Relativity Media
Universal Pictures
Not part of a collection.
The Wolfman
When the moon is full, the legend comes to life.
Lawrence Talbot, an American man on a visit to Victorian London to make amends with his estranged father, gets bitten by a werewolf and, after a moonlight transformation, leaves him with a savage hunger for flesh.
- Original title
- The Wolfman
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- $150,000,000
- Revenue
- $140,700,000
John Chard
Oct 4, 2020 · via TMDB
Extended Cut: Proving in fact that The Wolfman is no monstrosity. The Wolfman is directed by Joe Johnston and adapted to screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self from Curt Siodmak's original 1941 screenplay. It stars Benicio del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving. Music is scored by Danny Elfman and Shelly Johnson is the cinematographer. Plot is set in 1891 and finds Toro as Lawrence Talbot, who upon learning of his brother's grizzly murder, returns to his estranged father's estate in Blackmoor to investigate. Upon arriving he forms an instant bond with his dead sibling's fiancée, Gwen (Blunt), but soon Lawrence finds himself mired in a world of lycanthropy and family secrets. It had a much publicised troubled production, with a director switch, numerous release date changes and enforced cuts to the running time, sitting atop of this particular iceberg. With that it mind, film is arguably better than it had any right to be. What is now readily available is an extended cut of the film where some 17 minutes of footage have been put back into the story. Footage cut originally to foolishly speed up the moment when the first transformation from man to wolfman arrives. Is the extended cut a far better movie than the trimmed theatrical version? The answer is resounding yes it is. It still contains flaws, but now the narrative is stronger and crucially by waiting much longer for the first "big change scene", tension and anticipation now exist where previously it didn't. In spite of some modern day advancements for this 21st Century wolfman - excessive speed for the wolf - creature smack down finale - Johnston's movie is very faithful and respectful of the 1941 original. Which is perhaps not surprising since the weight of Universal is backing this remake of one of their original classic monsters from the 30's and 40's. But it's nice to see that a remake keeps the things that made the original so beloved. Gothic texture is rich, none more so than with the mist/smog shrouded village, while the tortured sadness that permeated Lon Chaney's take on Larry Talbot back in 1941, is perfectly essayed by del Toro this time around. The creature design itself cleaves close to the original, with Rick Baker and Dave Elsey picking up the Academy Award for Best Makeup for their excellent efforts. Fans of shred and gore are also well served here, with Johnston (The Rocketeer/Jumanji) showing a keen eye for action construction. An attack at a Gypsy camp and a bloody rampage through a bus are the stand outs, while an asylum sequence is also not to be sniffed at. Chuck in the murder mystery element, and the intriguing father and son axis, and it's a film that has more to it than merely being a CGI popcorn piece. Even Elfman's score fits neatly into the period setting. Problem wise it comes down to Blunt and Weaving being under used, and Hopkins veering dangerously close to over hamming the omelette, yet all remain strong in characterisations. Toro, though, is not, as some have suggested, miscast. Already lupine like before transformation, he plays it perfectly troubled and brooding like. Talbot has inner demons and unanswered questions in his past, a past he has tried to shred but finds he now must confront those demons. The onset of lycanthropy serving, one feels, as a metaphor for his personal torment finally being unleashed. Toro nails it with an excellent and subdued portrayal, even if the choice of hair style leaves much to be desired. Worth a mention as well is Shelly Johnson's photography, where nice atmospheric visuals complement the tone and period flavour of the piece. More homage than outright horror, but with a little something for everyone interested in Horror/Gothic/Mystery type movies, The Wolfman in extended form is an enjoyable enough experience. 7/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Benicio del Toro
