Wolfathon in Completathon Vlog

It's vlogging madness this week! It's been a bit since the Wolfathon came to completion, which means it's time to look back and go through all of the films I've seen for the marathon from the ones I loved, to ones I didn't love so much. From discussed themes, effects, what I learned about werewolf films & myself along the way and of course my favourites werewolf films.

You can see all the werewolf films I've reviewed for the wolfathon and beyond here.
I also mentioned the Vampathon, the vampire film marathon I did last year.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Dir: David Slade (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy)
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Jackson Rathbone, Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed, Kellen Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elisabeth Reaser, Bryce Dallas Howard, Xavier Samuel, Dakota Fanning
USA, 2010

Seen: Opening Night June 30, 2010 at Midnight

Reason to see: I'm a huge fan of the Twilight universe, and I loved the film Twilight although was disapointed with New Moon and was hoping Eclipse would get us back into the groove of greatness. And I did the whole The Wolfathon in anticipation for the film.

It's a bit of a strange thing to review The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, as I feel split down the middle between reacting to the film as a critic and a fan. The critic in me is cheering, seeing a very well put together film with solid performance, strong story arc and a very successful book to film translation that keeps the intent of the story, brings intensity of the action as well as the internal conflict all the while managing to made a third entry into the series enjoyable as 'part 3' but also easily understandable to anyone who walks in cold.

For the uninitiated, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is the third film in the vampire romance series based on the best selling books by Stephenie Meyer. I whole hearted loved and will always praise the first film in the series Twilight, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, whom brought the intensity of first love between our protagonist Bella and the vegetarian vampire Edward to the big screen, in a way that celebrated and embraced the spirit of the book on which it was based. A year later we saw the next in the series The Twilight Saga: New Moon, directed by Chris Weitz, which played it safe and was a very literal adaptation of the book which is seeped in loss and reconnection, although I felt at that stage we lost some of the magic. With The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, directed by David Slade, I feel like we got a bit of both: another very literal adaptation of book where the tone of the film fits the darker story of revenge along with the further development of a love triangle, and adds and edginess of danger and the heat of romance that will keep viewers enraptured throughout.

As a fan, I'll admit my first reaction was straight up relief. I was so disappointed with The Twilight Saga: New Moon (which is my favourite of the books), because it lost the spirit of the world. The spirit does come back in Eclipse, mostly with the performances as the actors really have a great sense of their characters and this shows well through their camaraderie, concerns, conflicts and compromises. The fan in me would have loved to see the spirit of the series shown in other ways as well, but with a darker themed film there may have been less opportunity to nods to the Twi-verse amidst the action and love triangle. It does really feel like they enhanced the world on several levels though, working with what worked before and then cranking it up. The action elements have a stronger presence and are more intense, enhanced by using subtly different but very effective effects to bring this horror element out to play.

It also really cranks up the heat of the romance, bringing what we've previously seen as stirring to absolutely sizzling. The screening I went to had more than it's fair share of hoots, hollers and mid-film applause at these moments. This is slightly ironic considering the films very clear 'traditional family values' message, but at least it's something discussed as opposed to just presented or accepted. I could gripe about that, but it's true to the book and the verse so that feels like a mute point. I do have a small bone to pick on the with the slight changes of villain character Victoria, played in this film by Bryce Dallas Howard, where not only is she not in the film very much but she's almost more pouty and manipulative, where previously she's been showcased as very capable and feral. Not that those can't all co-exist, but they are very different choices. This change here does however align to the description of Victoria in the new novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, but I very much preferred Rachelle Lefevre's ferocious and confident Victoria from Twilight and New Moon.

