TheWolfman

After opening weekend box office earnings of approximately $35 million and a hefty production budget of $150 million, Joe Johnston's The Wolfman has its tail tucked somewhat between its legs. Reviews for Universal's remake of the 1941 classic have been mixed, which comes as almost no surprise, after such a troubled production history--including delays, reshoots and editorial changes. The film's score was originally being done by movie maestro Danny Elfman, but Universal swapped him for former Tangerine Dream member, Paul Haslinger (Near Dark) and then ran back to Elfman. As a Moog mogul I was curious about Haslinger's crack at the score and Shock recently posted a sample of his work on their site, which you can listen to after the jump.

Granted, it is hard to imagine Haslinger's harsher sounds completely befitting of the classic, Gothic backdrop of Wolfman, but was Elfman's score really that much more amazing? I recognize Elfman's ability as a composer and like all composers he sounds, well, like himself--but he hasn't delivered something that blew me away in quite some time. Yep, I said it. I think Danny Elfman is regurgitating the same score over and over again and I'm expecting the same old stuff in the upcoming Burton flick, Alice in Wonderland. And while we're at it, Burton has managed to become a total ADD, snooze fest all at once. Bring on the hate.

Listen to Haslinger's clip after the jump. [update: it looks as though the folks at AICN have debunked this story. read on for more info!]

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.

Few films run into the monumental production hiccups that have plagued The Wolfman from day one. With directors leaving, budgetary concerns, the firing and rehiring of Danny Elfman, and an emergency clean-up editing session after an LA screening it's not hard to understand why so many people considered this project a sinking ship. I have been following the woes of The Wolfman for some time but despite what I had read, possibly despite my better judgment, I went into the theater optimistic as a die-hard fan of the Universal monsters. Interestingly enough, this film is so patched together, so broken and stitched, that it more closely resembles Frankenstein's monster.

The tragic story of Lawrence Talbot is timeless. Here is a man cursed for reasons beyond his control; victimized by fate in the tradition of the protagonists of Shakespeare or Euripides. He is a man who becomes a monster upon the full moon and commits horrible atrocities that fill his heart with regret once the transformation is reversed. Lon Chaney, Jr., who played this role originally in several Universal films, brought so much sympathy to the part, particularly the scene in Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman wherein he is begging for someone to find a way to kill him, it was heartbreaking. You feel for this man and, though he is also a monster, you make an emotional connection.

Best of the New Releases: Triangle, The House of the Devil, Zombieland
Okay, so the first Tuesday of February pretty much makes up for every Tuesday in January. First up we have Triangle, the mindbender from Christopher Smith that finds Melissa George attempting to unravel a couple mysteries aboard an ocean liner. I'll be writing a full review of it later in the week, but in short I think this is a twisted little movie that can be enjoyed on a single viewing but may take multiples to fully absorb. Smith is now 3-0 as far as I'm concerned.

Next up is The House of the Devil. It's been mentioned quite a lot here at Horror Squad, so there's really no need to sell you on the quality of the movie at this point. You can pick up Ti West's outstanding Satanic Panic throwback on Blu-ray, DVD, and even VHS.

Watch out Farmville and move aside Mob Wars, because the Wolfman is on Facebook.

In anticipation of the February 12th release date, Facebook is bringing fans of the iconic character The Wolfman: Legend of the Full Moon, an all new in-browser game that pits man against beast in an epic showdown. From the press release:

"In The Wolfman: Legend of the Full Moon" you can choose a side, build your characters, recruit friends, and battle anyone who will face you. Are you a WOLFMAN or a Hunter? Earn points for exclusive film content including free ringtones, wallpapers and clips."

* Set yourself apart from others with the application's customizable characters
* Check out the unique weapons and abilities
* Move to the top of the boards fast to gain rank promotions
* Send this to your fellow Wolfman friends and foes to earn a recruitment bonus
* Be sure to place high on The Wolfman leaderboard

The release of the game ties in with the brand spankin' new Wolfman website, which features fascinating lessons in lycanthropy as well as a look at the legacy of Universal Pictures' classic monsters through rare clips, images and music.

The Wolfman is directed by Joe Johnston and stars Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving.

I was actually getting excited about former Tangerine Dream member Paul Haslinger's score for Universal's remake of The Wolfman. I've liked the band since the days of yore when a boyfriend gave me a tape of some of their early hypno-Moog tunes. Like many people, I revisited their work through the soundtracks they did for films like Legend and Near Dark. Well it seems that Universal has asked Danny Elfman back, after announcing last November that Haslinger would be replacing Elfman for unknown reasons. Since the film has been plagued by a number of issues including delays, reshoots and editorial changes this announcement really comes as no surprise.

