I too wanted to like it. I love the old Universal horror flicks. Though The Creature from the Black Lagoon is my favorite, Wolfman is a close second. I just don't get why they made the choices they did. The original's story and all the tragic elements of it still make a great story today. A visual upgrade would've been amazing. And Johnston nailed the visual aspect as well.
I agree. The Wolf Man is my absolute favorite of the Universal horrors. Though not the most polished or clever, it was just a really good story that was told very well by a superb cast and, for the day, amazing make-up effects. I love Dracula, I love Whale's Frankensteins (especially Bride), but Wolfie takes the taco. And why they couldn't just expand and broaden the original story, which works amazingly well, is somewhat unknown.
I understand that it was Andrew Kevin Walker's idea to bring in big pappa werewolf and turn it Oedipal. Apparently Benicio, who got the ball rolling on this film because he admires Chaney so much went with it. My guess is he felt they needed a twist to make it fresh and Walker completely reworked (or some would say bastardized) the Sleepy Hollow tale and that movie turned out awesome. The trick though is that movie was in the hands of Tim Burton who took an average script and made it something supremely entertaining. Even if the studio had given him more pre-production prep time and not cut out 17 minutes of character development, I still think we can agree Joe Johnston was never going to deliver something as visionary as Tim Burton.
By the time you establish the plot and characters you have the perfect set up for a great horror movie. Great effects, a classic monster, creepy visuals and atmosphere, and well developed characters. But then, about 30 minutes in, out of no where it just changes gears and tries to be an action movie and pretty much lifts the plot from Ang Lee's Hulk.
Huh. I had the opposite reaction. I thought the set-up in the first 30-45 minutes was rushed. I think that is the bulk of where the studio re-edited it. It feels very bare bones and breathless. I thought the movie needed a gradual pace. Not counting the Oedipal stuff, I think the movie finds its rhythm after he first transforms as those sequences (the woods attack of the hunters and the rampage through London) are easily the highlights of the film.
As for Ang Lee's Hulk. Nice. I def. see it. But I have to say, while Lee made a more emotionally mature film and as lame as Sir John turning into a werewolf was, it was still better than giant Hulk Poodles or the Giant Bubble Daddy at the end of Hulk. I think I cringed a bit when Sir John was a werewolf. I burst out laughing at the end of Ang Lee's Hulk when it became jolly green giant vs. the bubble.
It only once capitalizes on the great set up, and that's during the asylum montage which is really well done...And I can't help but feel this movie should have been. Psychological horror. Is Larry really a wolf? Is it in his head and he's just a crazy murderer? I feel like that should've been a consistent theme for the first 2/3s of the movie. Instead we are presented to Oedipus complex Larry. Just odd choices in script.
You see I'm going to have to disagree here. Not on the first point, I agree the movie is its strongest in the asylum sequence. From the first shot of Lawrence strapped to that torture device (waterboarding reference?) to the Wolfman escaping Weaving after the bloodbath was pure gothic horror bliss and worthy of the ticket price.
But turning it into a psychological horror where you're not sure if Lawrence is a werewolf or a nutjob a la Val Lewton's Cat People, I strongly oppose. I know that was how Sodimak originally wrote it in 1940 or '41, but the legacy and icongraphy of the Wolfman is that it is about a poor bastard who turns into...well a wolfman. I'm all for some psychological horror of "Is this real or not" and expect that from Scorsese's adaptation of the Shutter Island Lehane book that dealt with this next week. If you're adapting
The Wolf Man though, I want a super cool looking monster wreaking havoc. This film strayed enough from the original's plot, this would be tinkering with the core conept. Longer scenes in the nuthouse on the DVD? Yes. Val Lewton's Wolf Person? Not a fan.
Really? In that case I find it odd that he showed such little passion.
I think it may have had more to do with editing or direction. He wanted to be Chaney and was off the mark. Either a lot of his performance is on the cutting room floor (possible) or Johnston didn't know how to reign him in for a more charismatic turn.