What I did love about the film, I whole heartedly loved. The first thing on that list was the sound and the score. Great choices there giving a great atmosphere and creepy tone, especially in the fight sequences. Next up is the performances by Kellan Lutz as the burly vampire Emmett, who has amazing delivery on all of his lines and has been a stand out since the beginning - he's a joy to watch. I also loved Billy Burke as Charlie, who has great awkward father/daughter chemistry with Kristen Stewart as Bella. Actually, Kristen Stewart has been so solid throughout the series that sometimes I forget to give credit where credit is due and it's due here. So, kudos again to Kristen Stewart as she is great as out protagonist Bella. Her along with Robert Pattinson as Edward and Taylor Lautner as Jacob give a really solid foundation for the film and play off each other very well. For performances, I was also impressive is Xavier Samuel (The Loved Ones), who appears as the tormented newborn vampire Riley. Other things I loved about the film include the fun, familial sense of the Wolf Pack, although I would have loved to see more of them. The cinematography is sensational, and I love the implementation of a cooler colour story for the vampires which gives a stark sense of distancing in contrast to the warmer tones used to represent other elements and environments in the film. Absolutely beautiful.

There was lots to love in the film, and I'm thrilled to have enjoyed it as much as I did. It really hits all the right marks with memorable moments, great lines, fantastic chemistry, exciting action and more. The fan in me was hoping for a certain in a je ne sais quoi, like nod to the fans as we've seen in the previous films but I am happy with what we got. I still don't know how they got so much of the book in the film from back stories to action to romance as well as adding some new elements and extending others. It's very impressive how well it flows, all things considered.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will easily have the widest reach of the series, not only will the fans be happy but it also will have a broader appeal to a larger audience as it truly does have it all: action, drama, mystery, romance, not to mention vampires and werewolves! It's visually stunning with a great soundtrack and the actors all do a great job and even as part of a series it still tells it's own story. It truly has something for everyone as a movie going experience.

See also: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse DVD Review

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll see it again, and again.. and again
I'd recommend it to fans of the series, as well as general movie goers curious about the series

18 minutes of preshow including 10 commercials and 5 previews: Charlie St. Cloud, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Step Up 3D, Barney's Vision and Red

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse




Courtesy of E1 Entertainment

Ginger Snaps

Dir: John Fawcett (The Boys Club, "The Border", "The Bridge")
Cast: Katharine Isabelle, Emily Perkins, Kris Lemche, Mimi Rogers, Jesse Moss, Danielle Hampton
Canada, 2000

Seen: Re-visited June 22, 2010 and originally seen on TMN

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

I love Ginger Snaps. I loved it when I first saw it and loved it all the more re-visiting it for The Wolfathon. The idea is brilliant, overlaying female puberty and sexuality in a werewolf film. Lunar cycles, body changes, transformation... it's freaking brilliant idea and results is a hilarious, dark horror film.

The central characters of the film are the Fitzgerald sisters, Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins), macabre teens stuck in suburbia who swear oaths and vulgarities while going through the every day motions of teen life with school, parents and boys. I love that the film features sisters, and this one really does show the sibling bond and how far they will go to help each other. Sure, it's in a completely dark and twisted sense - but the sentiment is still there. How they incorporate the changes of puberty is done so well, from awkward 'your body is changing' conversations to frustration, pain, coping and empowerment, it's all there with full colourful commentary throughout.

In terms of being a werewolf film, it certainly draws on and is aware of the lore and gives it this new twist thematically but still hits all the right marks. In terms of effects and gore, it's present in bucket loads. This film does not hold back, you've got blood, guts and bites all over the place. The effects overall are pretty impressive too, not just how they look but the creative choices and how they are featured throughout the film.

The premise of Ginger Snaps is so brilliant, it's a surprize that no one had done it before. But, I'm glad because then we would have ended up with something else and I love the film that it is: smart, gutsy, gory and totally female focused from start to finish. I wish we had more films like this out there.

Warnings: Gore. Lots of gore.

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I own it
I highly recommend it

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Week in Film Vlog: June 21, 2010

More like a month in film - I'm behind in my vlogging! So here is a bit of catch up on 2010 releases and Wolfathon films.

