Customer Reviews

Werewolf of London [VHS]

5 star:		(47)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I had never really thought of The Wolf Man as being in the same league as Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster - I was wrong. Watching Lon Chaney, Jr.'s portrayal of Larry Talbot in The Wolf Man and Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man has opened my eyes. Chaney's Wolf Man is by far the most sympathetic of Universal's three major monsters. Dracula loves being Dracula, Frankenstein's monster is a full-time monster made out of dubious body parts, yet Larry Talbot is a victim of cruel fate. Rushing in to help a damsel in distress, he sustains a bite from a werewolf - hardly the type of reward a hero deserves. Doing the things a werewolf does is bad enough, but Talbot knows he is a werewolf and has to spend all of his normal waking hours wallowing in mental agony, knowing he can do nothing to contain the hairy monster lurking within. Beginning with his resurrection in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, Talbot's overriding ambition and sole wish is to die and be freed from the curse forever, yet he now knows he can never die- not by conventional means, anyway. He truly is a lost soul trapped in a nightmare from which there seems to be no escape. This was the role Chaney was born to play, and he delivered one amazing performance after another in his five werewolf films. The Wolf Man Legacy Collection contains only two of them, the original The Wolf Man from 1941 and the sequel/monster crossover film Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1942). Chaney's Wolf Man also appears in House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula, each of which can be found on the Frankenstein and Dracula Legacy Collections, respectively.

The Wolf Man has exerted a huge influence on the art of horror for over six decades now, thanks to the heralded make-up prowess of Jack Pierce, the tight and powerful script of Curt Siodmak, some impressive photography work, a moving musical score, and wonderful performances from a truly stellar cast of actors and actresses (including Claude Raines in the role of Larry Talbot's father, Maria Ouspenskava as the gypsy woman and surrogate mother figure to Larry, and the great Bela Lugosi in a somewhat minor yet crucial role). Chaney's Wolf Man appearance is amazingly vivid and, one supposes, somewhat frightening to moviegoers of the early 1940s. His emotional performance adds to his character's tragic status; his strange and slightly awkward manner, tempered by a sort of gentle slowness always leaves me mesmerized.
With the success of The Wolf Man in 1941, it didn't take Universal long to trot out a sequel; the following year, Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man not only capitalized on the success of everybody's favorite werewolf, it also brought in Frankenstein's monster, thus becoming one of the first Universal monster cross-over films. Lon Chaney, Jr., returns as the ill-fated Larry Talbot, and the legendary Bela Lugosi dons the makeup of the Frankenstein monster - this fact alone makes the film intriguing. Talbot, now afraid he cannot die, longs to be killed and put out of his misery. He ends up at the castle of Frankenstein, where a helpful young doctor promises to help him and destroy Frankenstein's monster in the process - things don't quite work out that way, and the film ends with a monster grudge match between the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster.

Werewolf of London (1935) and She-Wolf of London (1946) could not be more different, and both are unmistakably distinct from the Universal werewolf films starring Lon Chaney, Jr., yet I think they both work marvelously. Many fans don't care for them, especially She-Wolf in London, but I find both films quite compelling. They differ significantly from the storyline running through Chaney's Wolf Man films, but these two films have a great deal of their own to offer fans. Often overlooked and unduly dismissed by some reviewers and horror fans, these are two classic werewolf films.

In terms of extras, you get trailers for three of the four films, a truly excellent commentary of The Wolf Man by film historian Tom Weaver, a well-made 1999 documentary called Monster By Moonlight, and comments on the Wolf Man character by Van Helsing director Stephen Sommers. With only four movies and relatively few extras, The Wolf Man Legacy Collection falls a little short in the value department compared to the Dracula and Frankenstein Legacy Collection sets, but nothing can change the fact that this is must-have material for fans of classic horror movies.

Great classic stuff here. In my mind Lon Chaney Jr. was always my favorite Wolfman. You really feel sorry for Lawrence Stewart Talbot being cursed with lycanthropy. In this set you get:
1) The Werewolf of London (1935)
2) The Wolfman (1941)
3) Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman (1943) By the way is actually
a sequel to both The Wolfman (1941) and The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), continuity wise.
4) She-Wolf of London (1946)
5) a 45 minute documentary, Monster By Moonlight. Pretty much a

history of Universal's Wolfman mixed with actual Werewolf lore.
6) Tom Weaver does commentary on a separate audio track of The Wolfman (1941). Extremely interesting P.O.V..
7) A neat peek at Van Helsing's homage to Universal's classic
Wolfman.
All in all I really enjoyed this set. I just can't wait until
Universal raids their Atomic Age Monster vaults like this. Til'
then, ENJOY.

