Review of The Wolf Man (1941) by Trevor C — 24 Aug 2011

The anticipation up until the final 10 or so minutes of the film is expertly put together, however when the Wolf Man does finally appear it just seems sudden and without apparent explanation. Sure, we know that it's Larry Talbot that is the monstrous man, but when he actually appears as the monster it seems as though he's from nowhere. There's nothing seen of his transformation (unless the film I saw was heavily edited or footage from the original is missing) and he simply is walking, looking scary, and then steps in a trap. His entrance isn't so great, sure it's creepy and there's a lack of music which creates a sort of frightening feel of realism, but to an extent something about it feels goofy.

Prior to watching this film I was certain that it was the film with the 'silver bullet' that is so famous in other werewolf films, but instead it's a silver cane that is used. For some reason I always thought that the silver bullet was the only way to kill a werewolf prior to more modern films with such beasts. For example the most recent Van Helsing features werewolves being at risk of other weapons constructed of silver. I had no idea that such an idea that I thought, at the time, was so original, had, in fact, existed more than 50 years prior.

Visually this movie is haunting. It's constantly dark, even in its most calm and humorous moments. Everything about the way it is shot feels so permanent, and it mixes well with Talbot's condition. Though he is paranoid about it, we know that he is a werewolf deep inside, and always will be. The way it is filmed makes it seem much more disturbing in it's stillness. Even when the camera moves or pans, everything still feels extremely still. The most haunting scene in the film, for me, is when he is in the cathedral for the funeral of a woman whose throat was torn out by the wolf that bit Talbot. Everyone turns to look at him, most of them accusingly. It's really disturbing.

The protagonist, Talbot (the Wolf Man) isn't a mean person. As a matter of fact he's charming. Sure, by today's standards he would probably be sued for many violations - he spies on a woman by 'accident' through a super powered telescope and then seeks a romantic relationship with her, and continues to do so even after she says she's getting married. In that sense Talbot is creepy, but really he means well. Or at least until he becomes the Wolf Man after getting bitten by Bela (Bela Lugosi - and the previous werewolf). It is from there that he is cursed, and nothing much seems to really be out there to help poor Talbot. Even the gypsy who is able to calm him once doesn't seem to be of much help.

Of the Universal monster movies of that era, this is probably my least favorite, however that doesn't mean it isn't well made or any less creepy. It doesn't live up to the artistic brilliancy of Frankenstein or Dracula, but it is still indeed brilliant.