They don’t make them like they used to. That is all I can ever say when it comes to the classic horror films from the nineteen-twenties though the early nineteen-sixties. I was first introduced to many of the Universal monster films when I was a child. My father would rent them at the local video store and my sisters and I would sit down and watch them. I can remember the first time I saw Bela Lugosi as Dracula, Boris Karloff as Frankenstein’s monster and among my favorite of all of them, Lon Chaney Jr. as The Wolf Man.
As a child, having previously been introduced to An American Werewolf in London by my father (I think to this day it’s still his favorite horror film), werewolves seemed to be a theme that I enjoyed when it came to horror films at a young age. The Wolf Man became the classic film that I fell in love with. Now, with a remake of the classic hitting theaters soon, Turner Movie Classics and Universal Pictures have released The Wolf Man Special Edition DVD as part of Universal’s legacy series digitally remastered and full of tons of special features.
Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney Jr.) returns to his native Yorkshire after eighteen years abroad as an engineer in California upon receiving the news from his father, Sir John Talbot Sr. (Claude Rains), that Larry’s elder brother, John Jr., has died in a recent hunting accident. As a consequence, he is now the heir to the Talbot castle, where his father lives. Incidentally, as Larry attempts to regain his English roots while seeking companionship in the company of a local antique dealer’s daughter, Gwen Conliffe (Evelyn Ankers), he is bitten by and becomes a werewolf.
The Wolf Man is a classic horror flick. It is one of the most notable horror films of its time, right behind Dracula and Frankenstein. Lon Chaney Jr. is brilliant in the part. and unlike all of the other actors who portrayed some of the worlds most famous monsters on film, The Wolf Man was Chaney’s alone. He played the Wolf Man in all five films, and he played Frankenstein and Dracula in some of Universal’s later films. I can write a book about The Wolf Man. If you are a true horror fan, you should have already watched this film, and if not, you need to.
The special edition DVD has a ton of special features, documentaries and featurettes that make this a one-of-a-kind two-disc set. Disc one includes the original theatrical trailers for classic werewolf films and also includes feature commentary with Film Historian Tom Weaver. The first disc also includes The Wolf Man Archives which includes original publicity material, posters, lobby cards, photos, you name it, for the film. However, the highlight of the disc, besides the film itself, is the documentary Monster by Moonlight. Hosted by An American Werewolf in London director John Landis, the documentary highlights everything from the making of The Wolf Man, to the special effects process, and the life of Lon Chaney Jr. and all of the other films that the character of Larry Talbot and The Wolf Man have appeared in.
The second disc features many documentaries and featurettes that explore everything there is to know not only about The Wolf Man film, but the legend of The Wolf Man in general. The first featurette; The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth explores the mythology behind the werewolf throughout history. Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney Jr.
explores the life of the actor from his birth and family life, to his career in acting and following in his father footsteps. He made his career all his own after starring in the film Of Mice and Men and Man Made Monster, leading up to his legendary role of The Wolf Man. The documentary also explores his role later in life up until the time of his death from liver failure. He Who Made Monsters: The Life & Art of Jack Pierce, is a tribute to the legendary make-up artist and all he did for the Universal Monster movies. There is also a documentary, Universal Horror, narrated by actor/director Kenneth Branagh. Branagh takes us on an adventure though the making of some of the world’s most famous monster films.
If you’re a fan of the original Wolf Man film, which paved the way for all of the werewolf films we have today, this two-disc special edition DVD is a must. With a new Wolf Man film hitting theaters next month for a whole new generation to discover, one must not forget the past and the people who worked so hard to create the legendary monster and the legendary talent that put the ideas on celluloid. Even though The Wolf Man is a very short film with a running time of only an hour and ten minutes, the documentaries on the disc alone are well worth their weight in gold. This DVD is more than just a classic monster film, it gives us a lesson in the history of horror and of one of the greatest horror films of all time.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
