It is no secret that one of my favorite classic horror films of all time is George Waggner’s The Wolf Man starring Lon Chaney Jr. and Claude Rains. It is a film that sits behind the classic horror thrones of Frankenstein and Dracula, but The Wolf Man is one of the most memorable of the classic horror characters. Frankenstein and Dracula remakes seem to come along every few years, but although many have attempted to make films similar to the storyline of the original Wolf Man film, none have really given it the look and feel of the original. They have taken the title and rehashed the story until now.
The Wolfman is a film that pays well-deserved respects to the original 1941 production. The atmosphere, look and feel of the original film all come to life in this updated, more modern version of the story which may appeal more to the imaginations of today’s moviegoers than the original 1941 film. The remake does the original justice, and pays tribute to the film that came before it despite the new film’s more detailed storyline and blood-gushing action scenes.
In this updated version of The Wolfman, Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) is a theater actor in London who gets word from his brother’s fiancée, Gwen (Emily Blunt), that his brother has gone missing. Concerned about his brother, Lawrence travels back to his childhood home where he is greeted by his father, Sir John Talbot (Sir Anthony Hopkins). Lawrence soon learns from his father that his brother was killed by someone or something in the forest, his body found torn to pieces. While investigating his brother’s death, Lawrence finds himself in a camp in the company of Gypsies. After Lawrence talks with a few of the Gypsies, a wolf man attacks the camp, kills many of the townsfolk and eventually bites Lawrence on the shoulder. After recovering quickly from his wounds, Lawrence begins to experience hallucinations of dark creatures following him around and images of his dead mother and brother. When the moon becomes full, he is transformed into a wolf and, like the one before him, begins to wreak havoc on the small village. The curse of being a wolf lands him in troubles of his own, as he becomes a wanted man. Knowing that he is being hunted by Abberline (Hugo Weaving), England’s best detective, Lawrence tries to find the one that made him the beast that he has become and tries his best to find a way to stop it.
As a fan of the original, I really went into this one not expecting it at all to be at the same level. However, the production value, special effects, visuals and costume design give the story a more appealing look, which they would have never of have been able to pull in 1941. While the story takes place in the same time as the original and is not updated in that sense, the film’s style is more modern to appeal to today’s audience, without destroying the soul of the original film.
The classic film had a basic storyline and had a running time of only seventy minutes. The story was very spare and ended as soon as the main plot line was resolved. Today’s audiences would feel cheated by such direct, economical storytelling. The screenwriters of this remake have expanded the story and given the film by including the origins of who the wolf who turned Lawrence, as well as showing the mental and physical torture Lawrence experiences when he is caught by the authorities. However, not once do the screenwriters replace anything that is important in the original 1941 script, which is what I find truly remarkable about this remake. The original film is respected, but updated for today’s moviegoers.
The Blu-ray disc comes with a ton of special features, including two never-before-seen alternate endings, deleted and extended scenes and a bunch of featurettes that show how they made the film and brought The Wolfman to life on the big screen for today’s audience. There are also plenty of interactive features exclusive to the Blu-ray disc using the BD-Live feature. The Blu-ray disc actually allows the viewer to watch the original 1941 film, The Wolf Man, streaming along with Blu-ray disc via BD-Live, on a smartphone with the Pocket Blu app or on a computer. The Blu-ray disc also comes with a digital copy of The Wolfman (2010) and a whole bunch of other interactive features. Honestly, this is one hell of a Blu-ray disc. There is so much to do that I don’t know if I can get though it all. It is one of the best Blu-ray discs that I have seen in terms of not only features, but in quality. It’s more an experience than simply a movie.
As a big fan of the original 1941 classic, I really feel that this remake stays true to the roots of the original story. I really enjoyed nearly everything this film has to offer. Although I was not entirely pleased with the film’s ending, I really appreciated the over all look and feel of the film. It is not only one of the better remakes of a horror film, but I also found it to be very entertaining. The disc comes with both the theatrical and uncut versions of the film, and I recommend to those that saw it in theaters to watch the uncut version. I think you’ll agree it’s a better film, despite its over the top blood and gore. If there was ever a movie that was done right, to update the story with the times, this is that movie.
– 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
