Film 160 in the "1001 Films to See Before You Die" challenge is 1941's "The Wolf Man". This George Waggner horror is about a man who turns into a werewolf after purchasing a cane at an antiques shop and being bitten by a wolf. I use the word "horror" very loosely because there was nothing that scared me. Granted, if I had watched this back in 1941 then I might have a different opinion. But in 2015, nothing was scary. This was more of a drama than anything else. Lon Chaney Jr., to me, isn't a believable wolf man. Was he only cast because he's Lon Chaney's son? Because he wasn't a great actor in this. He looked out of place. Also, for a film that is set in Wales, why does everyone have an American accent? I can't really recommend this film to anyone unless you're interested in the origins of the wolf man. I can't even recommend the 2010 remake as that film is terrible. Is there a good wolf man film? If you have seen this film or the 2010 remake then let me know what you thought of it in the comments below. Here's what I had to say while watching 1941's "The Wolf Man"
Film - The Wolf Man
Year - 1941
Director - George Waggner
Written by - Curt Siodmak
Staring - Claude Rains, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy
IMDb Rating - 7.4/10
My Rating - 4.7/10
Length - 60 min
Genre - Drama, Horror
Always like opening credits that show us who's who
Evelyn Ankers will make "wankers" of us all
Reading
Welcome to Talbot Castle
Larry returns home to meet his dad
Also, his brother has just died
Why is Dad talking so fast?
Let's have a gander at my telescope
What can you see? I see a scientist carrying a dead body and a man who sleeps all day and works nights
Larry uses the telescope to spy on a woman putting her earrings in
Better go antiquing to impress this woman I like
Larry admits he was spying on her
No earrings! Well I'll take a cane instead
"Anytime I see a beautiful girl I know all about her"
I'll take this cane with the wolf head and the pentagram of the werewolf
£3 for a cane!
"Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright"
Gwen seems quick to reject all his offers to go on a date
Here comes Bela the fortune teller
Larry and his dad have a chat about the cane
If this film is set in Wales then why does everyone have an American accent?
She said no to all his offers but she still meets him
Why does everyone quote this poem?
Time for Larry and Gwen to wander off while her friend is getting her fortune told by Bela
The more Larry talks about how he found Gwen makes him sound more and more like a creep
The mark of the werewolf!!!!
The wolf have killed someone
And Larry just killed a wolf but was bit in the process
Back at home
Turns out the murder victim was Gwen's friend
Now's not the time to be nervous at the crime scene
The wolf was Bela! And Bela is dead!
This now makes Larry a wolf man
Everyone seems confused about what happened last night
News must travel fast in Llanwelly if everyone knows about Bela's death and who killed him
Meluva and a priest chat about how they want Bela's funeral to happen
Gypsy funerals involve dancing and drinking!?!
Back with Gwen and her dad who are being confronted by Jenny's family
Larry interupts and the family leaves in fear
"Why does everyone think that I'm confused?"
Frank interrupts the conversation making Larry leave
At Bela's funeral Frank and Gwen pay their respects
Larry is there as well with his cane
What funeral has a shooting range?
Larry's dad is there as well
He missed the werewolf!
Let's blame jetlag for Larry being weird
Larry meets with Meluva to discuss everything
Meluva tells Larry that because Larry got bitten he will become a werewolf
All the gypsies are acting weird knowing that the werewolf is at the funeral
Larry tells Gwen what Meluva told her and gives the charm to Gwen... Just incase
Here's 1p and a kiss for the charm
I'm can't be a werewolf! I'm going insane!
Damn my legs are hairy!
So are my feet
Larry has become the werewolf
Larry has just killed a groundskeeper at the graveyard
Paw prints are everywhere in Larry's bedroom! - Bad dog!!!
He wasn't wearing that shirt when he turned into a wolf man. He was wearing a vest!
He also has the mark of the pentagram on his chest - That or a really bad star tattoo
Hey dad I need walkies!
Time for Sunday Service at church
Jenny's mother blames Larry for everything since he's arrived back in town
Why is everyone looking at me?
Larry decides to leave the church before anything bad happens
Paul suggests hunting the werewolf so he can put it's head on his wall
Let's go set some bear traps before night falls again
The Doctor tells Dad to leave Llanwelly right now but he refuses
That's all the traps set! Now all we can do is wait
That night, Larry is back as a werewolf and walks right into a trap
And here come the police!
Here comes Meluva to save Larry from the trap
She turns Larry back to normal and frees him from the trap
Let's not question why Larry is out in the middle of the night and carry on with the search
How dare someone throw stones at my window
Larry finds Gwen and tells her he's leaving
Is it me or Larry looks like the lea singer of Rammstein?
Larry's seen the pentagram on Gwen's hand!!!