Films Discussed
Theatrical Releases: Black Field, The A-Team, Agora, Winter's Bone, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time & Sex and the City 2
The Wolfathon: Ladyhawke, The Fury of the Wolfman / La furia del Hombre Lobo & The Howling

The Howling

Dir: Joe Dante (Gremlins, Innerspace, The Hole)
Cast: Dee Wallace, Belinda Balaski, Elisabeth Brooks, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Robert Picardo, Kevin McCarthy
USA, 1981

Seen: Revisited June 15, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

I was convinced that The Howling had to be just 'one of those horror films' I'd seen as a kid, but after rewatching it - I think not. I saw many films at an inappropriately young age, but this was not one of them and it certainly would have been inappropriate.

The Howling is a bit of a doozy. It almost plays like 2 separate films: a serious slasher horror film and a campy werewolf film, and rarely do these two films meet either narratively or tonally. It's interesting to see the slasher side of things from a historical context, because now it's they are so formulaic, obvious and campy, but here it's actual feels scary and extremely threatening. I think it hits a different tone in The Howling as it really plays the sexual violence card, although indirectly, is still present in the film and to be honest is so disturbing that I'd likely not watch it again. Being in 1981 it's right around the time of Friday the 13th (1980) and My Bloody Valentine (1981), so it's still before the cookie cutter model of the slasher film, but they were certainly popping up.

The slasher aspect of the film really is only one aspect of the film, and is definitely there to serve as a threat and plot device. The film focuses on journalist Karen (Dee Wallace) whom goes to a retreat termed 'the colony'. Now, 'the colony' is where it ends up going crazy campy, from lines direct to the camera to ridiculous things put together that are implausible, to crazy 'eccentric' characters. We're talking pretty over the top here, and add the 80's charm of high waisted pants, guys with feathered hair and pretty overt symbolism. These parts of the film were rather entertaining.

As a werewolf film, it's clearly using it with a social commentary probably more overtly than any other film I've seen literally talking about the beast inside us, etc. I found that clearness, although sometime funny, was actually refreshing. It had something to say - and it said it. It's not a moral lesson or preachy, it's purely for entertainment. Now the effects on the other hand - they were all over the place. Sometimes they looked amazing, sometimes they looked ridiculous, but there certainly is a lot to look at. Although using the mainstay of editing is used, it also uses lots of direct long shots that I was mystified (and at times grossed out) at what they did. Any way you slice it, it was impressive in terms of volume and results. It's also pretty gory, that and the sex & nudity give it a clear R rating for the time.

Overall, it's not really to my taste. It it was all campy I would have enjoyed it more, and I appreciated that there were a fair amount of women characters, but the sexual violence made it uninteresting. It's 'one for the vault' in terms of werewolf films and I appreciated getting a sense of where it stood historically with other slasher films. I think I likely have seen already seen The Howling II, but either way I don't think I'll be continuing to explore this series.

Warnings: sexual violence, gore

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't love it
I'd not likely watch it again
I'd recommend it for fans of quirky & gory horror and werewolf completists

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

The Fury of the Wolfman / La furia del Hombre Lobo

Dir: José María Zabalza (El vendedor de ilusiones, Divorce, Andalusian Style)
Cast: Paul Naschy, Perla Cristal, Verónica Luján, Francisco Amorós, Miguel de la Riva
Spain, 1972

Seen: June 8, 2010 on DVD thanks to Zip.ca

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

What a treat The Fury of the Wolfman / La furia del Hombre Lobo is. I've had a fair share of happy surprizes during The Wolfathon, but nothing like this yet. It's no brilliant, I'd say technically it's not even good, but it was a hell of a lot of fun to watch.

I was worried at first. The copy I got was often distressed and worst of all: dubbed. As is it turns out it just added to the flavour of the film which is melodramatic to the max and filled with a 60's science-y film feel to it, complete with minidresses and absolutely sensational stylings like Verónica Luján's Cleopatra-like make up, which I'm sure totally isn't out of place for her role as the assistant Karen.

