. I'll take it even over AMERICAN WEREWOLF.
It's a close call, but same here, mainly because I prefer bipedal werewolf-creatures as opposed to a straight-up, four-legged wolf.
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post #34 of 107
2/8/10 at 5:58pm
Eric Red's Bad Moon. I don't know how good an adaption it is (never read the book Thor) but making a family dog the badass hero of a werewolf movie is a fucking great idea. Top shelf performance from Michael Pare as the lycanthropic Uncle Ted too!
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post #35 of 107
2/8/10 at 6:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Elvis View Post
There seems to be a nostalgic reappraisal of SILVER BULLET happening, but I still hate it as much as I ever did.
It's all about the Busey factor, Elvis. If only Wrightson had included his likeness in Cycle of the Werewolf, always wanted to see his take on GB. Still bitter over that Hider in the House graphic novel that got cancelled.
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post #36 of 107
2/8/10 at 6:14pm
Seriously guys, you haven't lived until you've seen Project Metalbeast. They decide to make bulletproof werewolves. Why? BECAUSE THEY CAN!
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post #37 of 107
2/8/10 at 6:38pm
Whew. So much good werewolf talk. I think we could all use a break.

*This post brought to you by The Beast Must Die!*
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post #38 of 107
2/8/10 at 6:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat Elvis View Post

My all-time fave is THE HOWLING. I'll take it even over AMERICAN WEREWOLF.
"I'm gonna give you a piece of my mind..."

THE HOWLING obviously wins.
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post #39 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Disciple_72 View Post
Eric Red's Bad Moon. I don't know how good an adaption it is (never read the book Thor) but making a family dog the badass hero of a werewolf movie is a fucking great idea. Top shelf performance from Michael Pare as the lycanthropic Uncle Ted too!
It is a great concept. Personally found the movie fairly poor though.

SILVER BULLET is a movie I loved, loved, loved as a kid. I saw it again recently, and while there was much nostalgia for me, I'd be lying if I said I thought it totally held up.

I think AMERICAN WEREWOLF has the best individual moments, but I think THE HOWLING is a better overall film. It's also trying to be scarier.
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post #40 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Coombs View Post
Whew. So much good werewolf talk. I think we could all use a break.

*This post brought to you by The Beast Must Die!*
Thank you for that. I had to review that movie for Creature Corner back in the day, and that moment had me rolling.
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post #41 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham View Post
"I'm gonna give you a piece of my mind..."
Followed by twenty minutes of transformation. At one point, I'm pretty sure the actress actually checks her watch.
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post #42 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:18pm
Gotta admit I'm surprised to see THE HOWLING be so overwhelmingly voted on top. I've seen both but it's been awhile (seems like a recurring theme for me in this thread).

And I gotta throw out just a little love for Thriller. It's almost a bit more were-kitteh than werewolf, but I always appreciated the makeup job.
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post #43 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:21pm
I loved Silver Bullet back in the day but haven't seen it in years. I'd hate to find out that it really sucks. Maybe I'll stay away from it.

How is the movie Werewolf of London? I have it because it's in the Wolfman Legacy set, but I've never watched it. I'm planning on watching all of the movies that the Wolf Man is in and didn't know if I should maybe watch it for comparison's sake at least.
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post #44 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyWorm View Post

I think AMERICAN WEREWOLF has the best individual moments, but I think THE HOWLING is a better overall film. It's also trying to be scarier.
Conversely, it's also arguably campier than AWIL. Compare the last five minutes of both films. Which one ends on a massive sick joke?
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post #45 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JGButler View Post
Gotta admit I'm surprised to see THE HOWLING be so overwhelmingly voted on top. I've seen both but it's been awhile (seems like a recurring theme for me in this thread).
My vote's for American Werewolf in London.
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post #46 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:31pm
I vote AWiL as well. The Howling has the better ideas, but is the weaker film.
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post #47 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:32pm
Thread Starter 
What I think is even more amazing is how few excellent werewolf movies there are. The fact that we're only debating TWO films here is pretty insane when you think about it. The original THE WOLF MAN is the only other film that I think even deserves to be potentially discussed.

We need more good werewolf movies godammit!

Quote:
I vote AWiL as well. The Howling has the better ideas, but is the weaker film.
I frankly tend to change my mind on which I like more every few years.
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post #48 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Erik Wacker View Post
I loved Silver Bullet back in the day but haven't seen it in years. I'd hate to find out that it really sucks. Maybe I'll stay away from it.

How is the movie Werewolf of London? I have it because it's in the Wolfman Legacy set, but I've never watched it. I'm planning on watching all of the movies that the Wolf Man is in and didn't know if I should maybe watch it for comparison's sake at least.
It's technically better than you might expect for the day, but pretty slow, and with more comic relief from Spring Byington than ought to be allowed.

I've actually always been fond of Curse of the Werewolf: Oliver Reed's got more physical presence than just about any werewolf save Chaney.
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post #49 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyWorm View Post

I frankly tend to change my mind on which I like more every few years.
I concur.
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post #50 of 107
2/8/10 at 7:59pm
Getting past the Universal series, the two '81 fan faves, and the Ginger Snaps trilogy, two werewolf films well worth discussing are the Hammer Curse Of The Werewolf and the Paul Naschy film Night Of The Werewolf aka El Retorno del Hombre-Lobo. Naschy's Daninsky Wolf Man movies are practically a weird Creature Corner topic all their own, but I particularly like Night for its great look and werewolf vs vampire babe action. The recent DVD looks amazing.

Oh, and American Werewolf all the way over Howling. The former has characters I really care about (critical when dealing with the whole lycanthrope tragedy) and the latter has... cool fanboy-pleasing cameos. I like The Howling well enough, but the appeal for me is all about the look and the cool FX and other bits. AWIL feels like something that could actually happen to me, as wild as it is. The Landis film takes its humor from how the characters react to the situation, not by taking a mocking Mad magazine approach to the whole story. One way gets me emotionally engaged while the other just amuses me.
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