The Wolf Man

A practical man (Lon Chaney, Jr.) returns to his homeland, is attacked by a creature of folklore, and infected with a horrific disease his disciplined mind tells him can not possibly exist. This story comes from Curt Siodmak (one of the great Siodmak brothers), stars the under-appreciated Lon Chaney, Jr. as well as Claude Rains and has a cameo from legend Bela Lugosi. What is not to like about that? I do not have much to say on this one, as it is obvious this film is a classic for a reason. The story is sound, the acting and directing are fantastic, and (not unlike "Dracula") this film set down werewolf mythology that would be followed for decades. While this is not the first werewolf film, it is debatably the best.

An outstanding old horror classic! A must see for horror movie fans and those interested in lycanthropy films. This is one of those films I can watch over and over and it's hard for me to become bored with it. My heart always went to Lawrence Talbot because he wants to be cured from his aliment - he never wanted to hurt anyone. He's a likable guy when not in his wolf-man form yet it is in fact his wolf-form that is the most attractive part of the film. The story is good - it's not flimsy like some werewolf movies I have seen. I'm not saying it is perfect but I am saying it's far from being a cheesy b-rated story plot. And I love these old special effects, I like the transformation from human to wolf and back to human. Very good for it's day! A great late night horror movie classic! 10/10

The wolf man is the beast or Freudian "Id" in all of us -- the part of us we don't want others to see, the part of us we may not even want to see ourselves. Lon Chaney, Jr., gives a touching and sympathetic performance depicting his struggle with the monster within him. Some critics were snide, pointing out that he came across too much like Lenny in OF MICE AND MEN, but to say that is to miss the sense of pathos he brings to his part. The rest of the cast is an interesting mix of character actors, including Bela Lugosi who has a small but important part and Maria Ouspenskaya who recites the werewolf verses with such conviction as to make you think they are true. This film is a fable about us all. We all have a spilt personality that can overtake us if we are not careful to know ourselves.

The Wolf Man is a film about a man bitten by a werewolf condemned to live the life of his antagonist. Lon Chaney Jr. does an awfully good job transcending the traditional monster out to get everyone with a humane, sympathetic portrait of the titular lycanthrope. This is Universal Studios at its best with a good old-fashioned horror yarn, excellent acting, particularly by supporting cast members Claude Rains, Evelyn Ankers, Bela Lugosi, and the outstanding Maria Ouspenskaya as the old and wise gypsy woman, wonderful sets complete with swirling fog, and special effects that were new and fresh in 1941. This film is fast-paced and deserves its rank as one of the great Universal horror classics.