Paul Naschy plays Waldemar Daninsky, recently back from Tibet when he starts to experience and engage in some bizarre activities. It's a little challenge to piece together the plot other than that as it often feels more than a little off. Actually, if feels like someone watched a bunch of werewolf films with the sound off and then made their own film. In a way, seeing this film dubbed, I felt like I was having that experience as well as I'm pretty confident some things didn't quite fit in with the translation. Add to it lots of odd edits, unexplained sequences and transitions and it really felt all over the place. But, even through there were little moments like that the story itself felt mostly cohesive. Bizarre, but highly entertaining and enjoyable combination.

The film on top of being a werewolf film, also has a strong 'mad scientist' feel to it, which I loved. It made it eerie and bizarre, and different from a lot of the other werewolf films I've seen so far. I also loved the women in the film. Verónica Luján as Karen is a lot of fun, but it's really Perla Cristal as Dr. Ilona Elmann who literally holds the film under her command. It's worth watching just to see her.

In terms of being a werewolf film, it certainly hits a lot of the marks you'd expect but definitely goes for a more science approach. It uses effects well and has a fair share of blood but the gore isn't the focus, it's more ideas-shaped horror with a fair amount of frightening scenarios and a lot of screaming.

Overall, I found it really refreshing. It's not polished by any means, but if was one hell of a fun ride.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it again
I'd recommend it horror film fans, especially if you like science-oriented, 60's-ness and/or great women in horror

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Wolfathon

Somehow I managed to get more than halfway through this marathon without writing about what and why I'm doing it. Weird! Well, better late than never!

You all know I'm a huge fan of marathons, and with a Twilight film on the horizon I'm of course going to tie that into to a marathon. I decided to go furry this time round and hide away the silver, as I present The Wolfathon: a marathon to explore werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

Werewolf films tend to be way less popular than their often screen foe the vampire, but creature will all be treated equally here at Movie Moxie. Also, they do always come back such as this years The Wolfman (2010) which I rather enjoyed. So, bring on the fun, gore, guts, mayhem and hopefully a few creative interpretations along the way as we take a look through films that flourish under the full moon.

Titles up for consideration to be reviewed include: Ginger Snaps, The Fury of the Wolfman, Brotherhood of the Wolf and The Howling. Feel free to make suggestions if you have favourite werewolf films!

Wednesday April 14, 2010: The Wolfman (1941)
Wednesday April 21, 2010: Werewolf of London
Wednesday April 28, 2010: She-Wolf of London
Wednesday May 12, 2010: Bad Moon
Wednesday May 19, 2010: Wolfen
Wednesday May 26, 2010: An American Werewolf in London
Wednesday June 2, 2010: Ladyhawke
Wednesday June 9, 2010: The Fury of the Wolfman / La furia del Hombre Lobo
Wednesday June 16, 2010: The Howling
Wednesday June 23, 2010: Ginger Snaps

Ends: Wednesday June 30, 2010: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

In summary, my Wolfathon Vlog going through all the film I saw for the marathon.

Ladyhawke

Dir: Richard Donner (Superman, Superman II (2006), Lethal Weapon, The Goonies, Timeline)
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Leo McKern, John Wood
USA, 1985

Seen: Many times in the 80's from my local video store
Revisited: May 30, 2010 on DVD

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

Ladyhawke is one of those films that I have such fond memories of, that it's hard to... or rather it's not all that fun to look at with a critical eye. It is much more fun to just rather kick back and enjoy the ride.

Technically I'd have to say that it is a fantasy film, but I prefer to think of it as a historical set film with a little magic. On top of that we also get a fair amount of action and buckets and buckets of comedy. I don't know how the film manages to get all that in - not to mention the tragic love story - but it does, and it does it with charm and flair.

Matthew Broderick stars as Phillipe "Mouse" Gaston, our protagonist and continual comedic relief in the film, who reluctantly tags along with the ousted Captain Etienne Navarre played by (swoon) Rutger Hauer. Not a great start for them, but inadvertent companions tend to make for really good stories. Add to the mix the mysterious Isabeau d'Anjou (Michelle Pfeiffer), and we are well on to our way to not only adventures but romance as well.

