Werewolf films are an absolute staple inside the horror style. For many viewers, there’s nothing scarier than a hulking, furry creature out for blood. For others, they cannot consider something extra absurd than a campy cryptid stomping across the forest, who’s in all probability simply an actor in a fur go well with. Whatever your perspective is in the direction of werewolf movies, there is not any shaking their affect on the horror style and a number of appearances in lots of beloved movies.
An article from CNET put it greatest: “Werewolves are among the most visually placing supernatural creatures within the lexicon…You’ve obtained the recipe for an important story: curses, magic, monsters and misunderstood creatures. What’s to not love?”
Updated April tenth, 2023: To preserve this text contemporary and related by including extra info and entries, this text has been up to date.
While a handful of movies centering round werewolves have achieved cult traditional standing – like Ginger Snaps – others are extra so the unsung heroes of the subgenre. Bringing underappreciated films into the sunshine permits them to be adored by all types of viewers, and exposes them to several types of audiences. Whether you are sometimes a fan of creature options or not, werewolf movies have a approach of unleashing the sudden in additional methods than one. Let’s check out essentially the most underrated werewolf films, ranked.
14 The Werewolf of Washington (1973)
The Werewolf of Washington is an actual off-the-wall film, and it is probably you have in all probability by no means heard about it. It’s a goofy horror/comedy a couple of White House press secretary who will get bitten by a werewolf whereas on task in Hungary, which causes mass chaos when he returns residence to D.C. and begins feeling completely different each time there is a full moon.
It’s a really outlandish, overly foolish film from the ’70s, however in the event you’re a fan of B-movies, this one is an actual deal with. There aren’t many — or actually any — films that concentrate on a werewolf wreaking havoc on the White House and presidential employees, and whereas The Werewolf of Washington is not essentially a “good” film, it is nonetheless a enjoyable watch, even in the event you simply spend all the 90 minutes laughing on the display.
13 Wolf (1994)
Jack Nicholson is a legendary actor who is totally sensible in any position, and his efficiency within the 1994 romantic horror flick Wolf is not any exception. The cinema icon starred alongside Michelle Pfeiffer and portrayed Will Randall, an getting older publishing home bigwig whose life is totally turned the wrong way up after being bitten by a wolf within the Vermont wilderness. Will finds himself feeling youthful and invigorated following the assault, however begins to exhibit extra animalistic and violent tendencies that finally pushes him over the sting.
Wolf affords a extra mature, conventional tackle the werewolf trope and actually shines because of Nicholson’s gripping and commanding efficiency because the tortured Will Randall. The thriller garnered a combined bag response from critics however nonetheless earned six Saturn Award nominations and was praised as a darker, moodier model of Beauty and the Beast.
12 WolfCop (2014)
The delightfully zany and wildly entertaining comedy horror WolfCop stars Leo Fafard as a hard-drinking, small city cop who begins to understand he is turning right into a werewolf after being cursed by a bunch of bloodthirsty occultists. The cheeky, over-the-top movie focuses on Sergeant Lou Garou as he continues to serve-and-protect his group in all his werewolf glory, by no means shying away from his lowbrow urges but in addition making an attempt to be a greater cop and man.
WolfCop by no means takes itself too significantly and utterly leans into its personal absurdity and full of life chaos, and is an gratifying mix of horror and humor. The success of the movie led to its highly-anticipated 2017 follow-up Another WolfCop, with one other potential sequel being hinted at.
11 Werewolf of London (1935)
Before An American Werewolf in London took the horror world by storm, Universal Pictures’ Werewolf of London launched audiences to what goes bump within the night time. This 1935 traditional is thought to be the primary werewolf movie to hit theaters from Hollywood, even earlier than the extra well-known The Wolf Man got here out in 1941.
In Werewolf of London, Wilfred Glendon (Henry Hull) is a botanist researching an odd plant when he’s bitten by a fearsome animal. Discovering that the flower holds the treatment to lycanthropy, the celebrities appear to align as his physique begins to alter when the moon grows full.
Project Metalbeast is an excessive interpretation of the werewolf subgenre. After injecting himself with werewolf blood collected on a mission, an exasperated navy member shortly turns right into a monster. Following a spree of violence, he’s cryogenically frozen for 20 years and introduced again into consciousness to bear authorities testing.
Fusing collectively current pores and skin with metallic underneath the identify of scientific development, the venture is a painful nightmare, bringing the werewolf roaring to life once more. This film is a wonderful instance of why some bold science experiments needs to be canceled earlier than they start.
9 Late Phases (2014)
Werewolf films sometimes observe a particular system that’s recreated again and again every time a brand new film with a furry man-beast premieres, however Late Phases is certainly one of many extra distinctive entries within the style. Released in 2014, it is about Ambrose, a blind battle veteran who strikes right into a retirement group on the fringe of a forest along with his seeing canine. After assembly his neighbors and settling in, there is a full moon, and it is revealed {that a} huge werewolf is attacking the residents. Ambrose units out on a hunt for the werewolf, assembly numerous suspects locally till he lastly solves the thriller.
If werewolf films aren’t sometimes your type, Late Phases could be one to look at. Yes, werewolves are the first focus right here and the primary antagonist, however there’s additionally degree of thriller, and it is considerably of a “whodunit.” It additionally has well-developed characters, particularly Ambrose, that you end up actually rising keen on because the film involves an finish.
