The Wolf Man (1941)

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Amateur movie with Big budget

A Disappointing Continuation

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The pacing is a little rocky considering 'The Wolf Man (1941)' lasts a meagre seventy minutes and the titular hybrid beast doesn't make an appearance until over halfway through. His first entrance actually marks the point at which the movie begins to slowly lose its footing, ever so slightly, as the solid lore-building and foreshadowing that came before crumbles away for fairly hokey special effects, less impressive than the actual wolf used earlier in the piece, and a somewhat repetitive structure that doesn't seem to fully explore all the avenues that were perhaps set up before. While the werewolf is a staple of pop-culture with apparent deep roots in folklore, it's interesting to note that much of the now standard mythology was actually invented for this picture - as well as the earlier 'Werewolf Of London (1935)', the first official title to utilise the eponymous creature. It was originally intended to be ambiguous as to whether or not the creature was even physically real, with the implication being that it was solely a metaphor for the dual nature of man and that whomever was afflicted with the so-called curse simply envisioned themselves as a beast to justify the beastly acts they had committed. The studio deemed it to be more interesting if the transformation was explicit, though, and so we now have a picture that introduces perhaps the most iconic version of one of cinema's most enduring, tragically monstrous figures, one that still holds up relatively well - despite a few missteps in its second act - and ends on a surprisingly effective (if somewhat rushed) thematic note. 6/10

The Wolf Man, starring Lon Chaney Junior; is one of my favorite movies. Universal, did a good job gathering talent for all of their horror films; and this film has one of the best gathering of talented actors I have ever seen.The moors, the shape shifting to an uncontrollable supernatural evil, the baying of a wolf; this is what I grew to learn; classic horror is all about.I have even seen the remake of the Wolf Man, and I feel that it never will compare to the original; the remake seemed to a little longer than it needed to be.With the introduction of Frankenstein and the Wolf Man, Universal; gave us all the idea of film crossovers; and this is what makes classic horror so memorable to this day.Good stories, good acting, and shared continuity; this and other classic horror films will appeal to anyone today.

'The Wolf Man' falls far behind the others of its kind (such as 'Dracula', 'Frankenstein'), and while it has passed the test of time along with the others, it is one of the less iconic of the Universal Monsters. There is no doubting, however, that 'The Wolf Man' is still very much enjoyable and is good in its own way. While Lon Chaney Jr. gives a good performance, the characters are much less relatable, but this is still a good movie.

The Foggy Studio Sets, the Werewolf Lore, Lon Chaney Jr.'s Signature Role with a Tragic and Sympathetic Portrayal, and the "Gypsy" Woman's Heartfelt, Poetic Laments, are just a Few Things that "Famous Monsters" Fans Remember from the Final "Creature" in the Pantheon of Universal Studios Horror Movies.Coming 10 Years after "Frankenstein" (1931), this was not the First Attempt at a "Werewolf" Movie. "Werewolf of London" (1935) has that Honor. But this one made Folks Forget that Excellent Film. It's really just as Good as this but for Different Reasons.This is Monster Melodrama at its Best. Although Hopelessly Studio Bound, that bit of Clunkiness is Usually Overlooked, the Film Plays out as a Terrifying Tragedy of the Soul.There's a Good Supporting Cast with Claude Rains, Evelyn Ankers, Maria Ouspenskaya, Ralph Bellamy, and Patrick Knowles, with a Bela Lugosi Cameo. A Fine Musical Score, and the Jack Pierce Makeup (although sparingly shown) is Iconic.Despite its Dated Delivery when Viewed in the 21st Century, the Movie Maintains a Creep Factor and is Heavily Ladened with Gloom and Despair. There are Many Fine Scenes that Pop in and out of the Dialog that is Talky and Redundant.Overall, the Highlights Outshine the Weaknesses and its Place among the Classic Monster Movies is Well Founded and Deserving.