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Werewolf of London (1935) - Stuart Walker

I am not a big fan of animals in horror movies. You may have noticed how I get really pissy when there is a killer gorilla on the loose. Werewolves really take the cake, I hate werewolves. I don't like movies like Underworld or the Wolfman. Hell, I hate that Werewolves have to be weaved into TV shows now and teeny bopper movies. There are exceptions though, I am a big fan of American Werewolf in London. Funny side note, that movie is a sort of tribute/remake of this movie. So i guess in turn, I like this movie. 

The movie is about a doctor that is attacked by a werewolf, and yes you guessed it, he turns into one. He can't control it. He knows that every month on the full moon he will turn. Another doctor, that goes by the name of Yogami, finds out that there is a flower that can cure him... The doctor is well to-do in some pretty bourgeois circles.  He even hosts a few parties to try and hold up appearances, so that no one will find out his hairy secret.

There are a couple of things that I really like about this movie. One being the makeup and transformation scenes. The make-up in this movie was actually the same make-up used for Lon Chaney Jr. in the Wolfman. Also this is the first actual commercial Werewolf movie. I like the effects used for the plants and the acting is not half bad. The only downside is that the werewolf stands up right and wears clothes. He just looks like a psychotic really hairy man. I guess the whole thing is that I really don't like werewolves that stand up right. American Werewolf in London got it spot on right. 

Werewolf of London looks great and has a pretty decent storyline. The cast could of used a few more stars. Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi, the latter of which was actually optioned to play Dr. Yogami. As far as werewolf movies go this one is right up there. If you are looking for a classy movie to watch, and sit down with a glass of wine, this is it. 
  • Henry Hull stars in the movie and is 27 years older than the girl that is playing his wife. 
  • The movie was filmed in the beautifully smoggy Universal City, CA. 
  • Warren Zevon has a song that is titled in tribute to this movie, Werewolves of London.
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