Good Werewolf Movies

Good werewolf movies are in demand once again, thanks in part to the release of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. If Jacob Black and his clan have got you all stirred up, here are some other werewolf films that might be of interest. And don’t worry, these quality flicks can also be enjoyed by fans of Edward.

  1. An American Werewolf in London (1981) – Two American pals go backpacking across Europe and run afoul of a lycanthrope. While one (Griffin Dunne) is killed outright, the other (David Naughton) isn’t so lucky. It’s just a matter of time until he begins to transform courtesy of makeup whiz Rick Baker. The best werewolf film ever produced, thanks to an excellent soundtrack, engaging plot and liberal dashes of black humor.
  2. The Howling (1981) – Out of the frying fan and into the fire. That’s what happens when a reporter (Dee Wallace-Stone) survives an attack by a serial killer and goes to an isolated resort to recover. It turns out that “The Colony” is filled with werewolves, and it’s not long before people are getting seduced by feral women and torn apart by rampaging beasts. Incredible transformation sequences by Rob Bottin and his team, plus Slim Pickens as a werewolf.
  3. Dog Soldiers (2002) – A group of British soldiers (including Kevin McKidd and Sean Pertwee) are dropped into the Scottish Highlands on a routine training mission. It turns out that the area is filled with hungry werewolves, and the soldiers soon start dropping like flies. Taking refuge in an isolated farmhouse, the battered military men must hold out until dawn or die trying. You’ve gotta love a film that features werewolves versus automatic weapons.
  4. Silver Bullet (1985) – Jane Costlaw (Megan Follows) and her younger, wheelchair-bound brother, Marty (Corey Haim), have a problem: there’s a vicious werewolf loose in their small Maine community. With a little help from their alcoholic Uncle Red (Gary Busey), the kids must find the creature and fend off its final, savage assault. Features an incredible cast, including Everett McGill, Terry O’Quinn, James Gammon and Lawrence Tierney. Based on Stephen King’s novella, Cycle of the Werewolf.
  5. Wolfen (1981) – Albert Finney plays a NYPD detective investigating a string of brutal murders. As the mystery thickens, he becomes aware of Indian legends about men who can change into the forms of animals. Diane Venora, Edward James Olmos, Gregory Hines and Tom Noonan make up the supporting cast. Okay, they’re not technically werewolves, but they’re close enough to be included on my list.
  6. Underworld (2003) – Kate Beckinsale in Selene, a vampiric “death dealer” dedicated to killing Lycans as part of a centuries-old war. But what happens when a young medical student (Scott Speedman) is infected, and she begins to have feelings for him? The premise is straight out of Romeo & Juliet, but there’s way far more bloodshed than even Shakespeare could’ve imagined. Bill Nighy is especially enjoyable as a vampire lord.
  7. The Beast Must Die (1974) – How many movies offer a 30-second “Werewolf Break,” in order to guess the identity of the beast? That’s what this film does, as a group of people are gathered together at an isolated mansion in the tradition of the old murder mysteries. One of them is a werewolf, and their millionaire host is determined to solve the mystery before the killer strikes again. He’s less than successful, but you’ll have great fun trying to figure it out. Michael Gambon and Peter Cushing appear as a couple of the suspects.
  8. The Company of Wolves (1984) – A dreamlike film directed by Neil Jordan. As a young girl (Sarah Patterson) navigates through a dangerous fairytale landscape, numerous stories are told involving werewolves. The outstanding UK cast includes Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Stephen Rea and Terence Stamp.
  9. The Wolfman (2010) – Following the basic plot of the 1941 classic, The Wolfman concerns Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro), a man who returns home after many years to help track down his missing brother. But something isn’t quite right in the surrounding woods, and a dreadful creature is preying on the local villagers when the moon is full. Can he stop the bloodshed in time, or will he become the latest victim? Anthony Hopkins co-stars as Talbot’s estranged father, Emily Blunt is his brother’s fiancée, and Hugo Weaving is Aberline, a mysterious inspector from Scotland Yard. Filled with atmosphere, del Toro actually abandons his mumbling ways and speaks plainly for once.
  10. The Wolf Man (1941) – Considered the benchmark for werewolf films, The Wolf Man stars Lon Chaney Jr. as a well-to-do young man who return home to Wales to patch things up with his father (Claude Raines). While there, he falls for a local girl, buys a silver-headed walking stick, and later bludgeons to death a savage wolf. But this isn’t any ordinary wolf, and our protagonist soon realizes that a dreadful curse has been passed on to him.

Now that you’ve got some ideas for good werewolf movies, wait until the next full moon and head on down to your local video store. In the meantime, here are some other fine articles from OGM:

This entry was posted on Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 10:57 am and is filed under Good Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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