Shock Till You Drop delivered the news that Elfman's (incomplete) score is making a return. Since Elfman is currently working on Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Universal has tapped composer Conrad Pope to help finish the job. Pope worked with Elfman on Sleepy Hollow so he's familiar with the maestro's methods.

Will this movie ever make it out on time? Does anyone else love Danny Elfman's score for Mars Attacks! as much as I do? Does The Wolfman really just need more theremin to make it all better?

I have held on to hope regarding Universal's remake of The Wolfman despite the black cloud of troubling rumors, delays and reshoots that has been hanging over the film since we sensed something was amiss late last year. The first sign was a release date push from November to February 10--huge disappointment. Then there were changes in the crew. Composer Danny Elfman left the project and editor, Dennis Virkler, was booted from the film after an early cut screened in L.A. Finally, there were stories about reshoots because the special FX were not so special even though FX master Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London) was on board. What's a poor Wolfman to do in a case like this? Get legendary monster artist Basil Gogos to create the poster for your new film!

Gogos is an illustrator who has painted some of the most striking portraits of movie monsters in horror and is best known for the work he did with Warren Publishing's Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. The man has painted everyone from Dracula to the original Wolfman (1941) as well as famous horror icons Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Lon Chaney and many others. Gogos has also painted CD covers for musicians Rob Zombie and The Misfits. His 2005 book, Famous Monster Movie Art of Basil Gogos, is a delicious hardcover detailing his career and includes commentary from the artist.

Someone at Universal got it right with this one, big time. But my fingers are still crossed. Head over to CHUD to see the full poster.

John Landis, Peter Jackson and Brett Eisner have one thing in common. They were all tapped at one point to revive Universal's 1954 classic monster flick, Creature from the Black Lagoon. Well, the Gill-man may have found his home with a new director yet. Universal is in early talks with Carl Erik Rinsch to direct the remake about a science expedition's encounter with a mysterious and terrifying undersea creature.

Rinsch was in talks with Ridley and Tony Scott to direct an Alien prequel at one point, until Ridley Scott decided to return to the franchise he originally launched. Rinsch shoots commercials for the Scott's production company RSA. Hopefully he'll be able to show off his monster chops with this one soon. The film is being produced by Strike Entertainment's Marc Abraham and Eric Newman, along with Gary Ross. Creature's script is getting a redo.

Universal has been anxious to get this project in the works. Their remake of the 1941 classic The Wolfman has showed a lot of promise and hopefully will succeed. Otherwise, Creature may have murky waters to contend with upon release.

Universal announced that their remake of the 1941 classic, The Wolfman, will have an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America when released February 10, 2010. Even though the studio has struggled with reshoots, delays and changes--fans can get excited about this movie again knowing that they haven't neutered old Wolfie with a PG-13 rating.

The trailers for Wolfman have promised R-rated worthy 'bloody horror, violence and gore' in telling the story of Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) who reunites with his estranged family after his brother vanishes. He discovers that a bloodthirsty beast has been terrorizing the town and while he and his father (Anthony Hopkins) try to hunt it down, Talbot discovers a horrifying destiny for himself. The film also stars Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving and Art Malik. Rick Baker (An American Werewolf in London) will be handling the gory special effects, so you know it will be good.

A PG-13 rating opens the film up to a broader audience and sometimes proves successful. Take Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell; the film was highly entertaining, had plenty of gross-out and delivered far more than some R-Rated films even. Still, the debate continues as to whether PG-13 movies have a place in the horror genre, considering they often get their rating to ensure maximum profit for the studio. Or do we blame the filmmakers? Have too many people sold their soul to the uber profitable scary movie/hot teen drama combination?

Good evening all. Let me just say that it was not my intention to have all the news on which I reported revolve around The Wolfman, but he we are again. Today, I have a wonderful piece of news to report that is only marginally related to the remake. If you are anything like me, you have a great deal of reverence when it comes to Universal and horror. This is the studio that gave us the legends: Dracula, Frankenstein('s monster), the Creature From the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, The Bride of Frankenstein, and the original Wolfman. Well, in celebration of their upcoming revamp, Universal has unveiled a website devoted to the legacy of their rogue's gallery of monsters and madmen.

I cannot say enough about this site. It not only looks amazing, but is the best online treatment of the Universal Monsters I have ever seen. The intro video is a great reminder as to why horrophiles like us love this era and there is a constant stream of gorgeous scores playing from the films themselves. Each movie offers a synopsis and the background changes with each selection. You can scroll through the time-line of releases, admiring original posters or even watching clips. I'm nerding out just thinking about it. It's like an online shrine to classic horror royalty.

Universal made a very wise decision loosely linking the new film to this site. There is a brief mention below the montage and a small link at the top to the new movie's site. I'm glad they didn't try to shoehorn the remake into the gallery, and thus insinuate comparison. The limelight stands focused on the true titans; quelling any potential backlash. Well done!

Go see it now!