Werewolf Wednesday: The Wolf Man Makeup Process

Previously on this date: Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, Frankenstein, and Macabre Monster Nails!

Today we'll be looking at various photos of Lon Chaney Jr. enduring the long makeup process that transformed him into the Wolf Man again and again over the years, mostly at the hands of Jack Pierce. Enjoy!

Werewolf Wednesday: The Wolfman (2010)

Previously on this date: The Mummy (1932), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923) and DIY Vinyl Halloween figures!

2010's remake of the 1940s classic The Wolf Man was much maligned on its release, and not without reason. It's a very uneven film, and its good qualities-- such as the performances by its main cast-- are largely outweighed by its flaws. No matter what anyone thinks of the movie as a whole, however, one thing we can all agree on is that the werewolf designs and effects are fantastic!

Werewolf Wednesday: The Evolution of Lon Chaney Jr's Wolf Man

Previously on this date: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Frightening Frankenstein Figures!

The Wolf Man is one of the great monsters of the classic Universal canon, no doubt about it. Unique among the classic movie monsters, the hirsute horror was portrayed throughout his existence by a single actor: Lon Chaney Jr. Chaney Jr. is generally held in lesser regard than many of his peers, but I maintain that, while he was not as versatile as Karloff, Lugosi, or his own father, he was a good deal better than he is normally given credit for. today we're taking a look at a selection of photos and film stills to demonstrate how the look of the Wolf Man changed over the years.

Naturally, 1941's The Wolf Man is the place to begin.

His look was basically unchanged for several years, as this shot from 1944's House of Frankenstein shows.

However, once master makeup artist Jack Pierce was replaced with Bud Westmore, the makeup process was altered in several ways to make it quicker and easier. This was the result, seen in 1948's Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.

These photos of Chaney's appearance as the Wolf Man on the 1960s TV series Route 66 display the importance of someone like Pierce or Westmore, not to mention an adequate makeup budget.

As a bonus, here's a nice shot of The Wolf Man co-star Evelyn Ankers pitching in.

Creep on back tomorrow for more classic horror goodness!

Werewolf Wednesday: Oliver Reed in The Curse of the Werewolf!

Previously on this date: The Phantom of the Opera (1925) and The Frankenstein Project!

1961's The Curse of the Werewolf is generally regarded as one of the lesser films in the Hammer horror cycle, though it's a perfectly decent movie in its own right. (I'll have to get around to doing a full feature on it here one of these days.) It's perhaps best known today for starring a young Oliver Reed. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm convinced that Benicio Del Toro's Lawrence Talbot in the 2010 remake of The Wolf Man was based on Reed in this film. Take a look at the photo below and try to tell me you can't see a strong resemblance.

 Get a load of this next one; Hammer definitely knew where their box office bread was buttered!

31 Days of Halloween: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

It's Werewolf Wednesday, and today's film features not only the Wolf Man, but Count Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, and the truly terrifying Abbott and Costello!

By 1948, Universals' horror cycle had pretty much run out of steam. After 1945's rather lackluster House of Dracula, it seemed as if we may have seen the last of those classic monsters. Fortunately, someone hit upon the marvelous idea to give the classic monsters a sendoff with the screen's top comedy team, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. The result is a truly hilarious comedy that is surprisingly respectful of its monster characters.

Baggage handlers Chick(Abbott) and Wilbur(Costello) receive large crates that have been imported by McDougal(Frank Ferguson) for his house of horrors. Skeptical of McDougal's claims that the crates contain the real Dracula(Bela Lugosi) and Frankenstein Monster(Glenn Strange), the duo agrees to deliver them in person so that they can be inspected by an insurance agent. Dracula rises from his coffin, hypnotizes Wilbur, and leaves with the Monster, and Chick and Wilbur find themselves in jail for theft!

Wilbur quickly becomes a pawn in Dracula's scheme to give the Monster a new brain, while Larry Talbot(Lon Chaney Jr.), in hot pursuit of the vampire, tries to stop him. Wilbur also has to deal with the advances of Dr. Sandra Mornay(Lenore Aubert) and Joan Raymond(Jane Randolph), each of whom have their own motives. On top of everything else, there's a wonderful cameo by the great Vincent Price at the end!

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein--titled The Brain of Frankenstein during pre-production-- is a very satisfying film. The filmmakers made the wise decision to play the monsters straight, treating them with respect, rather than lampooning them. This careful balance makes the film a more fitting sendoff for the three featured monsters than the straightly-played House of Dracula. The film also features some terrific Dracula transformations provided by animator and Woody Woodpecker creator Walter Lantz.

The cast does a very good job with the material. Abbott and Costello are wonderful, as usual, and even the monsters get a rare opportunity to display their comedic skills here and there(and be sure to watch for Glenn Strange cracking up during the scene in which Costello accidentally sits in his lap!). It's particularly wonderful to see Bela as Dracula one last time, still bringing every ounce of regal menace to the role that is expected. Unfortunately, this would be Bela's final role in a film at a larger studio; it was zero-budget quickie affairs from here on out. Thankfully, this film provides him a suitable swansong for his most famous role.

Despite its status as a comedy, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is every bit as satisfying for horror buffs as it is for viewers who are in it strictly for the comedic value. There is never a dull moment, and despite a few lapses in logic(a gigantic castle in Florida???!?!), the script is more than adequate, and always respectful of its monsters. It's a far cry from the Gothic horror masterpieces that originated the series nearly two decades earlier, but the film is a pretty good finale for them nevertheless. This one is highly recommended.

31 Days of Halloween: Werewolf of London

 It's Werewolf Wednesday, and we're taking a look at Hollywood's very first werewolf movie, 1935's Werewolf of London!

Wilfred Glendon(Henry Hull) is a famed botanist who journeys to Tibet in search of the rare mariphasa plant. He is successful in his efforts to locate and take a sample of the plant, but he is also bitten by a werewolf. Upon his return to London and his wife Lisa(Valerie Hobson), he is visited by Dr. Yogami(Warner Oland), whoi warns Glendon that he is now a werewolf.

Glendon does not believe all this werewolf mumbo jumbo until he actually begins to transform. As it turns out, the mariphasa flower can prevent the werewolf transformation, making it invaluable to the newly-minted lycanthrope. However, the sinister Yogami wants the plant as well, and is willing to resort to unsavory methods to acquire it.

The werewolf in this film is not as iconic as the Wolf Man later given life by makeup artist Jack Pierce and actor Lon Chaney Jr, but it is an interesting design that works very well in the film. It has been claimed that Pierce originally designed a werewolf makeup that was virtually identical to what we see in The Wolf Man, but he altered the design when Henry Hull refused to spend such long hours in the makeup chair. (To my knowledge, this claim has never been substantiated. I question its validity, as the makeup used in the film still required spending a lot of time in makeup. It's an interesting theory, though, and may well be true.)

The film was reportedly criticized upon its release for being too similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which had recently been adapted for the screen again in the excellent 1932 version directed by Rouben Mamoulian. Interestingly, Hull's werewolf grows more monstrous each time he transforms, just like Jekyll's transformations into Hyde.

Werewolf of London dwells firmly in the shadow of The Wolf Man. On the whole, the latter film is better, but Werewolf of London is certainly not without merit. It is a stylish, entertaining thriller about a slightly different kind of werewolf, and it most certainly deserves a look. The fan of classic horror films should definitely seek it out at some point.