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My Mom's A Werewolf is self-explanatory, a lonely housewife on her way to the pet shop one day meets a strange man who gives her the bite that turns her wolfen. But, the town hardly notices, including her oblivious husband. So, her teenaged daughter solicits the help of a fortune teller and her friend, well-versed in monster trivia, to help her mom out.

The movie is out and out corny. I mean, the idea that someone's mom turns into a werewolf is certainly comical fun, except nothing really seems to happen other than that. There's no real hijinks or amusing events that set off a whole series of funny consequences. It's more like, okay, so you're mom is a werewolf.

But, I criticize with caution because I'm watching this in my twenties, reminiscing the fun horror/comedy days of the late 80s. But I'm sure it was aimed for kids, or at least approved for the whole family kind of movie. So, pre-teens are probably more likely to get a kick out of it than I would (although they might miss some of the subtle humor such as "Toe Job" and "Cavity Empor"). But what the heck.

In continuing to review werewolf movies chronologically, we're at 1989 with this Crown International Pictures flick. Susan Blakely is a neglected woman since her hubby John Schuck usually stays at work and when he's at home, he's always watching football on TV with friends. So the wife meets a man at a pet shop who manages to make her feel like a woman again but there's a price...The man is played by John Saxon and he and Ms. Blakely are probably the funniest things in the film but the script seems to go everywhere and nowhere at the same time as you both laugh and cringe at how funny some scenes are and how unfunny others are despite some good comediennes like Ruth Buzzi and Marcia Wallace (Ms. Wallace does provide some amusement while Ms. Buzzi does not). Also, singer Marilyn McCoo appears in a straight role as a reporter and she doesn't do much either. There's also a couple of teen girls-one of whom is the daughter of Blakely and Schuck and the other is a horror movie fan-who aren't very funny either but they both have some energy so there's that. So on that note, My Mom's a Werewolf is partly amusing, partly not so it's at least worth a look if you're curious enough...

My Mom's a Werewolf is clearly an example of a film that came out in the wake of the success of Teen Wolf (1985). That latter film had been released with little fanfare only to become a surprise hit once Michael J. Fox became a superstar off the back of Back to the Future (1985). In fairness, Teen Wolf was a pretty clunky movie with an alarmingly stupid premise and quite a lot of general lameness about it. Yet it had a certain charm nevertheless, My Mom's a Werewolf also has some 80's appeal about it too, yet it's really not very good.

It's about a housewife who is transformed into a werewolf by a mysterious debonair stranger. Once she discovers her condition she tries to conceal her secret from her husband and daughter. The latter joins forces with her horror geek best friend to find a cure.

This one benefits from the presence of one of the all-time b-movie kings, John Saxon, in the role of the smooth werewolf stranger. Like he always does, he again brings some commitment and class to proceedings. It's technically a horror-comedy that definitely focuses on the comedy at the expense of the horror. Mainly, it is full of what can best be described as '80's cheese'. I can't pretend to think this is very successful as a comedy, yet it has a certain likableness about it that prevents me from actively disliking it.

I enjoyed this movie. Sure, it was bad at times, and the plot is a bit contrived, but in the badness comes the true comedy. There's a part in the movie where the mom (played by Susan Blakely) comes to terms with her slow transformation into a werewolf. The man who woos her with his charms (played by John Saxon) explains her unusual condition. "I am a werewolf, and I need a were-wife." She replies, "Let me guess, we're going to live in a were-house (as in warehouse)." Yeah, it's a corny joke, but that's pretty much how this movie pounds along. Visions of the 80's will pop in your head as you watch this film, let it soak your brain and give you a spook or two.

This is a "does what it says on the tin" type of comedy horror. It's about a suburban housewife who finds herself bitten by a werewolf and subsequently transforms into a hairy beast. There's little plotting here and zero characterisation, just a series of lame jokes and set-ups which have dated badly since first release.

I'm not sure whether this broad, scattershot spoof would have been funny at the time anyway. Crown International Pictures certainly had a history of churning out cheap-looking, poorly-acted movies and MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF is no exception. Susan Blakely was once a starlet in the likes of THE TOWERING INFERNO but is pretty poor in the titular role, it has to be said. John Saxon plays the urbane werewolf catalyst and is a lot better, even if you do feel a bit embarrassed for him.

