What impresses the most from this movie is makeup artist, Jack Pierce. Unlike the original, Lon Chaney Jr. transforms into the Wolf Man on camera, twice. This is during a time when makeup was applied a little at a time and filmed at each step along the way. Usually, there are subtle changes in the background, but not this time. When Chaney Jr. changes in the hospital bed, not one fluff or dimple on the pillow is different from the beginning to the end of the transformation. Same goes for the transformation by the tree in the woods. What patience! This film also let's us know how quickly and quiet group of mourning villagers can become a dangerous mob. My reference is to the scene where the dead girl is being carried the streets. All of a sudden, when the wolf howls, they become an angry mob. Where did all those pitch forks and sticks and guns come from anyway? Maybe there were three monsters in the movie? This movie also features a timeless beginning that is still, in my opinion, one of the scariest opening sequences ever filmed. Although blood is a rarity in the movie, the acting of the supporting cast sells the horror.
Reviews
2 Reviews
The Wolf Man
(1941)
Subtle Changes
11 April 2005
This movie scared the heck out of me as a kid. While it might seem a bit dated according to today's horror standards, it still ranks as the standard for the werewolf genre. Jack Pierce does a masterful job with Lon Chaney's makeup. A bit of trivia: The little chant about a man who is pure of heart was changed for the sequel. "Even a man who is pure of heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolf bane blooms and the autumn moon is bright." In the sequel, Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man, the last line was changed to: "when the moon is full and bright." Also, Ralph Bellamy's rank in the opening credits was "Colonel" but Claude Rains Refers to him as "Captain."
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