The Wolfman

I didn't think I'd like this movie. I wasn't even sure I wanted to see it. After all, as a fellow video store employee once said to me, 'Werewolves are cool, but there's not many COOL movies ABOUT werewolves'. This was in the 90's - before the Ginger Snaps series and during the heyday of the totally unnecessary Howling sequels. Adding to my policy of generally avoiding sequels and remakes, and that in the bottom of my lil black heart, I'm just a girl who grew up with black and white Lon Chaney Jr. as 'The Wolfman' and I don't like change. Besides, have you seen LC Jr in that movie? The brother is all kinds of dreamy in that old fashioned yummy movie star way. He was never lovelier.

I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I actually kind of liked this movie. I'm not running out to buy it or anything - but I'd probably pick it up for the right price. I also won't say it's a great movie - the plot moves pretty slow in the beginning and there was a time when Mother was doing the old 'must...keep...eyes...open...' bit. And there are a couple of times when the plot just doesn't make any dang sense.

But what I did like about the movie was the overall gothic tone, the absolute no-holds-barred bloody violent slaughtering at the hands of the Wolfman....and as much as I heart Lon Chaney, somehow the maniacal killing sprees of this werewolf seem more realistic. I'd expect that a werewolf should be a bad-ass killing machine.

The movie has its share of CGI moments, but the werewolf for the most part is exactly what a monster should be - a guy in a furry suit with a zipper in the back. Mother has spoken. Amen.

Also check out the special features with Rick 'Just hand over the Oscar and we'll call it a night' Baker. The way they created the werewolf feet and made them able to walk in them while in the werewolf suits is especially neato.

So overall, it's not perfect, but i do think the influence of Rick Baker and his creation of the werewolf makeups (and his desire to pay tribute to the old makeup and also update it) made the movie. If it'd been a CGI Cluster F*ck ala Van Helsing, it'd have no doubt been a mess.

Or, maybe I just like my werewolves to wear pants. I guess I'm just an old fashioned girl after all.

Rawr,
Mother Firefly