What famous horror classic, panned by reviewers upon its initial release in December of 1941, looks better and better every year? THE WOLF MAN, starring Claude Rains, Ralph Bellamy, Evelyn Ankers, and Lon Chaney Jr. as the hapless Larry Talbot.

The story is a familiar one: Larry, the son of esteemed Sir John (Rains) returns home to Wales after many years in America, is bitten by a werewolf (well played by Bela Lugosi), and becomes a werewolf himself. What's extraordinary is the fact that the film can be so effective today.

The biggest reason for this is the acting. Some classic films, pre-Actor's Studio, look pretty pathetic when it comes to realistic characterization. Not so THE WOLF MAN. Curt Siodmak's excellent screenplay (likened to a Greek Tragedy) provides a vehicle for the stars to be at their best, and, boy, do they shine: Rains a tower of strength as the proud father; Ankers hitting just the right note as the torn female lead; Maria Ouspenskaya as the Old Gypsey Woman whose words prefigure Larry's doom....

But the standout is Lon Chaney Jr. A definite mixed-bag as an actor, he is perfect here--and this is a role calling for the use of all human emotions (unlike later Wolf Man films, where Talbot's head-pounding becomes monotonous). In fact, seeing THE WOLF MAN recently has convinced me that Chaney would have made the ideal screen Phillip Marlow (and I'm not forgetting Bogie)--big, tough, surly, yet charming when need be (a highlight early in WOLF MAN is Larry's attempts at flirting with Ankers; Chaney does the surprisingly playful dialogue with just the right touch). There's no doubt that his performance would merit accolades even today.

This is not to say that there aren't problems in the film. The continuity is off in a number of places (Chany transforms into the Wolf Man at one point wearing a sleeveless undershirt; in the very next scene, he's wearing a neatly buttoned Dickey), and there's a scene or two that's completely inexplicable (e.g., why DOES the Wolf Man pass out when caught in that trap?)....

But overall, the pace, lighting, cinematography, excellent musical score, and strong story propel the film through these rough spots, the 70-minute ride leaving the viewer wanting more. For these reasons, THE WOLF MAN is a classic....and a DVD worth buying (the extra werewolf films, particularly FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, are entertaining as well).

Lon Chaney Jr.'s finest hour (other than his performance as Lenny in the Hal Roach production of "Of Mice and Men") came as the character he used to call "my baby" -- the Wolfman. Thanks to the great make-up artist Jack Pierce, Chaney's transformations from luckless wolfbite victim Lawrence Talbot into the Wolfman were defining moments in the history of screen special effects. But most importantly for Chaney, who spent much of his career standing in the shadow of his famous father and following up portrayals by Karloff and Lugosi by playing variations on Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster or the Mummy, the Wolfman character was truly his, and it looks like he will remain the only actor to portray both man and creature, as the Wolfman in the upcoming "Van Helsing" is noticeably a CGI beastie.

Both "The Wolfman" and "Frankenstien vs. the Wolfman" are must haves for fans of classic Universal horror (the added bonus being that in the latter, you also get Bela Lugosi's one turn as the Frankenstein monster, which isn't definitive but is still interesting). Less successful but still interesting is "Werewolf of London," a sort of dry-run for "The Wolfman" starring idiosyncratic actor Henry Hull. This reviewer hasn't seen "She-wolf of London," and as an avid monster film fan, he does not believe this to be a good sign.

Unfortunately, "The Wolfman's" status as a slightly b-team monster makes it impossible for Universal to put all his "golden era" performances in one place, as Chaney's "baby" always supported other more well known "names" in his latter appearances, and those names have box sets of their own where his appearances reside. For more of Chaney as the Wolfman, get the "House of..." movies ("House of Frankenstein" and "House of Dracula" are both in the respective "Legacy" editions of their own) and the hilarious "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein," in which Chaney proves he could pull off comedy as well as drama by frequent "straight man" bits opposite Lou Costello. Some purists view the Abbott and Costello picture as a shameful finale to the great horror cycle, but it's actually a film that works both as a monster film and as slapstick comedy, and a very fine piece of work it is too. It was Jerry Garcia's favorite movie -- how much more of an endorsement do you need?

Until now, Universal has done an amazing job with their legacy collections, condensing every Dracula, Frankenstein, Mummy, Invisible Man, and Creature from the Black Lagoon film into single, easily affordable volumes. Unfortunately, the Wolf Man Legacy collection is where that all goes wrong. This volume only contains two of the four Wolf Man films and, in place of the last two installments, includes two Universal werewolf films that have no relationship to the Wolf Man series at all.

