10. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein One of the earliest "Monster Mash-ups" I saw as a kid on a local TV frightfest show called "Creature Features". I remember my older brother telling me right before I watched this for the first time that just because this is called "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" the truth was that all three of the Universal Monsters Top Trio of Terror, Franky, Dracky & Wolfy, would be making an appearance throughout this film.
To which I had to inquire "Cool. Who's on first?"
9. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Obviously, this isn't the typical werewolf flick that you'll see dominating this list.
With a were-rabbit instead a were-wolf, this "Curse Of...." is typical in the Wallace & Gromit series from Aardman Studios.
Stop-motion animation with a British flavor, that doesn't try to whack you over the head with it's look, humor or more importantly, with any kind of "universal life-lesson".
While it's distinction from other animated films is much more subtle and evenly consistent, the overall result of The Were-Rabbit left me not so much with a roaring laughter that other animated features try to shoot for, but more with a satisfying smile that was firmly set in place from beginning to end.
8. Ladyhawke Almost a decade before Michelle Pfeiffer fell in love with Jack Nicholson as a werewolf in Wolf,
she was in another movie about lycanthropantic love, this time with black knight, Rutger Hauer.
So in my eyes, though she's shared her fair share of screentime with many a romantic leading man, as far as horror-themed hook-ups go, rugged Rutger will always be the manwolf to her ladyhawke.
7. Trick 'r' Treat What do you get when you pack in a group of misfit zombies, a serial killing neighbor, a mischievious trick-or-tricking imp, & for the purposes of this list, a coven of werewolves, all into one script?
A Jack 'O' Latern filled candy-collection of quality, modern campy Halloween tales of the escapist-fare variety done right: With more focus on the quality than on the camp.
This movie, for me, has got the feel of all those big budget horror flix released during the late 80's & thru-out the 90's. The kind that always frustrated me because their scripts rarely reached the level of their budgets.
Trick 'R Trick comes closer to the type of fun onscreen fearfest that I would've like to have seen during that particular time of the horror cinema.
6. Dog Soldiers What do you do when the werewolves begin to attack systematically & in packs?
Send in the troops.
And then just sit back, and enjoy, as the bullets, blood, big booms & British accents fly.
5. Ginger Snaps There comes a time in every young girl's life where her body starts to give off signs that she's becoming a woman.
Or a werewolf.
4. Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban For as short as the beast actually made an appearance, it was probably one of the best handlings of a man-wolf since An American Werewolf In London. I don't know what is it with these limey's that seem to make 'em respect this under-used mythical hybrid more than anyone else. Maybe it has to do something with always drinking warm Guiness or somethin'.
3. I Was A Teen-Age Werewolf If you've ever wondered what a werewolf looks like upside down, in a jumpsuit & wearing over-sized wax teeth,
then this is the film for you.
And as campy as it is, I still like it better than the more updated teen-howler, Teen Wolf (with all due respect to Mr. J. Fox, of course).
2. An American Werewolf In London Before the lead character in this movie was a werewolf, he was a Pepper. And for some subliminal reason, that made me want to be a Pepper too.
(Sorry kids. I know that the majority of you most likely won't understand that comment, b'cuz it's before your time. Look it up on youtube if you don't wanna be left in the dark.
And you don't wanna be in the dark.
Because the dark is where werewolves like dwell.)
1. Wolfman Just a plain ol' classic, this one is right there. I am a huge fan of the first black & white Universal Monster series of way back in the day. From my point of view, any datedness that may have resulted over time from these original gangstas of horror quickly fade once the integrity of the energy that was captured in the filming becomes apparent.
I was really disappointed with the Benicio Del Toro update, for several reasons, but mostly because of how pleased I was that they didn't get him to look like the "more wolf than man" make-up that has become the standard for today. I still think that the modern look is cool an' all, but it doesn't need to be limited to one style. Despite the push that Hollywood has given movies like these as just empty escapist fare, the reality is, on a integral level, for me, they're still an artform & thus should never be limited by any specific type of boxed labels.
Despite that, this classic look made famous by the son of a thousand faces, will always be, in my eyes, the true face of the wolf that walks like a man.
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