The road to Halloween is paved with good films. Wherein we countdown to the spirited season with a hundred doses of horror. 1 day to go.
The Wolf Man feels like the most polished film in the Universal canon of movie monsters. I say that both as a benefit and as a set back. When the Universal Monster series began in the early 30s, they came with a certain edge to them. Most of the classics were made in the pre-code era, where it was easier to get away with things. They could be more sexualized, and violent, and death scenes particularly in Frankenstein and The Invisible Man, could be excessively graphic for the time. However, times changed, and by the time The Wolf Man came out, Hollywood was now neutered into what it could and could not do.
That being said, The Wolf Man remains a very entertaining film keeping with the spirit of the Universal monsters, there just doesn’t seem to be anything groundbreaking about it. In comparison with the ones that came before it, it could be rather dull, however it is bolstered by a terrific cast, and top notch production values.
The Wolf Man concerns the story of Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.), who returns to his anscestral home after the death of his brother. He reunites with his astranged father Sir John Talbot (Claude Rains), who wants Larry to take over the family estate. While in town, Larry also starts up a romance with a local shop keeper named Gwen (Evelyn Ankers) who collects antiques.
While in her shop, Larry purchases a silver headed walking stick which has the shape of a wolf. Gwen explains that it’s supposed to represent the werewolf, which is what a man can turn into at a certain time of year. There is even a rhyme which the villagers recite which tells of the legend:
Even a man who is pure of heart and says his prayers at night;
May become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright
We know that in films like these, certain myths such as werewolves are meant to be true, and isn’t long before Larry finds out. After a run in with a strange gypsy named Bela (Bela Lugosi), who sees the mark of the wolf on his hand, Larry has a run in with a werewolf, and he is bitten. It is soon revealed that he will now turn into a werewolf himself and begin terrorizing the countryside.
It’s interesting to point out that the story of the Wolf Man is so imbedded into our consciousness, it’s easy to think the original story stemmed from a novel such as Dracula or Frankenstein. However, the unique thing about this film, is it is entirely an original concoction, which means everything we know about werewolves came from the movies. The idea is rather ingenious, and no doubt the creators were inspired by similar legends or monsters, but it’s to this film’s credit just how inspired it is with its storytelling.
While it may have been a bit of stunt casting when it came to the role of Larry Talbot, the choice of Lon Chaney Jr. was an inspired one. While it might’ve been daunting for Chaney to step out of the shadow of his father, Chaney Sr., who was arguably the biggest horror star from the silent period, he makes The Wolf Man his own bringing a sense of real tragedy behind the character of Larry. Although his monster has very little screen time, he plays Larry as an average Joe who becomes cursed, and Chaney Jr. lets us feel the weight put on him, making the finale a tinge sadder because of it.
As the father, Rains (who got his start playing The Invisible Man) brings a sense of dignity and groundedness to the proceedings. There is a sense of coldness in the relationship between Larry and his father, but which soon is converted to real warmth and understanding. Rains could play this part in his sleep, but having him here gives the film some real legitimacy. Along with Rains, the supporting cast is full of a real who’s who of character actors including Ralph Bellamy, Warren Williams, and even if it’s a brief appearance, Bela Lugosi, who always makes an impression.
The transformation of Talbot into the werewolf was somewhat primitive, although still ingenious using a time lapse camera. This process was done by having Chaney sit still for hours on end while bits of make up were applied to him as the camera captured the transformation. While it isn’t the definitive way to show a man changing into a werewolf, it’s nicely handled. The make-up effects were done by Jack Pierce, who was the go-to monster creator, having already designed the iconic looks for Frankenstein and The Mummy. With The Wolf Man Pierce once again creates a truly recognizable character which has been culturally relevant for over 70 years.
With all the casting, and production design, it would be safe to say The Wolf Man should be a slam dunk classic, however I found the finish product to be lacking the urgency of the earlier monster films. The Wolf Man is only seen very sparingly, making him almost an afterthought. This makes the horror of the film almost feel flimsy and stale, with no real stakes. Luckily Chaney Jr. does bring the right air of humanity to the role making us root for Larry, and feel for his situation. Sadly it all becomes anti-climactic.
Today The Wolf Man is considered a classic film, and was Universal’s most successful franchise in the war time era. However, in my opinion, the film lacks any real bite as the first series of Monster films had. But despite the shortcomings, it’s hard not to admire the real craft and artistry of the film, and of course for anyone who consider themselves horror movie completists, it’s essential viewing.