The true crime here is that the Larry Talbot Wolf Man series is, undoubtedly, the strongest and most consistent of the Universal monster franchises. It is the only series where the monster is played by the same actor each time, and it's the only series where we actually see that character develop in believable and logical ways with each installment. Larry Talbot begins as a frightened child of a man who has no idea what to do with the cruel fate that has been inflicted upon him. By the time of Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman, he has become a stronger and more resolved character, desperately working in search of a cure. In the two remaining sequels not included in this collection (House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula), this progression goes even farther, ultimately finding Larry as a tragic hero, resigned to work toward killing himself in order to save society. It's rich, character-intensive stuff; the kind of thing you wouldn't normally expect to see in a Universal monster film, let alone a franchise sequel.

House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula are (presumably) not included in this collection because their titles suggest that they are Frankenstein and Dracula films, but this is not the case. The Frankenstein monster plays an entirely insignificant role in House of Frankenstein, being literally reanimated at the very end of the film. House of Dracula, on the other hand, features Dracula prominently throughout the film, but it is still clearly a Larry Talbot story, with Larry playing the central character with whom we identify. More importantly, while both of these films include significant character development for Talbot, they do absolutely nothing to further the stories of Count Dracula nor the Frankenstein monster. These are Wolf Man films, through and through, and they are as important to "the Wolf Man Legacy" as the first Wolf Man film included in this volume.

Well, enough whining. So long as you know that you're going to have to buy two other Legacy collections in order to follow the full Wolf Man story, here's the break down of what IS included here. Despite my low marks for this "Wolf Man Legacy Collection," all of these films are worth a viewing:

*The Wolf Man: The first film in the Larry Talbot series is possibly the least interesting. The action is slow-moving, and Larry is a bit too childish and helpless for my taste. However, Claude Rains plays a wonderfully menacing father and brings tremendously rich conflict and emotion to the story. With his help, The Wolf Man becomes a deeply psychological film, more about the conflicted relationship between prodigal son and estranged father than a blood-thirsty monster that kills people (but don't despair, monster fans! There's plenty of the latter, as well). Viewed in this light, the ending of the film is stunning in its significance.

*Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man: Possibly the best of the Wolf Man films. Here, the focus is still fixed entirely on Larry as he becomes a darker, more tragic figure, mature beyond his years, and bearing a heavy weight about him. Cheney rises to the occasion nicely, and the plot (which is far more busy and exciting than in the first film) certainly meets him part way.

*She-Wolf of London: Though the film begins as if continuing from a previous story ("The Allenby curse had almost been forgotten..."), it is entirely original and has no relationship to any other Universal werewolf picture. It's an unusual film in that the focus is neither on action nor monster make-up. In fact, you never actually SEE the She-Wolf at all. However, this slow-moving film filled with two-dimensional arch-types does one fascinating thing -- it leaves us doubting. The original plan for the first Wolf Man film was that they were never going to show the werewolf. They wanted to keep you guessing as to whether Larry really was transforming or was actually losing his mind. She-Wolf of London runs with that idea, keeping you guessing about June Lockhart's supposed transformations, and the revelation at the end is quite brilliant. If you pay careful attention, you'll probably see it coming.

*Werewolf of London: Universal's first werewolf film, pre-dating The Wolf Man by six years. It's incredibly well cast and features surprisingly strong acting for a monster picture. It also contains a lot of subtlety, such as when a drunk woman at a bar orders drinks for "two ladies" and then comically reveals that she is the two ladies. This tangential episode runs parallel to, and offers thematic insight into, a far darker aspect of the story. There's also some stunning psychological undertones, as the main character's fear and rage about losing his fiance to a former lover seems to take its form in the shape of the werewolf. It's a highly intelligent and complex script, far more than you might bargain for in a Universal monster film. Really, all that weighs the film down is the werewolf, himself. He's less of a monster, and more of an ill-tempered hairy man in a three piece suit who attacks people. He can be knocked out with a blow to the head and killed with a bullet. Theater-goers of the time complained that the film was too much like the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde (that film had been in theaters only a few years earlier). They were certainly on to something.

So, all in all, this is a collection of excellent werewolf films, but it loses major marks for not being the full "Wolfman Legacy." I recommend purchasing this set. You will enjoy it. But the Larry Talbot story does not end here. There's so much more worth seeing in House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula, but you'll have to shell out another $45.98 for the Frankenstein and Dracula Legacy Collections in order to find this out for yourself.

