Office of the Don #64: Big and Talbot
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010For those of you who are tired of the oversaturation of zombie flicks and feel like the current vampire trend has become vacuous and pedantic, I have encouraging news.
The werewolf film may be re-marking its territory.
Yes, I know that werewolves have already reared their heads in the forgettable, if not horrible Twilight franchise. But that wasn’t technically a werewolf movie. It was a movie about raping your face for two hours at ten bucks a pop.
I’m talking about honest-to-Cthulhu werewolves: ferocious creatures that serve as a metaphor for the insatiable beast that exists in all of us (except for Carl – he’s just a disappointment), but also amuse us with blood spray. Sadly, it’s been quite some time since we were genuinely treated to a great werewolf flick. Your tastes may vary, but most folks have to go back as far as the 80s before they can even think of one lycanthrope movie of any serious quality. For some reason, werewolves seem to be a difficult topic to build a movie around.
But, I think there’s a moonlight at the end of the tunnel. Universal’s new remake of The Wolf Man is definitely a pounce in the right direction. Based on the 1941 monster film with Lon Chaney, Jr., this reimagining manages to invoke the spirit of the original classic while adding a dash of Hammer Films’ The Curse of the Werewolf. The result is a fun and thrilling ride with a wonderful gothic atmosphere that manages to make you feel like you’re watching a new installment in the old Universal series.
I will admit right to your face that I’m a big fan of the old Universal monsters, with The Wolf Man being my favorite. From Lon Chaney’s first foray into the fur to Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man to even the still-hilarious Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, I’ve been fascinated by the lupine creature. So, I got quite excited when Universal first announced this remake, despite the soulpunch the studio gave me with that craptastic mess called Van Helsing a few years back.
Though the production was troubled almost from the beginning due to a change in directors, soundtrack swaps, and numerous reshoots, the solid script managed to remain enough of a stable base to give us a solid little film. The biggest aspect of the movie that will slap you in the face (in a good way) as soon as that first reel starts spinning is the atmosphere. Like I said above, the gothic tone being given off by the Victorian era setting sets the backdrop beautifully. Combine that with the muted colors on display, and you almost think you’re watching the black and white classic. This was actually one of my favorite elements of the film.
Then there’s the score. Originally, The Wolfman was supposed to be set to a rock score. I’m certainly glad it wasn’t, as that would have completely killed the mood set by the rest of the film. As it is, we get yet another twitch of the baton from Mr. Danny Elfman, whose score isn’t as overwhelmingly Elfmannish as we’re used to. But I think this is a plus in this case, as this movie really calls for something more atmospheric, which I think Elfman does well here.
As for the acting, everyone brings their A-game to the party. Benicio Del Toro is practically channeling Lon Chaney, Jr. in his performance. Hopkins chews every bit of scenery he’s in, but that’s always a good thing. Hugo Weaving’s portrayal of Inspector Abberline (famous for the real life investigation of the Jack the Ripper murders) made me grin from ear to ear as he displayed his smug chutzpah to every character that got in his path. And though her character seemed to be the weakest link in the film, even Emily Blunt was able to deliver a good performance.
I know one of the major upheavals that came about during production was the fact that Rick Baker’s marvelous make-up effects were not going to be used for the werewolf transformation sequences. I was extremely disappointed when I heard this, as Baker is a master at this craft. Heck, one of the reasons he asked to be a part of the film was so he could design these sequences. Sadly, Universal decided to go with CG for the transformations instead. I have to admit, I was not impressed when I caught glimpses of them in the trailer. But, I was pleasantly surprised by how they looked in the final film. With the right lighting (i.e. dark), I could hardly tell that it was CG at all. Then there’s the best news of all – Baker’s designs for Del Toro’s final Wolf Man form were kept in unhindered. And damn, does he look awesome! Director Joe Johnston knew exactly how to play it, too – flashes of creature throughout the film until we get to see him full on at the end. Johnston got it, and the viewers were rewarded.
Lastly, there’s the gruesome factor. One of the things that the original Wolf Man loses on me with subsequent revisits is its lack of real savagery. As a kid the Wolf Man scared the bejeezus out of me. With his intense gaze and his rabid snarls Chaney was able to put the wiggins on a boy. As an older geek, however, the ferocity on display is quite bland. All Chaney ever really does is grab people while snarling, and maybe occasionally bite a dude away from the camera. Don’t get me wrong – I still love the flick. It transcends beyond what it loses as the viewer gets older. It’s just that the scares aren’t scares anymore, but more like classic thrills in the vein of that kiddie roller coaster that you still enjoy riding from time to time.
Now, you want a Wolf Man movie with bite? And not just bite – I’m talking eviscerating, lip smacking, flesh-tearing bite. This film has got it. Talbot’s beast does his fair share of all of the above, and then some. And I love it. There were some pretty gruesome kills in this flick, and I cackled with glee at every one of them.
Now, is this a perfect film? No. It definitely has some flaws. The character development between Talbot and Gwen is kind of weak and feels rushed. The plot stumbles a couple of times as well. Talbot’s trip to the asylum in London felt more like a sidetrack to the main story, but at the same time it set up one of my favorite sequences in the film. I mean, who doesn’t want to see the Wolf Man rooftop-hopping in the light of the full moon in Victorian-Age London?
Despite these flaws, the movie pulls you in and along for the ride. Like Avatar, you find yourself living and breathing in the environment while getting wrapped up in the events as they unfold on one Lawrence Talbot. I found myself enjoying it so much, I’m planning on going back to the theater to see it again.
I know that Universal is planning on resurrecting the rest of their creature pantheon as well. If this movie is a sign of things to come, we may be finding ourselves emerging into a new era of Universal Monsters.
Van Helsing be damned.
The Don was drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic’s. His hair was perfect.