One of the things I love about Ladyhawke is how it breaks convention. Matthew Broderick is obviously the protagonist of the film, but he's only part of the main story of the film. He's performance is charming and funny, and has many great one-liners that have stuck with me for years. Also, the effects in Ladyhawke are one of my favourite parts of the film, which is something that feels rare in 80's film, but what they've done is use creative interpretations of what is actually happening and uses that as the spirit of what we see. They may not be obvious choices, but they certainly are effective choices and I love how they were used in the film. Addd the rugged and handsome Rutger Hauer and charming Michelle Pfieffer to the mix, whom are both fantastic in their roles, what more could you ask for in a film?

I'm going to be straight with you. Saying Ladyhawke is a werewolf film is a bit of a stretch. Yes, there is a wolf, but it's completely separate from any werewolf lore I've ever encountered. I decided to include it in The Wolfathon because it's quite beloved not just to me but to many people I know. Also, it's actually the most aligned in theme in story to The Twilight Saga: Eclipse that any other film in the marathon so far, as the central storyline involves a romance and it also has a lot of action to boot.

Overall, I love this film and will always love it. The love story is beautiful, the effects are creative and the characters win me over time and time again. But. And there is a big but here, and that is the music. The music is so cheesy 80's that it's almost distracting. Okay, it is distracting. Every time I finally settled into it thinking "okay, I can handle that", somehow it got more 80's. It's a little crazy. But, it does add to the charm of the film as it wouldn't be the same without it. Fair warning for those who are going in as first time viewers. It's totally worth it, but you've been warned!

Fun fact: John Wood, who plays the Bishop of Aquila in Ladyhawke also co-starred with Matthew Broderick in the 1983 film Wargames, where he played the reclusive Falken. Took me a bit to place it, but it all comes down to the voice. Very recognizable.

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it
I own it, and I'll re-watch it again and again
I'd recommend it to fans of fantasy with a love story, but note that you are braving a very 80's soundtrack

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

An American Werewolf in London

Dir: John Landis (The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Coming to America)
Cast: David Kessler, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine, Frank Oz
UK/USA, 1981

Seen: When I was way to young to watch it! Plus several times since then including May 21, 2010 on DVD

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

The Wolfathon has been filled with new-to-me films so far, but An American Werewolf in London brings us to one of the more generally seen werewolf films, and it's one I have strong memories of. For me, my strongest memory of the film is it literally scaring the crap out of me. I'm shocked to think it's not on my Scariest Films of All Time list. I think I left it off the list because I thought (correctly) that I just saw it when I was inappropriately young, like younger than 10 years old, and also (incorrectly) that it wouldn't be scary as an adult. My bad there - it's still totally scary.

The amazing thing about An American Werewolf in London is that it excels on so many levels, although the acting isn't really one of them. It's not awful, but it feels intentionally obvious at times and somehow this really works for the film I'd even say that future horror films try to capture the same charm, and not not that many succeed. The story is firmly centred in traditional werewolf film lore a la The Wolf Man (1941), but brings great new flavours to the mix, namely fantastic effects and cheeky comedy. These are the two things that really set it apart, make it memorable and they both really hold the test of time over the years.

I completely expected not to be freaked out by it this time round, therefore was completely taken aback by when I almost spilled my bowl of popcorn during some of the freaky bits. It's goes all out on the scary front. The effects amazingly hold up even though it's from almost 30 years ago, and they use lots of different effects used throughout the film. It was a little more violent than I remember, and although it does have pop scares it doesn't rely on them and it's they actually work. It also uses not just frightening images but also freaky ideas and uncomfortable situations to make it even more visceral. But, because it often pairs this with comedy, you get relief and moments to laugh at throughout the film as well. They also use the soundtrack to their advantage, by using pretty much any song of that has 'moon' in the title, and places them perfectly in the film.

