Wolfman

Earl Owensby is a guy who made a fortune with films aimed at the drive in circuits in the south. He parlayed that into some big budget films before it all going wrong when he built a studio that was the site of the under water filming of The Abyss. Before his semi leap to the big time Owensby produced and starred in a number of action and horror films that pretty much only played south of the Mason Dixon Line. Until Wolfman I had never seen one of his films. Watching it I really don't understand why he made as much money as he did. The plot of the film has a miscast Owensby returning home when he is told that his father has died. Actually his father didn't die until his scheming relatives were certain that he was on his way home, at which time they killed him so that the werewolf curse would pass on to Owensby. Filmed with models and (somewhat) obvious sets the film looks cheap but serviceable. The performances are all over the place with actors and non-actors mixing freely. Owensby isn't a bad actor as such but he is so low key as to be almost invisible. He conveys none of the intensity needed for the role. It doesn't help that the pacing is so slack as to be near catatonic with there being a good chance you'll nod off before the wolfman (of the Lon Chaney variety) shows up. Something for the insomniacs or those wanting to see what a footnote filmmaker made his fortune on. 3 out of 10.

if you rent this movie, do it solely for a laugh, as it is one of theeee worst flicks i have ever seen. the acting is way below sub par. look for a story set in the civil war era, where you use a kerosine lamp at night but when colin goes into the toolshed, he turns on a lightbulb!!!! also look for the main actors to be dressed in period attire except the village mob who are all dressed in somewhat current fashions. (did they really have nylon windbreakers during the civil war??) smoking monkeys could have done a better job.....and what's with the doctor with his borscht belt accent????

A long-absent relative of a cursed family returns home, only to find that he has been chosen by the others to carry the burden of their ancient curse...lycanthropy.

There is a certain naive charm to Earl Owesby's movies...they are schlock, no question, but the obvious earnestness put into them is...uh...cute? That said, WOLFMAN is an altogether watchable piece of poo, and manages to come out at least *looking* like something better than it is...a fairly well shot little horror film with very little attention payed to the details of the Victorian setting in which it takes place. The primary characters are attired in late 19th century costume, but peripheral characters have a laughable "come as you are, but try to look kinda Victorian" style.

Not scary, and not really good-bad, but mildy amusing despite itself. 4/10

Wolfman (1979)

** (out of 4)

After the death of his father, Colin Glasgow (Earl Owensby) returns to the family estate where he begins to learn some dark secrets about his father. One is that his father was actually murdered. Another secret is a mysterious Satan worshiping events. And, finally, there's the fact that he's now turning into a werewolf and killing the locals.

WOLFMAN is a somewhat notorious film but then again everything Owensby did was somewhat legendary or notorious. He basically went from rags to riches and his love of movies had him begin to make them. This film was obviously inspired by the Universal series with Lon Chaney and while it's not a good movie it's certainly a rather interesting one to watch.

I say that because the film is a bit too long for its own good and some of the performances aren't that good. I'd also argue that the direction could have been much better. I could also add that the film has too slow of a pace to make it very entertaining. You could go even further by saying that there's a very non-professional feel about the entire picture. All of this stuff would be true but there's still some charm about the picture.

It has a very regional feel to it and I must say that the old time setting actually works and looks much more believable than you'd see out of your typical Andy Milligan picture. Like Milligan this film like the costume period setting and it looks real at least. I'd also argue that Owensby wasn't a great actor but he does have a certain charm here that leaps off the screen and makes you like his character and performance.

Finally, WOLFMAN does at least succeed whenever the actual werewolf is on the screen. The make-up effects are quite good with a strong resemblance to the Paul Naschy films of the era. The death scenes are more old-fashioned as there's nothing too graphic or gory. Again, there are a lot of warts here but at the same time this is a somewhat interesting take on the familiar story.

I can just barely remember being taken to this movie as a 5 year old child in '79. My parents were going out on the town and were leaving me with an Aunt (who enjoyed horror movies evidently). She took me and my older cousin to see this movie and exposed me to my first taste of horror cinema. I haven't seen this movie since that night (I'm now 29) but since it has now come to DVD, I might have to check it out, just for kicks. Even though the reviews of this movie are awful, it truly scared the hell out of a five year old kid back in '79.