Here's Why Most Werewolf Movies Suck
02.12.10 By: Scott Weinberg

Werewolf of London (1935), The Wolf Man (1941), Curse of the Werewolf (1961). An American Werewolf in London, The Howling, and Wolfen all showed up in 1981. Later we got Ginger Snaps and Dog Soldiers. I've skipped over stuff like Silver Bullet, Bad Moon, and Underworld because even if you think they're half-decent werewolf movies -- you probably don't think they're fantastic werewolf movies. Hell, I only included the very dry Wolfen up top because it's weird that three(!) werewolf movies came out in 1981!
Clearly my assertion is that there aren't really all that many GOOD werewolf movies. I will now take that assertion and stretch it like so much bubble gum ... and there: I now have a specious piece of logic that says MOST werewolf movies are crap.(Wolf? Blood and Chocolate? I Was a Teenage Werewolf? Cursed? Don't make me laugh. And the name of that witless "Paris" sequel will go unmentioned on this website.) Actually that's not entirely accurate either because, really, we don't really GET all that many werewolf movies these days. And I think I know why:
He's boring.
The coolest vampires are both alluring and revolting. They're fascinating and gross at the same time. Frankenstein's near-mindless monster is also intriguing: would a big mixture of body parts be able to feel human? And what would the inside of that creature's brain feel like? It's just a creepy concept. Dr. Jekyll, The Invisible Man, hell, even the boring bandage-pile known as The Mummy is more interesting than the werewolf.
John Landis is the only one who has ever really nailed it. His tongue-in-cheek approach to An American Werewolf in London is a pitch-perfect way to illustrate the absurdity, the tragedy, and the horror of a man becoming a man-wolf. It's painful to witness, disturbing to consider, and ultimately ... a whole lot of fun to watch.
Beyond that, though, what is The Wolf Man's character arc? He's a nobody. He gets bit by a werewolf and acquires the same curse: He'll sprout claws and kill people on the next full moon. Then he does so until he's stopped with a silver bullet. Roll credits.
Where's the cleverness there? There's nothing "subtextual" or particularly fascinating going on here. It's all surface-level silliness. The werewolf is not a clever, ironic, or artistically fascinating character. There's little in the way of real duality or unexpected conflict. He's boring, except when he's a wolf, and then he does what wolves do. Yawn.
I guess that's why you need a new hook to make werewolves interesting, which is why we still dig Ginger Snaps (werewolf meets teenage girls) and Dog Soldiers (werewolf meets armed soldiers) and generally forget about stuff like the new Wolfman remake.
P.S. Bonus points for anyone who was wondering if I'd mention Neil Jordan's The Company of Wolves. So I did. Good flick.
Filed under: Discussion Posts









Reader Comments (1 of 1)
pzombat 2-12-2010
You missed out at least one good werewolf movie and that would be Teen Wolf. Now I know you could probably shoot that down and say it's not good but that would be your opinion. We also have movies that feature werewolves like Monster Squad, Trick r Treat, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein to name a few.
I do agree that good werewolf movies are very few and far between but they are out there. Plus as with movies like I have stated above they can be awesome characters as part of a group of monsters.
Adam Charlesat 2-12-2010
The allure of the wolf man is that once he finds out what he is he becomes tormented. He doesn't want to kill people, but doesn't know how to die. No, there isn't anything particularly special about a werewolf over any other kind of beast, but if the material treats it more as a disease that the infected doesn't want to spread then it becomes a more compelling story.
offshore33at 2-12-2010
Nice rebuttal here: http://chud.com/articles/articles/22518/1/THE-DEVIN039S-ADVOCATE-IN-DEFENSE-OF-WEREWOLVES/Page1.html
Chic LeRoseat 2-12-2010
Didn't Full Moon High also come out in 1981?
Robertat 2-12-2010
I disagree so fundamentally it's not even worth arguing.
Nickat 2-13-2010
agreed
Inujoat 2-27-2010
I guess there no sense in asking about New Moon, most likely you hate the girlie movie and they are Shapeshifters. In Twilight the shapeshifters are called "Werewolves" but it is noted they are not the same as the "children of the moon."
In my opinion only Underworld has provided any story beyond mindless people killing.
You left out the Scooby doo werewolf featurettes, they were just as well done as the typical werewolf movie. *snicker*