Great Werewolf Movies
5 Bloody Good Horror Movies Featuring Lycanthropes
Are you looking for a good scary movie? These werewolf films are sure to satisfy the bloodlust of even the most diehard lycanthrope.
The moon is full and bright, easily lighting up fields and forests with a silvery glow. In the distance, a long, dreadful howl fills the night air. The sound is not quite animal, and definitely not human.
Most people who watch horror movies know what appears next. Enter the werewolf: a creature straight from our primeval nightmares, part man and part wolf, ready to tear apart who or whatever crosses its path.
Werewolves Need Respect Too
Vampires, ghosts, and zombies tend to have more celluloid devoted to their exploits than do their canine brethren, but there are quite a few good, fun werewolf movies that fans of the genre will definitely want to see. The following is a partial list (in no particular order) of some of the most enjoyable werewolf movies ever put to film.
- Dog Soldiers – A pack of vicious werewolves stalk British soldiers in the Scottish Highlands in this film written and directed by Neil Marshall (writer and director of Doomsday). The movie contains a great cast, great special effects, truly frightening werewolves, and enough blood to sate just about any horror fan.
- The Wolf Man – Lon Chaney Jr. stars as Larry Talbot, the man bitten and transformed into a werewolf by Bela Lugosi’s lycanthrope in this classic film. In fact, quite a bit of so-called “werewolf lore” that filtered into subsequent movies comes from this movie penned by Curt Siodmak. Benicio Del Toro is set to star in an upcoming remake.
- An American Werewolf in London – Some sort of beast attacks two Americans, David Kessler and Jack Goodman, as they are hiking across the foggy Yorkshire moors. One of the Americans dies, while the other slowly comes to the realization that he is becoming a werewolf. Some incredible special effects, as well as and a great story, round out this film written and directed by John Landis.
- The Howling – A reporter, Karen White, undergoes a traumatic experience while working undercover. As part of her therapy, her psychiatrist sends her to a small mountain community where, at night, she can hear a strange howling in the forest. Although this movie is based on the Gary Brandner novel of the same name, Joe Dante certainly took some liberties with the adaptation. Still, it is a great and genuinely scary werewolf movie with some excellent special effects.
- Silver Bullet – This film, based on Cycle of the Werewolf, an excellent novella by Stephen King, stars Corey Haim and Gary Busey. A wheelchair bound boy, played by Haim, discovers the killer ravaging their small town is actually a werewolf. With his sister and uncle (played by Busey), he decides to put an end to the werewolf’s reign of terror.
Not everyone will agree that the above movies (Silver Bullet in particular) are cinematic masterpieces, but for werewolf and horror fans, they are a great way to spend an evening. Pop some corn, grab a soda, and enjoy!