One of the best things about this film is the inclusion of a horror-loving character who has all kinds of movie posters in their bedroom. Forrest J. Ackerman cameos and there's even a highlight in the form of an early visit to a horror store where cheesy old movies are discussed. This alone is what lifts MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF from the doldrums into a merely bad film. Check out the werewolf costumes, which are among the worst ever put up on screen.

Lothario werewolf John Saxon seduces housewife Susan Blakely and turns her into a sex crazed werewolf. I remember seeing this PG-rated comedy VHS box on the video store shelf, but never watched it and I had always thought it was a silly low budget family comedy. Instead, it's a rather dirty comedy that has Blakely getting turned on by just about every male character she encounters. But as raunchy as that sounds, the dirty comedy manages to stay fairly clean in that it doesn't show any nakedness, although the innuendo and Blakely frequently wearing nothing but lingerie makes this film hardly a comedy for the whole family. But how good is the film? It's badly acted (except for Blakely and Saxon), it's not very funny, and generally pretty boring. However, the film has a fair amount of 1980s nostalgia with plenty of cheesy hair, music, and fashion, and that was enough to hold my interest despite the overall poor quality of filmmaking. The film also features Ruth Buzzi as a gypsy fortune teller, Marilyn McCoo, Marcia Wallace (best know now as Miss Krabappel on "The Simpsons"), and Kimmy Robertson (best know from Twin Peaks) playing "pedestrian." There's even a cameo by Forrest J Ackerman!

The housewife Leslie Shaber (Susan Blakely) has a boring marriage since she is neglected by her husband Howard Shaber (John Schuck) that spends his nights with his friends that are also football fans. Her teenage daughter Jennifer Shaber (Katrina Caspary) and her best friend Stacey Pubah (Diana Barrows) decide to meet Leslie is the restaurant where she usually has lunch to give flowers to her as if it was from Howard, expecting to rekindle their marriage. Meanwhile Leslie goes to a pet shop to buy a flea-collar and her purse is robbed by a thief. The pet shop owner Harry Thropen (John Saxon) chases the criminal and retrieves her purse. Thropen, who is a werewolf, invites Leslie to have lunch with him and Jennifer and Stacey believe they are lovers. Later Harry uses his power to bring Leslie to his apartment where he bite her toe. Leslie turns into a werewolf bringing havoc to her home, while Jennifer and Stacey try to revert the process.

"My Mom's a Werewolf" is an entertaining B-movie, with a silly but funny storyline. The direction, the screenplay, the dialogues, the performances are typical for a low-budget film. But there are many funny moments that will probably make you laugh. Therefore, a reasonable film to be watched at home in a rainy Saturday afternoon. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Minha Mãe é um Lobisomem" ("My Mom is a Werewolf")

Not sure why I even gave this film a 2, as opposed to a 1, as it is wretched.

Maybe because it is merely bad and not offensive.

I cannot imagine a more uninvolving and stupid movie. But at least it captures the 80s at their worst.

I suppose that counts for something.

Leslie Shabor is tired of being under-appreciated by her husband and goes to a pet store to buy a flea collar for her dog and meets a handsome and mysterious man (John Saxon) and has a tryst with him, and over the next few days, she slowly transforms into a werewolf. John did a great job as the mysterious and handsome werewolf.

The frustrated housewife Leslie Shaber (Susan Blakely) visits an animal shop to purchase a flea-collar. Unknowing that the owner (John Saxon) is a werewolf...

Diana Barrows (a "Friday the 13th" veteran) is a bit over-excited, but has the part of the die-hard horror fan. (I go to conventions, but I have no interest in every little thing like she does... that would be crazy.) Her presence cues us in from the beginning that this film is not a horror film so much as it is a love letter to horror fans.

John Saxon is great. While known best (probably) as the father from "Nightmare on Elm Street", he does a fine job as the werewolf, being both creepy and... well... more creepy. His scenes are really only beat by possibly the nightmare scene or the dentist scene, but Saxon steals the show.

Nice tip of the hat to "Prime Evil", whose poster shows up not once, but twice -- at the horror convention and in the girl's room.

Ah yes, My Mom's A Werewolf. Every time I see this movie I see all the stuff that made the 80's everyone's joke once the 90's came around.

