The new film Wolf Man opens nationwide this weekend. Fans of cinematic werewolves have been waiting quite some time for the new Universal monster movie, directed and co-written by Leigh Whannell. Werewolf films aren't as common as superhero or vampire films, but there have been quite a few over the past century. How will this new film compare? Before you go to the theater this weekend, you'll want to revisit the history of cinematic wolf men in their various incarnations, and especially in their transformations.
It's been 84 years since Lon Chaney, Jr. first turned into a werewolf in the 1941 film The Wolf Man. You might not remember, but the movie also starred Claude Raines and Bela Lugosi. That set off a line of Universal films featuring the Wolf Man, even though the character was often relegated to taking a second string role to Dracula or Frankenstein's monster or both. A few attempts followed to regain Universal's original glory, but often fell short. Will the new movie improve the Wolf Man's reputation? To know for sure, you'll have to relive the previous eleven films featuring the Universal Wolf Man. Video samples are included for most of them.
(Image credit: monstersforsale)
The Wolf Man is the one film that scared the crap out of me as a youngling. Specifically the scene of Lon Chaney transforming. Always shut my eyes for that and it was a long time before I was able to watch it.
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