The Wolf Man (1941)

The Wolf Man

• Here is another black and white classic, and I gotta say, I liked it. There were definitely a couple parts that felt a little slow, but besides those, this was great. I’ve heard about it plenty of times, so I thought it was finally time to sit down and watch it. I can see the influence this has had in the film industry, as it’s uniquely filmed and written, and has some iconic moments. I think in terms of the Universal Monster movies so far, I like the first two Frankenstein movies the best, with this one being my least favorite. But of course, that doesn’t mean it’s bad. The story was extremely simple, yet haunting and mysterious. I just love the simplicity. It’s easy to understand, and doesn’t lose you at all. Plus, the runtime makes it easy to keep your attention with any boredom slipping through. I know I said there were some slow scenes, but I wouldn’t say I got bored. The performances also made it nice to watch. Some of the dialogue was very corny and hilarious, and it has that exaggerated 1940s feel. Lon Chaney is the obvious star of the film, and I love how he goes from a normal man to a werewolf. He does a good job going back and forth. Also, the makeup looks great, even though it’s a little silly compared to today’s standards. Lastly, the score was fantastic, and I seriously loved it. It perfects the ominous feel of the movie. Overall, this is a great movie to watch near Halloween, and I’d definitely recommend it to all classic horror/monster fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!