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The Wolf Man

Play trailer Poster for The Wolf Man Released Dec 12, 1941 1h 10m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
When his brother dies, Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney) returns to Wales and reconciles with his father (Claude Rains). While there, he visits an antique shop and, hoping to impress Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), the attractive shopkeeper, buys a silver walking cane. That same night he kills a wolf with it, only to later learn that he actually killed a man (Bela Lugosi). A gypsy (Maria Ouspenskaya) explains that it was her son, a werewolf, that he killed, and that Larry is now one himself.
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The Wolf Man

The Wolf Man

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Critics Consensus

A handsomely told tale with an affecting performance from Lon Chaney, Jr., The Wolf Man remains one of the classics of the Universal horror stable.

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Critics Reviews

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Keith Phipps AV Club It finds modern sophistication and cultured intellects unprepared to deal with a threat that's already at hand, maybe even under our own skin. Rated: B+ Apr 13, 2020 Full Review SMH Staff Sydney Morning Herald The whole thing is nonsensical, but occasionally strangely compelling. Apr 13, 2020 Full Review Age Staff The Age (Australia) Lon Chaney, junior, has his first big role as The Wolf Man, but it would take a genius to "get away" with this role. Apr 13, 2020 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy The best werewolf movie ever made also gets my vote as the finest film in the entire Universal series (edging out 1935’s The Bride of Frankenstein). Rated: 4/4 Oct 24, 2023 Full Review Stephanie Archer Film Inquiry While The Wolf Man may not have stood the test of time like many of its predecessors, it is a classic film that would lay the groundwork for a continuing cycle of wolves for decades to come. Oct 7, 2023 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Essential for devising the modern concept of the werewolf, from which nearly every subsequent werewolf film has drawn inspiration, the film uses the guise of a horror yarn to consider the duality of human beings. Rated: 4/4 Mar 20, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Omar G The Wolf Man (1941), 7/10 stars. The stars Claude Rains, Lon Chaney Jr., Maria Ouspenskaya and Bela Lugosi were good in their roles. The natural girls of the time in Universal Pictures productions without rhinoplasty, implants, collagen, liposuction or botox. The film lasts 1h 10 min but it seemed eternal in length. These films Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), The Wolf Man (1941) seem very edited to last a little more than an hour. This Werewolves was very weak a shorty, slim old man like Claude Rains could kill the Were wolf too easily. The girl Gwen Conliffe was a bad female that one should reject, she would be unfaithful to you at some point. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/02/24 Full Review Wayne K When it comes to the Golden Age Of Hollywood, most people tend to talk about the romance, mystery and adventure films of the time, but it was also a fantastic period for horror movies. Mummys, Vampires, Ghosts, Demons, and of course, Werewolves. Sadly, the latter’s reputation might have been somewhat sullied by the Twilight movies, which reduced powerful, scary monsters to whiny, lovelorn irritants. But The Wolf Man is probably the defining depiction of Werewolves on screen, despite some aspects of it looking pretty silly nowadays. In a time before CGI was even thought of, filmmakers were forced to get creative with makeup and practical effects. The great thing is, much like Frankenstein, the film work on a deep and more emotional level. Lon Chaney is a charming, friendly young man who has endless potential and his whole life ahead of him, but an unfortunate encounter with a creature of the night reduces him to the status of a pariah, and because he’s such a likeable character, you feel truly bad for him. It’s awful enough being ostracised for a mistake you’ve made, but when you’re being shunned for something that’s completely out of your control, that’s where the true tragedy lie. It’s all shot very well, with lots of gothic imagery, plenty of fog, dark forests and cloudy skies. It comes to a very abrupt ending, something I noticed a lot in films from around this time, but there’s a lot to admire and enjoy in a film that did a legendary monster justice, in a way films other films have. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/19/24 Full Review Julian S It’s neither as frightening nor as campy as it could be, yet it delves impressively into the psychosis of lycanthropy. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/16/24 Full Review Andrew L One of the best Universal Classic Monster Movies of all-time. An absolute must watch for any horror fan and an excellent introduction to horror history. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/16/24 Full Review The Movie G When people say horror movies everyone will say Freddy, Michael or Jason. I say Lon Chaney Jr Wolfman . Another GOAT of the Universal Monster movies. Lon Chaney Jr following in his father's footsteps. The makeup is fantastic for 1941. This was always my 2nd of 3rd favorite Universal Monster movies growing up . It's a 10/10 EPIC FANTASTIC. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/16/24 Full Review Maxwell H In my opinion, The Wolf Man does not live up to Dracula, Frankenstein, or The Invisible Man. To me, it has good acting but the pacing is weak. Marie Ouspenakya does a really good job as Maleva, the mother of the ill-fated fortune teller Bela, played by everyone's favorite Hungarian handsome man Bela Lugosi, who does a good job in a role that at it's core is really a cameo. She was a Russian actress who sadly died a few years after this film came out. She's kind of like Van Helsing in this movie. It's a good film, but it's not as chilling as Dracula, not as emotional as Frankenstein, and not as mysterious as The Invisible Man(I have yet to see The Mummy). Side note: Claude Rains was a jerk in this movie. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/02/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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The Wolf Man

The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Protection From Me The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Protection From Me 2:22 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - First Kill The Wolf Man: Official Clip - First Kill 2:12 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - A Beautiful Girl The Wolf Man: Official Clip - A Beautiful Girl 3:01 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Bear Trap The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Bear Trap 2:44 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Heaven Help You The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Heaven Help You 2:08 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - They're Hunting Me The Wolf Man: Official Clip - They're Hunting Me 3:00 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Your Suffering Has Ended The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Your Suffering Has Ended 2:16 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Wolf Attack The Wolf Man: Official Clip - Wolf Attack 2:58 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - I'm a Murderer The Wolf Man: Official Clip - I'm a Murderer 2:44 The Wolf Man: Official Clip - The Hunt is On The Wolf Man: Official Clip - The Hunt is On 1:14 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis When his brother dies, Larry Talbot (Lon Chaney) returns to Wales and reconciles with his father (Claude Rains). While there, he visits an antique shop and, hoping to impress Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), the attractive shopkeeper, buys a silver walking cane. That same night he kills a wolf with it, only to later learn that he actually killed a man (Bela Lugosi). A gypsy (Maria Ouspenskaya) explains that it was her son, a werewolf, that he killed, and that Larry is now one himself.
Director
George Waggner
Producer
George Waggner
Screenwriter
Curt Siodmak
Distributor
Film Classics Inc., Universal Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Screen Gems
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 12, 1941, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
May 8, 2015
Runtime
1h 10m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.37:1)
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