I had to go with American Werewolf. Snuck into the theater to see it and ended up watching it back to back. The Howling would get my vote for best werewolf effects (also had to sneak into the theater for this one).
Actually I always liked Bad Moon, but mostly because the book it is based on is a great, though unchallenging, read. Totally from the dog's point of view.
I guess THE WOLF MAN is the most important to the genre, though I personally connect more with AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON. CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF and THE HOWLING are also favorites. I'm also a fan of Amicus's THE BEAST MUST DIE. The actual werewolf is just a big dog but I really enjoy the strange plotline, based on the James Blish story THERE SHALL BE NO DARKNESS.
As a kid I used to read werewolf stories based on European legends, where lycanthropism was linked to puberty. The changes that some of the children in these stories underwent, reflected the changes of puberty and I always liked that angle. Because the changes of puberty are indeed pure horror In that sense, I think Ginger Snaps comes closest, but my favourite still remains An American Werewolf in London. Although I might have to revisit The Howling. It's been a while and DVD-fanatic's praise makes me want to see it again.
I love Ginger Snaps--its tone, performances, gore, and humor. And that bleak ending? All top-notch. Easily my most watched werewolf film.
I only recently saw THE BEAST MUST DIE. What a strange film. I liked it but I didn't love it. It was a change of pace and had an interesting plot, but it reminded me more of a TV movie than a theatrical release.
You've got to love the whole intermission with narrator and the ... I think he had a ticking stopwatch, interrupting the film to ask the audience who they think is the werewolf. I love those older gimmicks. Especially when we don't see the narrator, we just hear the voice. Kinda cheesy, but a tiny bit spooky.
The actor doing the voiceover for "The Werewolf Break" was Valentine Dyall, a popular radio actor in England who also popped up in the Christopher Lee film CITY OF THE DEAD (aka HORROR HOTEL).He also played the evil "Black Guardian" in the Peter Davison run of DR. WHO in the early 80's.
He's one of the coven members. The heroine sees him while she is driving through the fog and gives him a ride. When they stop in town, he's gone ! Very cool movie, extremely atmospheric.
Yes, now I know who he was. I remember watching it with my dad years ago. The ending when the coven dies is excellent.
Beautifully shot, great foggy atmosphere ! Christopher Lee did a nice audio comm. track for that film when VCI issued it on DVD.