Lawrence Talbot
Anthony Hopkins
Sir John Talbot
Emily Blunt
Gwen Conliffe
Hugo Weaving
Inspector Francis Abberline
Geraldine Chaplin
Maleva
Art Malik
Singh
Antony Sher
Dr. Hoenneger
David Schofield
Constable Nye
Cristina Contes
Solana Talbot
David Sterne
Kirk
Elizabeth Croft
Ophelia (uncredited)
Simon Merrells
Ben Talbot
Asa Butterfield
Young Ben
Olga Fedori
Young Gypsy Woman
Lorraine Hilton
Mrs. Kirk
John Owens
Asylum Doctor #1
Gemma Whelan
Gwen's Maid
Nicholas Day
Colonel Montford
Clive Russell
MacQueen
Michael Cronin
Dr. Lloyd
Roger Frost
Reverend Fisk
Oliver Adams
Gypsy Boy
Emil Hostina
Gypsy Man / Bear Handler
Rick Baker
Gypsy Man / First Killed
Jessica Manley
Gypsy Mother
Jordan Coulson
Wolf Boy
Ian Peck
Creepy Guard
David Keyes
Custodian
C.C. Smiff
Police Officer #3
Anthony Debaeck
Gypsy Driver
Waseem Abbas
Gypsy Boy (uncredited)
Julie Eagleton
Woman in Theatre (uncredited)
Kate Dion-Richard
The Screaming Girl (uncredited)
Salo Gardner
Villager (uncredited)
Andy Gathergood
Villager 1 (uncredited)
Richard Hansell
Asylum Doctor (uncredited)
Sam Hazeldine
Horatio (uncredited)
Mia McKenna-Bruce
Street Urchin (uncredited)
Brigitte Millar
Gertrude (uncredited)
Claude Starling
Asylum Doctor #4 (uncredited)
Karim Theilgaard
Gypsy Man 3 (uncredited)
Christian Wolf-La'Moy
Gentleman in Top Hat (uncredited)
Piotr Baumann
Gypsy (uncredited)
Branko Tomović
Roman (uncredited)
Rick Heinrichs
Production Design
Andy Nicholson
Supervising Art Director
Shelly Johnson
Director of Photography
Fraser Taggart
Second Unit Director of Photography
Milena Canonero
Costume Design
Nadia Stacey
Makeup Artist
Uxue Laguardia
Makeup Artist
Rick Baker
Makeup Effects Designer
Barrie Gower
Prosthetic Makeup Artist
Rick Baker
Special Effects Makeup Artist
Leonard Woodcock
Stunts
Marc Mailley
Stunts
Mark Southworth
Stunts
Nellie Burroughes
Stunts
Rowley Irlam
Stunts
Ryan Stuart
Stunts
Sian Milne
Stunts
Joe Johnston
Director
Mark Goldblatt
Editor
Walter Murch
Editor
John Higgins
Gaffer
Bill Carraro
Executive Producer
Ryan Kavanaugh
Executive Producer
Benicio del Toro
Producer
Rick Yorn
Producer
Scott Stuber
Producer
Sean Daniel
Producer
Lori Berlanga
Production Supervisor
John Roesch
Foley
Danny Elfman
Original Music Composer
Karen Baker Landers
Supervising Sound Editor
Ross Johnson
Visual Effects Coordinator
Gary Brozenich
Visual Effects Supervisor
Curt Siodmak
Original Film Writer
Andrew Kevin Walker
Screenplay
Bad to the Jones
K-12
Bride of Frankenstein
Frankenstein
The Fly
Dracula
November
Ring
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein
Day of the Dead
Blood Brothers
The Blob
Bad Moon
Signs
Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie
House of Dark Shadows
Funny Games
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Nightwatch
Red Riding Hood
The Hitcher
Indigenous
The Ghost of Frankenstein
Flesh for Frankenstein
Roar
Web of the Spider
When the Lights Went Out
Deadly Eyes
The Nameless
Cannibal Ferox
Blood Diner
Raven's Hollow
U-Turn
Dances with Werewolves
Black Christmas
Prom Night
Murder Obsession
Moon of the Wolf
Cursed
Make-Out with Violence
Lycan
Werewolves of the Third Reich
Spiker
Deadly Display
I Curse This Land
The Night of the Chihuaua
Bruin Lake Aka Hell Michigan
Wohi Bhayanak Raat
Solomon's Requiem
Night of the Living Dead
Nosferatu
Silver Bullet
Baghead
Mother's Day
The Hills Have Eyes
The Boogeyman
Underworld: Awakening
Thir13en Ghosts
Goodnight Mommy
Hellraiser
The Blood on Satan's Claw
Jeepers Creepers 2
Wrong Turn 2: Dead End
Wolf Man
Never Let Go
The Dreadful
Salem's Lot
Daddy's Head
Wolves
The Stakelander
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
The Hangman
Werewolves
Dolly
Feb 12, 2010
