Chosen Monster: Werewolves

Werewolves have always both fascinated and terrified me to

an extent that no other monster can match. I have seen an

equal number of films featuring monsters such as zombies

and aliens but there has always been something about the

werewolf in my eye that sets it apart from the rest as a

creature of pure terror. Perhaps it is the fact that even if you

somehow survive an encounter with this beast you will share

in its curse to which there is no cure. Perhaps it is the fact

that they cannot be bribed or reasoned with, they will just

hunt and kill you with nothing but unrestricted feral savagery.

For me there can be no other choice as to which monster to

use in my movie.

If you want to scare the audience, use something that scares you.

History

The Werewolf legend is one of the oldest and most wide spread in the world. Some of the

earliest examples come from Greece and Romania.

The official term for this condition is Lycanthrope, which comes from the Greek lykoi, ‘wolf’

and anthropos, ‘man’.

The most famous example of a werewolf story is ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ in which the

werewolf speaks to the girl and then dresses up in her grandmothers clothes.

Unlike in the movies, werewolves don’t need the influence of the full moon to change or

‘shape shift’ but can alter their form at will. The full moon does hold power over man

according to legend to create madness, but not to transform them into a beast.

At the Movies

There have been many werewolf films made during the years of cinema.

Some of the most well known are:

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

The Howling (1981)

The Wolfman (1941) Remake (2010)

Bad Moon (1996)

Dog Soldiers (2002)

An American Werewolf in London

Budget: $10 million

Total Box Office Gross: $30, 565,292

Widely considered to be the greatest Lycanthropic tale to ever hit the silver screen and rated

No.16 in Time Out London’s 100 Greatest Horror Films, Rick Bakers genius blend of comedy

and horror has never been matched. There is a remake being planned for release within the

next 2 years but whether or not it will follow in its father’s footsteps as a benchmark for the

werewolf movie is anybody’s guess.

The Howling

Budget: $1,000,000 (estimated)

Total Box Office Gross: $17,985,893

Also an effective mixture of comedy and horror, The Howling sees a troubled woman and her

husband sent to a secluded resort for medical recovery, only to discover that every other

guest is a werewolf. Unlike most werewolf stories the beasts featured in this film don’t rely on

the full moon but can shape shift whenever they choose. Critical response vary with some

calling it silly, however most agree that it is indeed a well made horror film.

The Wolfman (1941)

Budget: $180,000

Total Box Office Gross: N/A

One of the classic horror movies made by

Universal, this is the film that made the werewolf one of Hollywood's iconic monsters.

Time Out London – 100 Greatest Horror Movies

100.Come and See (1985)

99.Dead Alive (1992)

98.Flesh for Frankenstein (1973)

97.I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

96.Cronos (1993)

95.Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

94.God Told Me To (1976)

93.Threads (1984)

92.Inferno (1980)

91.The Fog (1980)

90.Daughters of Darkness (1971)

89.The Black Cat (1934)

88.The Mist (2007)

87.Martin (1976)

86.Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971)

85.Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

84.The Mask of Satan (1960)

83.The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

82.Re-Animator (1985)

81.Day of the Dead (1985)

80.Hellraiser (1987)

79.Dead Ringers (1988)

78.Society (1989)

77.Salò or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)

76.The Orphanage (2007)

75.Phantasm (1979)

74.Horror of Dracula (1958)

73.Black Sabbath (1963)

72.28 Days Later… (2002)

71.Pulse (2001)

70.Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

69.Eraserhead (1977)

68.Wolf Creek (2005)

67.Angel Heart (1987)

66.The Vanishing (1988)

65.The Devil’s Backbone (2001)

64.Black Christmas (1974)

63.The Sixth Sense (1999)

62.Repulsion (1965)

61.Ringu (1998)

60.The Night of the Hunter (1955)

59.The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

58.Poltergeist (1982)

57.The Old Dark House (1932)

56.Kill Baby Kill (1966)

55.The Wicker Man (1973)

54.[REC] (2007)

53.The Others (2001)

52.Night of the Demon (1957)

51.High Tension (2003)

50.Vampyr (1932)

49.The Beyond (1981)

48.Kwaidan (1964)

47.Diabolique (1955)

46.The Devils (1971)

45.Deep Red (1975)

44.Hour of the Wolf (1968)

43.The Tenant (1976)

42.Peeping Tom (1960)

41.The Evil Dead (1981)

40.Carnival of Souls (1962)

39.The Descent (2005)

38.Possession (1981)

37.Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

36.The Blair Witch Project (1999)

35.Dead of Night (1945)

34.Eyes Without A Face (1960)

33.A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

32.Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

31.Martyrs (2008)

30.Frankenstein (1931)

29.Cat People (1942)

28.Let the Right One In (2008)

27.Videodrome (1983)

26.The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

25.The Changeling (1980)

24.The Birds (1963)

23.The Fly (1986)

22.Nosferatu (1922)

21.Freaks (1932)

20.The Omen (1976)

19.Evil Dead II (1987)

18.Audition (1999)

17.The Haunting (1963)

16.An American Werewolf in London (1981)

15.Carrie (1976)

14.The Innocents (1961)

13.Night of the Living Dead (1968)

12.Don’t Look Now (1973)

11.Jaws (1975)

10.Dawn of the Dead (1978)

9.Suspiria (1977)

8.Halloween (1978)

7.Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

6.The Thing (1982)

5.Alien (1979)

4.Psycho (1960)

3.The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

2.The Shining (1980)

1.The Exorcist (1973)

Within the top 20 there are at least 6 monster movies, with the highest placed werewolf film

being ‘an American werewolf in London’