Poor Larry Talbot. Frankenstein may be generally a good person but he's arrogant enough to challenge the forces of nature and risk lives to achieve his goals. Dracula is a force of pure malevolence. Larry Talbot, however, is a nice guy who by accident is turned into a murderous creature and is wracked with guilt because of it.

The Wolf Man begins Talbot's saga. Bitten by a werewolf, he soon becomes one himself, both incredibly strong and incredibly murderous. Lon Chaney is at his best in his original turn as Talbot, faced with becoming a killer against his will. In Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, he begins his quest for a cure after learning that not even death will permanently rid him of his curse; in the process, he meets Frankstein's creature, which sets up a battle between the two monsters at the climax. Both movies are satisfying if not really spectacular B movies.

For the other Lon Chaney/Wolf Man movies, the viewer must turn to House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula in the other "Legacy" collections; Chaney's final turn in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is not included in any of the collections. The remaining two movies in The Wolf Man set are completely separate stories. Werewolf of London, noted as being the first werewolf movie, is decent enough, featuring two werewolves who are more demonic than beastly. She-Wolf of London, on the other hand, is decidedly weak (in fact the weakest in all the whole set of "Legacy" films): the story of a girl under a supposed curse that turns her into a wolf, it is more of a mystery than a supernatural thriller and most viewers will have the whole thing figured out long before the end.

Of the three "Legacy" collections, this is probably the weakest in the bunch, but it has enough fun stuff in it to merit a weak four stars. If your budget, however, limits your purchases, go with the Frankenstein collection instead and save this for a later day.

In celebration of VAN HELSING, Universal has pulled out the classic monster movies and given them the royal treatment that has been long overdue to them. This is THE WOLF MAN box set, featuring four movies about the exploits of werewolves

1. WEREWOLF OF LONDON (1935)
Botanist Wilfred Glendon (Henry Hull) travels to Tibet in search for the rare Marifasa Lupina flower. During his search, he is attacked by what seems to be a wild animal. In truth, he learns that a werewolf has attacked him, and that werewolf, Dr. Yogami (Warner Oland) warns him to be wary of the full moon. Despite the warnings, Wilfred begins killing, and does everything in his power to avoid killing his wife, Lisa (Valerie Hobson)
Though the first werewolf movie to come out of Universal, it also plays like Dr. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, but isn't very effective. I place this blame solely on Henry Hull, who just doesn't make for a sympathetic or interesting werewolf, and the special effects are admittedly awkward
JUDGEMENT: 71

2. THE WOLF MAN (1941)
Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.) returns to London to be with his father, Sir John (Claude Rains). Shortly after becoming smitten with Gwen Conliffe (Evelyn Ankers), Larry is attacked by a wolf after it kills another young woman. A gypsy (Maria Ouspenskaya), proceeds to reveal that the wolf was her son, Bela (Bela Lugosi), and by surviving Bela's attack, Larry himself will become a werewolf every full moon
Well, what can be said that hasn't been said? THE WOLF MAN is absoloutely brilliant, and my personal favorite of the Universal horror films. George Waggner does a fantastic job of directing, while Curt Siodmak's script is inventive and fun. Of course, the best part of the movie is Lon Chaney, Jr., delivering his greatest performance as the Wolf Man. Claude Rains, Evelyn Ankers, and Ralph Bellamy do a wonderful job of supporting him, as does Jack Pierce's brilliant makeup
JUDGEMENT: 100

3. FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN (1942)
Four years after his death, Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney, Jr.) is resurrected, and upon the realization that he cannot die by natural means, he seeks out a cure from Dr. Frankenstein. But upon learning that the doctor is dead, he has nothing but the Baroness (Ilona Massey), Dr. Mannering (Patrick Knowles), and the Frankenstein Monster (Bela Lugosi), he seeks the doctor's aid to cure him, which leads to a showdown between the Wolf Man and the Frankenstein Monster
Another wonderful film. Very atmospheric at times, and Lon Chaney, Jr. is once more effective as the Wolf Man. The fight at the end is also wonderful, as is the film as a whole. The only real fault comes from Bela Lugosi, who is a very stiff Frankenstein monster, though perhaps had they kept his dialogue, as well as his blindness reference intact, his performance may have worked better
JUDGEMENT: 88

4. SHE-WOLF OF LONDON (1946)
A series of grisly murders take place in London, leading Scotland Yard to search for a killer. Phyllis Allenby (June Lockhart) is convinced that she is a she-wolf, as part of a family curse. Her Aunt Martha (Sara Haden) tries to silence her niece, while her cousin Carol (Jan Wiley) and her fiancee Barry Lanfield (Don Porter) try to prove who the real killer is
Horrid movie by all means of imagination. It was clearly billed as a werewolf movie. Jack Pierce is even credited for his makeup work, but there isn't a special makeup effect or werewolf to be seen at all. And the acting is stiff! The only good thing is that the movie is short, only about an hour long
JUDGEMENT: 41

