The Geek Address

The Wolf Man, which was produced in 1941, is one of the most atmospheric werewolf films ever made. The movie opens with a passage about lycanthropy from an ancient tome: “A disease of the mind in which human beings imagine they are wolf-men. According to an old legend which persists in certain localities, the victims actually assume the physical characteristics of the animal. There is a small village near Talbot Castle which still claims to have had gruesome experiences with this supernatural creature.” When Larry Talbot returns to his family’s ancestral home after the untimely death of his brother, he discovers that lycanthropy involves more than just howling at the moon and chasing cars.

Talbot, a troubled and tragic character who bears the burden of his brother’s death, is brilliantly portrayed by Lon Chaney Jr. When he returns to Talbot Castle, his father reflects on the nature of their relationship: “Isn’t it a sad commentary on our relationship that it took a hunting accident and your brother’s death to bring you.” The real strength of the story is the emotional investment the audience makes Larry, particularly when a werewolf bites him while roaming the woods at night. After he beats the wolf to death with his silver topped cane, the creature returns to its original form: a gypsy who came to town with a traveling carnival (the gypsy, incidentally, is portrayed by Bela Lugosi in a brilliant yet fleeting cameo).

Larry’s first transformation is a piece of cinematic history. With horror, Larry begins to realise that he’s transforming into a werewolf. His legs become immensely hairy and his toes transform into razor-sharp claws. The special effects, though rudimentary, add to the horror Larry experiences as he transforms into the beast. Fully transformed, Larry begins roaming the mist-shrouded forest where he tears apart an unsuspecting gravedigger. 

The screenplay was written by Curt Siodmak, the writer of Donovan’s Brain and I Walked with a Zombie. Of The Wolman, he notes: ‚ÄúI did a lot for the American family life. I scared the little kids so much that they stayed in bed and the parents could play bridge. But these stories also have a deep atavistic meaning. They appeal to our hidden basic instincts which we remember subconsciously since the time our forefathers lives in caves. Man wanted to identify himself with the strongest animal he feared. The wolf was the most dangerous animal in Europe at that time. So, there was the Tigerman in India, the Snakeman in  the Pacific.‚Äù

The Wolf Man features wonderfully atmospheric cinematography and exceptionally melodramatic music. This is one of those classic movies that you have to watch in the dark with a big box of popcorn. You’ll laugh at the primitive special effects but enjoy the fact that it still manages to create a palpable and unsettling sense of fear.  

Best line:  Even a man, who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolf bane blooms. And the autumn moon is bright.