Has anyone heard of Never Cry Werewolf? I hadn't until I saw this review on DVD Verdict: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/nevercrywerewolf.php
As much as I love Ginger Snaps my favorite werewolf movie will always be the classic "The Wolf Man" with Lon Chaney Jr.
The Wolf Man gets my vote. I've always loved Curse of the Werewolf, The Howling, and American Werewolf in London. Dog Soldiers is cool and deserves honorable mention.
An American Werewolf in London wins. It's one of my favourite horror flicks. Of course so are Ginger Snaps, The Wolf Man, and Silver Bullet. I pretty much adore every single film of that list except for Wolf. The Howling is over-rated but I still like it.
An American Werewolf In London by a hair, with the Howling a close second. What, no love for The Boy Who Cried Werewolf or The Werewolf of Washington...
I havnt saw many WW movies but the ones that I did see were indeed awesome. 1.The Wolf Man 2.Dog Soldiers 3.American Werewolf in london I really enjoyed The Wolf Man enough to go out and buy the Legends dvd set of the movie.Dog Soldiers was another movie that hooked me from the start and bought the dvd.AWL was a great movie that I like but I dont own the dvd yet.Can anyone recommend any more low budget WW movies? sean
THE HOWLING - I grew up watching the Universal (and other, cult) werewolf films all through the '70's on late night TV. I saw THE HOWLING in that budding period of special effects, R-rated sex and violence, ect. What got me was the "old-school" spirit this (then) very modern film carried. It was a brand new film, but carried this odd, nostalgic air about it that jived with me. I had graduated to R-rated films that month, but was still attached to the old horror films from TV that were all I was allowed to watch at the time. In fact, certain soundtrack cues (the music when Terri realizes she's looking at the landscape Eddie drew) and the snips of old movies on TV the characters watched simply charmed my sensibilities. The woodsy setting also helped. I never got the humor when I saw it (I was 10 at the time) but those werewolves - tall, limber and looming creatures scared the living Hell out of me when they were shown. Seeing Karen transform (into her own "version", lol) was way tragic because I hated to see her character become such a vile-looking monster. Great film and I couldn't think of a better film to be part of my formative years.
Dog Soldiers is my favourite on the list but this is one type of film that I dont think theres been a great movie of.
As much as I love this movie, it really isn't a werewolf flick. Just a really excellent movie. A few other good (to varying degree) werewolf flicks (with imdb links): Blood Moon (2001) - Different take on the werewolf genre. Wolf Girl at a freakshow, but she just wants to fit in. The Beast Must Die (1974) a werewolf mystery movie. Romasanta (2004) -Apparently based on a true story. Is he a werewolf or isn't he? and a couple that aren't traditionally "good" movies, but are pretty fun in a cheesey kind of way: Werewolf in a Women's Prison (2006) -softcore porn crossed with a werewolf flick crossed with a women in prison flick and a large dollop of cheese. Big Bad Wolf (2006) -The werewolf talks and spews one-liners, I wanted to hate it but I enjoyed the heck out of it. and I also love Ginger Snaps 2 &3, and An American Werewolf in Paris.
Werewolf films have never really done it for me, except The Beast Must Die which I absolutely love. So I vote other.
After re-watches, The Howling is easily the best. Then for the honorables, I'm leaning toward Ginger Snaps slightly ahead of An American Werewolf in London, but for a long time I loved An American Werewolf in London more than any other werewolf movie. Seriously- I know what my comment 8 years ago said. But my rewatches of AWiL have not kept the magic alive. The film is too quiet and sober. Atmosphere is my #1 thing, I need it! The Howling has it. All throughout. Hence why it's the best. Pino Donaggio's music is ever present. And it's AMAZING! Another of the best horror scores, ever. And it is the best sociopolitical horror film as well. Sharply written. Biting. (Joe Dante was a wonderfully dark, subversive voice in horror before he started making ehhhh Hollywood movies in the mid-90's. Some people love Matinee, I think it's just alright.) I hope another watch of An American Werewolf in London brings back the magic. But... I doubt it will. My memories are still with me though. They all keep the film's warm glowing warming glow alive.
Werewolf subgenre may well be the weakest of any horror subgenre, An American Werewolf in London is the only one that I would maybe call great.
Now this was one of the tougher polls. In the end, I had to go with The Howling. It holds up very well. I always enjoyed it more than An American Werewolf in London, although American was funnier. American Werewolf and Curse of the Werewolf round out my top 3.