EXTRAS
THE WOLF MAN comes complete with a commentary track by Tom Weaver, providing one of the more enjoyable commentary tracks in the Legacy collections. There is a brief documentary with Stephen Sommers, the director of VAN HELSING, discussing his take on the Wolf Man, trailers for all the films except THE WOLF MAN, and a wonderful documentary, MONSTER BY MOONLIGHT, hosted by John Landis
JUDGEMENT: 81

OVERALL
While the LONDON werewolf films aren't very good, the Chaney, Jr. Wolf Man movies alone are enough reason to have this box set, complete with the enjoyable documentary and commentary track. Lacking compared to the DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN legacy collections, but worth the while nonetheless

OVERALL JUDGEMENT: 80

This collection of classic werewolf films bring back memories of staying up late on weekends and watching monster movies on TV. Although I didn't care much for "Werewolf of London" or "She-Wolf", the original "Wolfman" and "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman", starring Claude Rains, Bela Lugosi, and the impeccable Lon Chaney make this DVD special.

Chaney gives excellent performances in both films as Larry Talbot, a man who, in the first wolfmam film, is bitten by a werewolf, played by Lugosi. From then on, whenever there's a full moon, Larry undergoes a metamorphisis into the wolf creature, stalking the night and terrorizing people.

In "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman", Chaney reprises his famous fole, and Lugosi plays the part of Frankenstein, a role he previously turned down, and which was made famous by Boris Karloff. Ultimately, the monster and wolfman end up fighting each other at the end of the film while the townspeople try to destroy Frankenstein castle.

This is a good DVD. Chaney and Lugosi give memorable performances in their respective roles, and the settings and scenery, especislly the rolling fog throughout the films, gives them an even creepier feel to them. Although I didn't care for the other two films on the disc, "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman" and the original "Wolfman" make this disc worth the price. Watch this collection of horror films and experience some good classic horror at its best.

I am just a kid but still I was a fan of Universal Studios Monster movies ever since I was in Preschool. I went to a Hollywood video one day, and found Dracula, The Wolfman, Frankenstien and almost all the rest! Over the years, I found I had a liking for The Wolfman and the Creature of the Black Lagoon. Then on my 7th or 8th birthday, I unwrapped my on copy of the Wolfman Legacy Collection. The first thing I would like to say is that I liked Frankenstien meets The Wolfman and the interview with the director of Van Helsing. What I did not like was "The She-Wolf in London" because it was about a lady that thought she was a werewolf but really wasn't. Well, thats about it. If anyones interested, If I get any other Legacy Collection I will probaly write a review on that one. Anyways, Bon Voyage!!! :)

As a fan of all manner of movies and someone interested in the old Universal Horror characters, I must say I am pleased that the new VanHelsing movie did one good thing in getting all these old film series on DVD. As someone who's always preferred werewolves to vampires and who finds there aren't anywhere near as many good werewolf movies as there are good vampire movies, I chose this set first. The extras on this set are very much worth it, giving the history of the character and other fun facts that can add depth to your viewing experience. After all, the Wolf Man was the only one of the classic Universal monsters to always be played by the same actor, Lon Chaney Jr.

As for the films themselves, while hokey compared to today's horror films, they have a good deal of style of their own. Chaney doesn't quite come across as the son of the English lord (in fact, he's not a particularly good actor for the dramatic parts compared to some of his co-stars), but his watery eyes and pathetic demeanor show a man who is really haunted by the fact that for a couple days a month he turns into a ferious beast-man.

That said, there is one stinker in the set, the "She-Wolf of London". Starring a very young June Lockhart, this movie doesn't even have a werewolf in it (preventing me from making the obvious, "She also played Lassie" joke). About the only good thing about "She-Wolf" is it's short, barely over an hour. Otherwise, it's predictable (I figured out who did it and how before I was told), overly melodramatic, and not particularly scary even by the standards of the other films.

As for the rest, "Werewolf of London" was actually very good, complete with a couple comic relief old ladies with drinking habits that were actually somewhat funny, and a good plot. "Frankenstien Meets the Wolf-Man" worked well aside from Chaney's delivery of some of his lines, and Bela Lugosi had his only turn as Frankenstien's monster. And the main feature, "The Wolf Man", still packs the punch it's always had.