Review of Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (1961) by Steve M — 25 Jun 2006

Werewolf in a Girl's Dormitory (aka "Lycanthropus" and "Monster Among the Girls").

Starring: Barbara Lass, Carl Schell, Curt Lowens, Maureen O'Conner, and Alan Collins.

Director: Paolo Heusch (or Richard Benson, depending on the source and cut of the film).

Dr. Julian Olcott (Schell), a research physician who was drummed out of the medical profession for particularly embarrassing reasons is given a second chance at a career when he's hired as a science professor by the director (Lowens) of an isolated, minimum securty reform school for girls. Olcott arrives just in time for a series of brutal murders to begin, starting with the most slutty and industrious student at the school; not only was she selling her body to whoever had cash, but she was blackmailing at least one of her "customers." Olcott teams up with the best friend of the victim (Lass) to uncover the identity of the killer (who may or may not be the same person as the marauding werebest).

"Werewolf in a Girl's Dormitory" isn't anywhere near as fun as the title sounds--although if the crew who made "My Vampire Lover" or "The Erotic Ghost" were to do a remake, I think it might be! :D ).

The film is a nice attempt at updating the werewolf tale by giving it some strong sexual overtones (I the first victim is necessarily just killed through mauling, giving the behavior of the werewolf then and later), but the effort is ultimately doomed by a badly structured script that's entirely too talky. (The only thing they get right is when they reveal the identity of the werewolf... and even that gets botched with some unintentional comedy when a character is mauled, mauled again, and then mauled a third time in what feels more like a Monte Python sketch than a scene in a horror movie.

The best part about this movie is Barbara Lass, who is not only gorgeous, but who also seems to have been an okay actress. Unfortunately, aside from a couple of nicely framed scenes and LOTS of unintentional comedy, there really isn't anything else that's worth mentioning here. (I suspect I may even be giving it a rating that's a tad too generous, because it triggered some ideas in my head for a werewolf project I am currently working on. I may well be giving the filmmakers too much credit, just becuase they so helpfully fed my imagination.).

This film really is just for the viewers who are obsessed with werewolves. The rest of us should not bother. (There isn't even any skin on display here!).