Here's the story:

A mild-mannered suburban housewife goes out one day and meets up with a strange, dark, but quite handsome man, played by John Saxon. One thing leads to another and they end up at his apartment for a little "afternoon delight." He nibbles on her toe, and she screams out in pain and takes off.

What she didn't know was her afternoon playmate was a werewolf, and the bite has caused her to slowly transform into one. A previous review already mentioned the were-wife, were-house (warehouse) joke, which was quite corny but it sure did make me chuckle.

Now she has to hide her "hairy" situation from her husband, her daughter, and her daughter's best friend. I can sense the laughter coming. For the next hour or so, she succeeds.....but she can't hide it forever, you know.

In short, a great "USA Up All Night" kind of movie. A little screaming, some comedy, and a few tasteless jokes here and there.

Story: C Laugh Factor: B Acting: B- Overall: B

Frustrated MILF Leslie Shaber (Susan Blakely) allows herself to be seduced by dark, dashing pet-shop owner Harry Thropen (John Saxon), who takes her back to his store and bites her on the toe, after which she gradually begins to sprout bodily hair and fangs. Leslie's teenage daughter Jennifer (Tina Caspary) guesses that her mother is turning into a werewolf and, with the help of her horror-fan best friend Stacey (Diana Barrows) and fortune teller Madame Gypsy (Ruth Buzzi), tries to reverse the process.

I'm loathe to call My Mum's a Werewolf a horror-comedy since it isn't scary and there is nothing funny about it. Most likely inspired by the surprise success of Michael J. Fox film Teen Wolf (1985), MMAW is poorly scripted, badly acted, low-budget dross of the sort that would have clogged up the bottom shelves of Blockbusters when it originally came out; now it's a part of one of those ultra-cheap Mill Creek 50-movie DVD box sets, and is probably one of the weaker films to be found there (and that's saying something given how bad some of the others are).

The titular mom is a bored and unappreciated housewife who gets bitten by a werewolf in this affable but middling comedy. The werewolf is humorously characterized with combination of hypnotic charisma and social ineptitude, like his habit of adding live goldfish to cocktails. It's an interesting take on the half-feral nature of werewolves. Unfortunately most of the other gags are broad and pretty witless. The family's daughter who is investigating her mother's possibly lycanthropy is an annoying presence. This is definitely a movie for the PG crowd but I don't think they'll find it particularly fun or interesting.

How did they get Susan Blakely and John Saxon in this one? I can only fathom when they read the script it was so far off from anything they've done, it might have sounded like fun. It's beyond silly. Yet, it works. And it's entertaining. Mark Pirro wrote the script but didn't direct. The film has a good cast and high production value for a Crown International release.

My Mom's a Werewolf (1989)

** (out of 4)

Susan Blakely plays Leslie Shaber, a bored housewife whose husband doesn't pay too much attention to her. One day she stops into a pet store where the owner (John Saxon) comes onto her and after a couple drinks the housewife is seduced and bitten. Before long the mom starts to turn into a werewolf so it's up to her daughter and her friend to save her.

MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF comes from Crown International so one shouldn't expect too much. I've heard this film described as a kid's movie and perhaps that's true to a point. There's certainly nothing scary or shocking here and it's got a fun nature to it but at the same time there's a lot of sexual innuendo so I'm not sure this is for really young kids. With that said, there's certainly nothing special to be found here but there are two fun performances that will make it appealing to horror fans.

Both Blakely and Saxon are very good in their roles and I thought a better screenplay really could have made for a much better picture. The two actors are fun in their roles and especially Saxon who gets to play a romantic lover who of course is a werewolf. The werewolf effects are what you'd expect from a low-budget movie like this. Horror fans will enjoy some of the friend's nerd talk dealing with various horror magazines and movies.

In the end, MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF certainly isn't a classic but then again it's not the worst werewolf movie to come from the 80s.

It's a terrible film - but so cute. It's so bad it's good. It's worth watching if you like the campy comedy-horror.

My favorite comedies are the black comedies & comedy-horrors. I love the classic horror films so to mix horror with comedy is "right up my alley". This one works for me although it might not for others.

If you enjoyed films like The Werewolf of Washington (1973), Teen Wolf (1985) or Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) then you might like My Mom's a Werewolf (1989) because it's along the same vein.

Also, if you are wanting a family style horror film to watch with your kids (in particular for Halloween) then My Mom's a Werewolf (1989) is a good film for that.

6/10