O Lobisomem

The Wolf Man is a film about a man bitten by a werewolf condemned to live the life of his antagonist. Lon Chaney Jr. does an awfully good job transcending the traditional monster out to get everyone with a humane, sympathetic portrait of the titular lycanthrope. This is Universal Studios at its best with a good old-fashioned horror yarn, excellent acting, particularly by supporting cast members Claude Rains, Evelyn Ankers, Bela Lugosi, and the outstanding Maria Ouspenskaya as the old and wise gypsy woman, wonderful sets complete with swirling fog, and special effects that were new and fresh in 1941. This film is fast-paced and deserves its rank as one of the great Universal horror classics.

An all time classic! One of the top notch horror films of the 1940's! Superb Universal atmosphere, superb performance by Lon Chaney Jr. I won't go into the story because we all know it. Let me just say that this movie is chuck full of atmosphere and it's fair share of thrills. If your a youngster, it will still scare you just as it did all those years ago. And for us older folk, it is a great throwback and full of nostalgia. Really makes you remember where you were as a kid the first time you saw it! Rent it, buy it, treasure it! One heck of an enduring classic!

Lon Chaney portrays psychological torment, guilt, and conflict so well in this film. These feelings are so absent in this century. Larry Talbot, in contrast to public officials and corporate executives, wants to do the right thing, and feels remorse at the suffering that he has caused. Chaney also does this in his later Inner Sanctum films. Maria Ouspenskaya is also great as Maleva, the gypsy. And the music is also marvelous. Films as these put contemporary horror films to shame. The former are fun and a pleasure to watch. This one is quite good.

It wasn't the first werewolf movie (that honor goes to `Werewolf of London'), but it was `The Wolf Man' that gives us most of the werewolf mythology we still cling to today.

As with most classics, `The Wolf Man' draws its power from a combination of elements. First, there's Curt Siodmak's plausible and intelligent script. Siodmak said he was given a title, a star and a start date, and from there he consolidated and invented the werewolf myth into a cohesive, logical format.

Then there's the actors, a veritable who's who of 1930s-40s Universal horror. Lon Chaney joins the pantheon on great horror actors on this one, playing the tormented Larry Talbot. He manages to give Larry a tragic quality, a man trapped by a curse he doesn't understand or deserve. Chaney also generates considerable chemistry with the luminous Evelyn Ankers, which is surprising considering the rumors that the two practically hated each other. And then there's the always-excellent Claude Rains, who doesn't look very much like Lon Chaney's father, but still exudes quiet authority and authenticity.

Topping off the whole package is a healthy dollop of atmosphere: foggy forests, Gothic mansions and crypts, colorful Gypsy encampments. Each bit of design enhances the sense of mystery and dread that surround Larry Talbot, and burns `The Wolf Man' into your memory.

I'll never walk a foggy forest at night again!

When I was about 18, my uncle came over and said he had just bought two new movies Frankenstien and the Wolf Man and wanted me to watch them with him. Since I was nursing a broken foot at the time I decided to go watch them. Thank you uncle for a truly memorable night. The Wolf Man is great movie. It spooky atmosphere and creepy music only add to this gem of a flick. As far as Lon Chaney goes; this role was made for him. He is perfect as the tragic Larry Talbot. Horror movie makers of today should watch these classic gems before attempting their movies. God knows they could learn a thing or two about how to make a REAL horror movies. What must Lon, Boris, Bela and Vincent be think as they look down the atrocities that are called horror movies. It's like my uncle has always said: They sure don't make horror movies like they used to.

They sure don't uncle. They sure don't.