The Wolfman stars Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Ralph Bellamy, Claude Rains and was made n 1941 by George Waggner. It came 6 years after Werewolf of London. That movie did not really capture much attention, according to guest host Chris Issak.
Asthe credits roll two things stand out to me: Bela Lugosi is not the creepy looking guy I assumed he would be and Lon Chaney is actually kinda cute. It may have been how mom described these guys and her adventures at the movies during WWII but I assumed the make up was covering up some kind of flaw in there features. And Claude Rains (Casablanca) seems to never change. But how they decided to cast such a shrimp as Chaney's dad is beyond me.
Hmm... this is starting to feel like a pop up video episode with an audience of one.
Creepy stalker. If you are going to peep on a girl you probably shouldn't mention it. But if you slip you can always say you are psychic. Oh and don't forget to quote the brothers Grimm.
Even a man pure of heart who says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolf bane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.
And here comes the gypsies... Vardo and all.
And the fog...
And the wolf bane...
And there is the howl...
OOh this is new. This wolfman chewed on the victim in full dog form. That is starting to sound a lot like the Northern Michigan Dogman legend to me. The Odawa say the dog man is a shape changing guardian of the native tribes. It can function in man, wolf, combo and stealth mode; stealth meaning invisible... some kind of in-between state. Who knew?
"Fighting superstition is as hard as fighting against Satan himself."
I like the Gypsy idea of a funeral. It's just a big party in the Irish tradition with dancing and nihilistic prophecy and carnival games. Ya know, everybody loves a good carnival but they all complain about the gypsies without whom none of the entertaining would happen. Who would run the carnival without them? Granted they come with a host of problems when they come to town. But you can't have the circus without the carnies.
And now we obsesses about hair. Transformation. Transformation. Transformation. But it looks like he's wearing pajamas.
Now I have a legal question. If a man could truly become a werewolf & its proven that he is not in control of that form of himself can he really be held accountable for what he does under the moon's influence? I know you have to hold something accountable. But if you could cure the man of the curse would you still prosecute the animal's crimes?
Wow... I am really diggin the Claude Rains. He reminds me in some ways of Patrick Stewart. Maybe the delivery?
And there are the old biddies making trouble like a mob armed with pitch forks and torches. In this case it would be the forked tongues and incendiary words.
And though riddled with superstition the only one willing to help the poor guy is a gypsy. Go figure.
The way you walked was thorny through no fault of your own...
Say what you will about the gypsies... but they have a lot more compassion for people than most of the "normal' world I have met.
Not the ending that I thought it would be. And so not scarry......
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