8 The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
Having been launched in 2020, The Wolf of Snow Hollow is the newest installment on this listing. It’s a comedy/horror a couple of small city in Utah experiencing a string of grisly murders, seemingly by the hands — or paws — of a werewolf. The Wolf of Snow Hollow has a bit little bit of every little thing. There’s a contact of horror, a thriller to resolve, and well-timed sprinkles of quirky humor — due to author, director and lead Jim Cummings.
Like Late Phases, The Wolf of Snow Hollow is one other nice advice for anybody who does not sometimes gravitate towards werewolf films. It’s distinctive and attention-grabbing sufficient to carry your consideration from begin to end. It additionally options an important twist ending, and who does not love these?
7 When Animals Dream (2014)
Chronicling a young person’s terrifying transformation right into a werewolf, 2014’s When Animals Dream is a haunting story a couple of 16-year-old lady who finds herself present process unsettling bodily adjustments in her small fishing city, and she or he begins to understand her household has stored many darkish secrets and techniques from her. The horror drama affords a thought-provoking, melancholy spin on the werewolf plot and is a sluggish burn that additionally depicts the younger lady’s religious and sexual awakening via the scary course of.
When Animals Dream is the directorial debut of Danish filmmaker Jonas Alexander Arnby and had its premiere on the Cannes Film Festival, the place it was praised for its haunting cinematography and refreshing tackle the fan-favorite horror subgenre. The Hollywood Reporter wrote of their evaluation, “This polished Danish thriller a couple of delicate feminine werewolf is stuffed with restrained horror and tastefully Scandinavian carnage.”
6 Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man (1943)
One of the unique Universal Monsters, The Wolf Man, made various crossover appearances with different signature monsters outdoors his standalone film, 1943’s Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man is one among them. In the film, Larry Talbot (AKA The Wolf Man) is introduced again to life and is searching for a solution to completely die and at last escape his werewolf curse. He’s directed to Dr. Frankenstein’s lab to work with one other scientist and a Frankenstein descendant to suck his life from his physique after which switch it to Frankenstein’s Monster, performed right here by Dracula’s Bela Lugosi.
What outcomes is a showdown between Frankenstein and the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney Jr.). There’s one thing enjoyable about seeing two iconic horror characters from separate universes have a face-off — suppose, the Freddy v. Jason films. If you watch Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man as we speak, it could be laborious to take pleasure in on condition that it is very previous and flicks have clearly developed and improved since then. However, it is a traditional and also you merely cannot have a listing of werewolf films with out making some point out of the unique Wolf Man.
5 Bad Moon (1996)
True to its title, Bad Moon captures the cyclical desperation that comes together with being a werewolf. Ted (Michael Paré) and his girlfriend Marjorie are cornered by an enormous wolf-like creature whereas on a distant photojournalism task. Marjorie loses her life, however Ted escapes scathed, transferring nearer to household as he heals. Together, all of them finally start to know that Ted was bitten by none aside from a werewolf. His family members watch in horror as he begins to rework and activate them, dredging up the implications of his previous.
4 Howl (2015)
Howl is among the newer works of werewolf cinema. Released in 2015, this movie creates a sense of terror inside a confined ambiance. An in a single day practice leaving London is out of the blue stopped after hitting a deer, permitting ample time for our favourite fang-toothed creature to make its transfer.
After the wolf kills the driving force, the remaining passengers discover themselves up in opposition to a furry menace. A evaluation from Bloody Disgusting reads, “The creatures are solely part of the entire look of the movie. The dingy, claustrophobic and sometimes darkish interiors of the practice are completely excellent for producing pressure and scares.”
3 The Company of Wolves (1984)
This interval piece paints werewolves in a brand new mild, positioning them inside the pages of a well-recognized storybook. The Company of Wolves is a gothic and visually gorgeous reimagining of the traditional Little Red Riding Hood story and Angela Carter’s impressed brief story.
In her nightmarish desires, Rosaleen (Sarah Patterson) throws her grandmother’s (Angela Lansbury) warning to the wind when she meets a mysterious hunter who seems to be – you guessed it – a werewolf. As a results of her curiosity, Rosaleen finally begins to rework too, leading to a deliciously darkish movie that places a terrifying spin on a beloved premise.
2 Dog Soldiers (2002)
Dog Soldiers is an action-packed horror a couple of group of British troopers who take cowl in an previous home within the Scottish Highlands whereas underneath assault by a pack of werewolves. It’s actually film with an honest story and spectacular visuals for 2002. Specifically the werewolf design, it is a very literal tackle the half-wolf, half-man portrayal of werewolves. The wolves in Dog Soldiers are very tall and have humanoid-like our bodies that really feel virtually like they’re wolf-like aliens reasonably than precise wolves you’d see within the woods.
Dog Soldiers was very well-received and launched Neil Marshall’s directing profession. At one level, there have been even a number of sequels deliberate, however sadly, these have not amounted to something. That simply means you may should take pleasure in Dog Soldiers as a standalone film, and it is extremely advisable if you have not seen it but.
1 The Beast Must Die (1974)
Last however not least, The Beast Must Die is an unsung instance of the world of werewolf movies. Tom Newcliffe (Calvin Lockhart), a wealthy and well-known hunter, invitations a bunch of visitors to his sprawling residence with the promise of a weekend to unwind. But their trip time is lower brief when he publicizes his plan to uncover the werewolf he believes to be amongst them.
Tom reveals a plethora of various trials to find the beast, together with the introduction of wolfsbane, silver objects, and naturally, the facility of the complete moon. This movie provides a whodunit, murder-mystery really feel to a traditional creature premise, which ends up in a narrative that’s sorely underappreciated.