Larry tells his dad about everything
"You can run away! That's what she said"
Let's blame Gwen for everything
Larry's dad decides to help him by tying Larry to a chair
I'll be taking the cane! Just because
Everyone is in the graveyard looking for Larry
Larry's dad finds Meluva who tells him to kill Larry
Larry has turned into a werewolf
Gwen arrives and ignores Meluva and instead looks for Larry
Larry's found Gwen!!!
Larry's dad and Larry get into a fight which ends quickly with Dad winning
Meluva turns Larry back to normal and Dad is in shock
Larry is dead
THE END
Not one goosebump!
Film - The Wolf Man
Year - 1941
Director - George Waggner
Written by - Curt Siodmak
Staring - Claude Rains, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy
IMDb Rating - 7.4/10
My Rating - 4.7/10
Length - 60 min
Genre - Drama, Horror
Always like opening credits that show us who's who
Evelyn Ankers will make "wankers" of us all
Reading
Welcome to Talbot Castle
Larry returns home to meet his dad
Also, his brother has just died
Why is Dad talking so fast?
Let's have a gander at my telescope
What can you see? I see a scientist carrying a dead body and a man who sleeps all day and works nights
Larry uses the telescope to spy on a woman putting her earrings in
Better go antiquing to impress this woman I like
Larry admits he was spying on her
No earrings! Well I'll take a cane instead
"Anytime I see a beautiful girl I know all about her"
I'll take this cane with the wolf head and the pentagram of the werewolf
£3 for a cane!
"Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright"
Gwen seems quick to reject all his offers to go on a date
Here comes Bela the fortune teller
Larry and his dad have a chat about the cane
If this film is set in Wales then why does everyone have an American accent?
She said no to all his offers but she still meets him
Why does everyone quote this poem?
Time for Larry and Gwen to wander off while her friend is getting her fortune told by Bela
The more Larry talks about how he found Gwen makes him sound more and more like a creep
The mark of the werewolf!!!!
The wolf have killed someone
And Larry just killed a wolf but was bit in the process
Back at home
Turns out the murder victim was Gwen's friend
Now's not the time to be nervous at the crime scene
The wolf was Bela! And Bela is dead!
This now makes Larry a wolf man
Everyone seems confused about what happened last night
News must travel fast in Llanwelly if everyone knows about Bela's death and who killed him
Meluva and a priest chat about how they want Bela's funeral to happen
Gypsy funerals involve dancing and drinking!?!
Back with Gwen and her dad who are being confronted by Jenny's family
Larry interupts and the family leaves in fear
"Why does everyone think that I'm confused?"
Frank interrupts the conversation making Larry leave
At Bela's funeral Frank and Gwen pay their respects
Larry is there as well with his cane
What funeral has a shooting range?
Larry's dad is there as well
He missed the werewolf!
Let's blame jetlag for Larry being weird
Larry meets with Meluva to discuss everything
Meluva tells Larry that because Larry got bitten he will become a werewolf
All the gypsies are acting weird knowing that the werewolf is at the funeral
Larry tells Gwen what Meluva told her and gives the charm to Gwen... Just incase
Here's 1p and a kiss for the charm
I'm can't be a werewolf! I'm going insane!
Damn my legs are hairy!
So are my feet
Larry has become the werewolf
Larry has just killed a groundskeeper at the graveyard
Paw prints are everywhere in Larry's bedroom! - Bad dog!!!
He wasn't wearing that shirt when he turned into a wolf man. He was wearing a vest!
He also has the mark of the pentagram on his chest - That or a really bad star tattoo
Hey dad I need walkies!
Time for Sunday Service at church
Jenny's mother blames Larry for everything since he's arrived back in town
Why is everyone looking at me?
Larry decides to leave the church before anything bad happens
Paul suggests hunting the werewolf so he can put it's head on his wall
Let's go set some bear traps before night falls again
The Doctor tells Dad to leave Llanwelly right now but he refuses
That's all the traps set! Now all we can do is wait
That night, Larry is back as a werewolf and walks right into a trap
And here come the police!
Here comes Meluva to save Larry from the trap
She turns Larry back to normal and frees him from the trap
Let's not question why Larry is out in the middle of the night and carry on with the search
How dare someone throw stones at my window
Larry finds Gwen and tells her he's leaving
Is it me or Larry looks like the lea singer of Rammstein?
Larry's seen the pentagram on Gwen's hand!!!
Larry tells his dad about everything
"You can run away! That's what she said"
Let's blame Gwen for everything
Larry's dad decides to help him by tying Larry to a chair
I'll be taking the cane! Just because
Everyone is in the graveyard looking for Larry
Larry's dad finds Meluva who tells him to kill Larry
Larry has turned into a werewolf
Gwen arrives and ignores Meluva and instead looks for Larry
Larry's found Gwen!!!
Larry's dad and Larry get into a fight which ends quickly with Dad winning
Meluva turns Larry back to normal and Dad is in shock
Larry is dead
THE END
Not one goosebump!