It's a total must-see for if you like horror or werewolf films as it uniquely incorporates the lore into every aspect of the film. I'd even go as far to say that anyone who can stand the gore and violence should see it, especially film fan. The comedy element, along with how it points out the ridiculousness of film devices, makes it a true gem.

Warnings: gore, violence, frightening images & situations

Shannon's Overall View:
I loved it, but it still scares me!
I'll buy it
I'd recommend it as all horror fans, especially fans of gory horror or horror comedy

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Wolfen

Dir: Michael Wadleigh (Woodstock)
Cast: Albert Finney, Diane Venora, Gregory Hines, Edward James Olmos, Dick O'Neill
USA, 1981

Seen: May 18, 2010 on DVD

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

Wolfen marks the fifth instalment of The Wolfathon, and is one of the more recent films of the marathon. It's year of release bears good company as 1981 seems to be the year of the wolf, bringing us not only Wolfen but also The Howling and An American Werewolf in London (and yes, those are planned to be included in the marathon as well). I wonder what it was that brought all the different minds to explore werewolves at that time, especially considering they are all such different takes on the genre. Wolfen started as a mystery to me, never having heard of it before hunting for werewolf films and went I saw that it started Albert Finney (Big Fish, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning) and Edward James Olmos ("Battlestar Galactica"), I knew I couldn't resist.

Wolfen follows Dewey Wilson (Albert Finney) a New York cop investigated brutal murders. He's a bit rough around the edges in comparison to his colleagues, but gets along well with coroner Whittington (Gregory Hines) and Rebecca Neff (Diane Verona), whom I was never quite sure exactly what her characters job was, other than that it involved knowledge gathering, high tech surveillance and extremist groups. When you look at these elements: brutal crime, forensics-focus along with tech and international range, it sounds like a film that could be out right now. Sure, the tech is classic early 80's but it amazingly holds it's own as it's always closely linked to the story. It's actually the first 80's film I've seen where I enjoyed the visuals, albeit dated, without a nostalgic or comedic tie to them. They were, simply put, good. It's so strange. But that ties into the biggest strength of the film: it's gorgeous to look at. The cinematography is really beautiful, showing clear cityscapes and lots of interesting shots from steadycam to sweeping overheads. Totally not what I was expecting from early 80's horror!

Although we have a fair amount of solve-the-mystery style storytelling, we get a lot of visual storytelling as well which I found to be surprizingly effective. But, at almost 2 hours I found my interest did wane a little bit here and there, but I think that is because it's primarily a drama/intrigue tale which isn't my favourite. But I enjoyed the horror elements, although there wasn't tons of tension it did have all the gore and effects you'd expect from a werewolf film. This was impressive as well, and I'm not surprized it received an R rating at the time because the effects are both gory visually as well as conceptually. They also manage not only to creep you out with what you see, but also viscerally with the use of description and discussion of ideas throughout the film. They also use a fair amount of non-gore visual effects that are impressive, although some may be familiar to fans of other genres.

In terms of being a werewolf film, it takes quite a different tone and stance than other werewolf films I've seen although it still manages to take on the spirit of the themes related to werewolf films. It was nice to see a different spin while still maintaining ties to the genre. But the stars that aren't on the cast list are the wolves. Wow, the wolves are truly beautiful - this was a huge treat and another highlight of the film.

Overall, I enjoyed it visually as well as getting to see Albert Finney and Edward James Olmos in completely different roles than I'd ever seen them before in. Edward James Olmos is particularly interesting in this one, although it's a supporting role. Although I don't think it would end up being a huge repeat watcher for me, I still really enjoyed it and was happy to have found it.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans of horror/drama, crime films and werewolf films

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Bad Moon

Dir: Eric Red (Body Parts)
Cast: Mariel Hemingway, Michael Paré, Mason Gamble
USA, 1996

Seen: May 11, 2010 on DVD

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

I went into this one totally blind and with only 2 things know about the film. 1) Werewolf film (meets criteria!) and 2) Michael Paré (bonus!). So, yeah... the thing about going into things totally blind is that results can certainly vary.

