Let's be realistic.

Best movie of this year hands down!

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Despite Universal's release of Stuart Walker's Werewolf Of London six years earlier, George Waggner's The Wolf Man would become Hollywood's archetypal werewolf film.It stars Lon Chaney, who gets bitten and turned into a into a wolf man by a gypsy fortune teller/werewolf.He beats the wolf to death with his silver cane- only to find out it was actually a man, when he wakes up in the morning.Really, he just wanted to woo the local jeweller's daughter. Now, he finds himself stricken with an ancient curse.And he's turning into a full blown werewolf.He promptly kills the gravedigger, and is followed back to his home by the police- where he tries to cover up his tracks.But he fears he might attack the woman he has eyes for...and he's starting to question everything he has ever believed.Nonetheless, he succumbs to the curse of the werewolf, and gets his comeuppance (which I personally think he deserves, because he's kind of a douche).This is a pretty solid, straight forward, film. And it sets a standard for what would become one of today's most well known sub-genres of horror.The werewolf makeup is pretty sweet...and that last transformation from werewolf back to human is pretty awesome! Though, a bit dated, this is still a classic film that needs to be seen.Definitely check it out.6.5 out of 10.

Lon Chaney Jr. delivers a legendary performance here, one that launched him as a new star of horror films. According to Chaney himself, his role as Larry Talbot and his role as Lenny in "Of Mice and Men" (1939) were his personal favorites. He makes Larry an endearing, sympathetic character, one who does soon realize his fateful predicament, and who fears that he will hurt the ones whom he loves the most.Larry has been away from the Talbot family estate in Wales for 18 years or so, until brought back upon the news that his brother has passed away. He's determined to make a go of things, developing a solid relationship with his father Sir John (Claude Rains), and aggressively pursuing local beauty Gwen Conliffe (Evelyn Ankers), daughter of an antiques merchant. One night, he is attacked and bitten by gypsy fortune teller Bela (Bela Lugosi), who is in reality a werewolf. And now the curse of werewolf-ism has been passed on to Larry.The atmosphere is simply unbeatable in this very popular franchise beginner for Universal Studios. The mythology created by screenwriter Curt Siodmak is entertaining; he built from Old World legends and put many of his own spins on them. (The thing regarding silver, for example; that's his invention.) His dialogue is quite literate at times, with two memorable incantations used repeatedly.They may not exactly be cinemas' most believable father-and-son combo, but Chaney and Rains are both excellent. Ankers is very appealing, and the supporting cast consists of some impressive talent: Warren William as Dr. Lloyd, Ralph Bellamy as the constable, Patric Knowles as Gwens' fiancée and the game keeper for the Talbot estate, notable acting teacher Maria Ouspenskaya as the wise old gypsy woman who knows the score, J.M. Kerrigan as Gwens' father, Fay Helm as the victimized Jenny, and comedy relief provider Forrester Harvey as Twiddle.Produced & directed by George Waggner, with very fine music by Charles Previn, Hans J. Salter, & Frank Skinner, and splendid lighting by Joseph A. Valentine. Jack Pierce does a typically impressive job with the makeup, creating a very iconic look for Chaney.76 years later, "The Wolf Man" might not be terribly frightening to today's generation, but it's ensured its staying power nevertheless.Nine out of 10.

Happy go lucky Lyle Talbott (a fine and likable performance by Lon Chaney Jr.) returns to his ancestral home in Wales. Things go awry for Larry after he gets bitten by a werewolf and hence becomes doomed to turn into a werewolf himself.Director George Waggner treats the fantastic premise with commendable sincerity, keeps the enjoyable and engrossing story moving along at a steady pace, and ably crafts a spooky Gothic atmosphere, with especially excellent use of the fog-shrouded forest sets. Curt Siodmark's smart script nicely sets up a coherent and compelling mythology for the wolf man. The fine acting by the capable cast holds this movie together: Claude Rains as Larry's proud and protective father John, Evelyn Ankers as the sweet Gwen Conliffe, Warren William as the practical Dr. Lloyd, Ralph Bellamy as the no-nonsense Colonel Montford, Patrick Knowles as the haughty Frank Andrews, and, in a truly bravura turn, Maria Ouspenskaya as wise old gypsy woman Maleva. Bela Lugosi has a neat cameo as sinister gypsy fortune teller Bela. Most importantly, Chaney's deeply sympathetic portrayal of the tormented protagonist gives this picture a substantial element of wrenching pathos and tragedy. Joseph A. Valentine's handsome black and white cinematography further enhances the overall eerie mood. Worthy of its classic status.

For a start, this has to be one of the most unconvincing portrayals of a location that I've ever seen. The film is supposedly set in Wales, but the scenery looks nothing like the Wales I've seen, instead more of a Universal studio methinks. Plus, aside from a couple of cast members, everybody seems to have an American accent, including the lead! (this is explained away in a lame excuse that he's been away in America for 18 years... yeah, right). I guess Universal just didn't care. We're back into the familiar feeling of a Universal classic once again, and being ten years on from Dracula this looks and feels a lot more polished. It also has a lot more incident and action than in some other classic horror flicks and the running time literally flies by, indeed this film feels like it's too short. Lon Chaney Jr. appears in his most-remembered role, creating a monster which would stay with him the rest of his life. Okay, so Chaney never was much of an actor - wooden is putting it mildly - but he conveys torment and upset pretty well. Jack Pierce's makeup once again creates an unforgettable monster, an image which is still recognisable to the modern generation.A few familiar faces fill out supporting roles, including Claude Rains as Chaney's supposed father. The trouble is, the two actors couldn't look less alike, meaning that you have to suspend disbelief in order to swallow this relationship. Bela Lugosi, imaginatively playing a character called Bela, also turns up in a brief eyebrow-raising cameo and is dispatched all too quickly - a real shame. I have to admit that Evelyn Ankers is a pretty charismatic screaming heroine, though. All of the werewolf folklore is present and correct here. The film is also quite brutal with people being beaten and killed just off screen. The only trouble, as I mentioned above, is that the film is far too short and I would have liked to see Chaney go on a werewolf rampage, murdering as many people as possible! Other than this, THE WOLF MAN is a well made and fully enjoyable classic which should be seen by any respectable horror buff.