I got a little worried when after the title came up it said "Based on the novel Thor". Thor? What's not terribly wolf-like. Especially since up until then there was no sign of a Thor. Turns out he's the family dog. Oh boy. Family dog. In a werewolf movie. And, clock back there - a family in a wolf movie?

Bad Moon has just about every single in it that I don't like in horror, including ensuring that there is at least some gratuitous nudity (why or why does this keep getting thrown in bad horror movies) and really gory gore moments. Neither are extensive, btut they are present and feel like are literally there for tick-box "Yup, we got that!" reasons.

Oddly, even though I didn't like the above mention 'got that!' moments, it's a pretty traditional werewolf film hitting lots of the marks you'd expect but doesn't really play on many of the themes that can be explored with werewolf films. It also is very self aware of the genre at times and if this had been played for laughs being in a tongue-in-cheek way or winking at the camera it would have made it a lot more fun, but it's done completely deadpan. The effects weren't that great either, and definitely used different techniques at different times which didn't help to keep consistency of tone or style. On the effects note, I would have to give the film kudos for the make up department on the gore - when they went practical it was bloody good. Literally.

Overall it's not my kind of horror film. I'd rather a good story and tension over the perfunctory nudity & gore any day.

Shannon's Overall View:
I didn't enjoy it
I won't watch it again
I'd recommend it werewolf fan completist that like horror of the make-sure-there's-gore-&-nudity variety (but note there isn't much of either)

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

She-Wolf of London

Dir: Jean Yarbrough (Angels in Disguise, She's in the Army, South of Dixie)
Cast: June Lockhart, Sara Haden, Jan Wiley, Don Porter, Lloyd Corrigan, Dennis Hoey, Martin Kosleck, Eily Malyon, Frederick Worlock
USA, 1946

Seen: April 24, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

I hadn't heard much abut She-Wolf of London, but it was on the same DVD as Werewolf of London so I thought I would give it a go for The Wolfathon, especially as there don't seem to be to many femme focused werewolf films. The focus here is a lot more on the femme than the werewolfness though, although I appreciated the almost completely female focused of the sotry and characters. The primary cast is a trio of women: the young & engaged Phyllis Allenby (June Lockhart), her aunt Martha (Sara Haden) and Martha's daughter Carol (Jan Wiley) who all live together on the Allenby estate with (gasp!) no men in the house. Shocking, isn't it? Well it did come out in 1946 and they are actually rather playful with the gender dynamics which makes it pretty entertaining.

The ladies are just going about their lives when fear is raised from attacks in a nearby park and the now there is a mystery is on to solve regarding the cause. Intertwined into the mystery are family histories, romances and local folklore. The film feels like serial in a lot of ways, using a lot of the ideas and themes from werewolf films with it's own spin on things but overall doesn't bring too much new to the mix. It actually felt more like a just a straight up drama than a werewolf film, as there wasn't a lot of horror elements or effects involved but rather kept the focus of the mystery side of things while presenting themes of remorse and regret. As a werewolf film, it's not quite up to the others I've seen but it is an enjoyable watch.

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans of classic dramas

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Werewolf of London

Dir: Stuart Walker (Great Expecations (1934), The False Madonna)
Cast: Henry Hull, Warnar Oland, Valerie Hobson, Lester Matthews, Lawrence Grant
USA, 1935

Seen: April 18, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

My first reaction to Werewolf of London was relief that it was awesome. After last weeks The Wolf Man (1941) I was getting a little worried about this howlalicious marathon, but now I'm feeling right back on track. After relief came surprize, as it's an American film! I initially assumed it was UK considering the whole 'London' in the title, but now that I think about it that is only thing (other than accents) that reads non-American. Foiled again.

As a first time viewing it reminded me of a few things - one of which is that I love films of the 30's! There is a lovely joie de vivre in them, a lightness in tone even when placed in a monster movie. Another thing that could be tied to the time is that the women in the film rock. None are them are overly prominate in the film, but they are all strong and very forward, often in a comedic element but lovely nonetheless. The protagonist of the film is botanist Dr. Glendon (played by Harry Hull), whom we follow in his journeys in science and their interesting effects on his world. This added a classic crazy scientist element to the film, even though the botanist isn't all that crazy it still gives it that great old school horror feel, which makes up for it not being all that scary. The effects were quite well done, and that was surprizing considering it's 6 years before The Wolf Man (1941), although similar techniques seemed to be used they are executed much better hear. Even the use of blocking is incorporated much smoother here.

I didn't find it played with themes too much, focusing much more on the story and journey of the characters. If anything, it does touch on the horror or remorse, a theme I think we'll find common in werewolf films. Considering this is the earliest film on werewolves I've found I'm very interested to see it's influence on the other werewolf films as we go along.

Shannon's Overall View:
I really enjoyed it
I'll buy it
I'd recommend it to fans of classic horror

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Week in Film Vlog: April 19, 2010

Theatrical: The Square, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / Män som hatar kvinnor, The Eclipse
The Wolfathon: The Wolf Man (1941)

The Wolf Man (1941)

Dir: George Waggner (Horror Island, South of Tahiti, Gunsfighters)
Cast: Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains, Evelyn Ankers, Maria Ouspenskaya, Bela Lugosi, Ralph Bellamy
USA, 1941

Seen: April 10, 2010

Reason to Watch & Review: For The Wolfathon *

After the Vampathon last year in anticipation for The Twilight Saga: New Moon and recently finishing the Sword & Sandals Marathon, I couldn't resist taking on a new marathon. Aptly titled Wolfathon will be a marathon of werewolf films in anticipation for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, to be released June 30, 2010.

Starting off classic, I decided to go to the roots with the 1941 version of The Wolf Man. Although not the earliest version out there, this feels like it's quite the touchstone. I do wish I had seen this one before the 2010 remake, but it wasn't in the cards. This version has all the makings of a classic horror film, with a strong leading character, a girl and a mysterious creature with it's own lore.

We hear that lore a lot. In fact, I was surprized at how clear the film was. Not picture quality clarity, but about the characters, story and lore. The actor who plays the Wolf Man is introduced as such even though we don't 'see' that until later in the film. The lore surrounding werewolves is re-iterated several times to us word-for-word. That felt totally bizarre to me, that there was little mystery left for the audience to unravel. But, one thing this does is have a clear plot for this film while allowing the opportunity to present ideas, or to even question, human nature. Themes of duality, good vs. bad, repression, even mental illness are all touched on. I wish they were explored more, but I'm sure it will be in more werewolf films that we will come to in the future. It did touch more strongly on guilt, worry and dealing with the fear of the 'monster within', which I'm sure will be a re-occuring theme in werewolf films. The idea of being aghast at your own nature, especially when it's new and thought to be irreversible, is a fascinating topic to explore.

One other key element of all werewolf films has to be the effects. What did the creature look like, how did they show the transformation? Without getting too spoiler-y, it's nicest to say that this one feels very 'of it's time'. Often creative editing is at play here, so we don't even always see anything. If the overall atmosphere was ramped up I think it would have worked more and that's the one thing I wanted more of: a creepy atmosphere. I didn't feel transported at all, or was ever scared. It plays mostly like a drama with creature effects but really does feel like it lays the ground work for films ahead.

I'm not seen tons of werewolf films, but so far can tell it's going to be a very different journey than that of vampire films which are often about seduction and power. Here we see full on primal nature and loss of control. Volatile waters ahead, me thinks!

Shannon's Overall View:
I enjoyed it
I'll watch it again
I'd recommend it to fans of classic horror films

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© Shannon Ridler, 2010

* The Wolfathon is a marathon exploring werewolf films in anticipation of the 2010 release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse