The third and last, so far, of the Hammer films I've seen in a local theatre that is running several Hammer films.
This is probaly the one I've enjoyed the most so far, and the most strange. Apparently based on one of the source novels of the myth, by Guy Endore, the film spends more time on the origin of the beast (the entire first act happens before he's even born).
This version is set in Spain during the late XVIIIth and early XIXth centuries, and revolves a young man (played by Oliver Reed in his adulthood) that because of causes behind his own control (among them, her mother being raped and he being born on December the 25th) is affected by licatropy.
As I said, the movie refuses to focus on Oliver Reed's character until the very end, and as a result it is more a tapestry of horror stories than a single "monster" story. And this, far from making it a bad or mudled movie, works in its favour. First of all, because we see that the werewolf is not a monster, but a tragic figure influenced by events happening much, much earlier than his arrival to thew world. Putting an emphasis on them rather than on his illness makes him a much more helpless, and pathetic figure.
I should mention as well that the spanish setting works very well here. The social abuses that are shown, plus the superstition layer that story the characters or the open hipocrisy of some of the characters matches quite well with the history of my country, plus the production design, which I've often criticised in other ocasions, shines here. There's not only a single typo in the numerous signals and spanish texts that appear constantly, and even the uniforms of the Guardia Civil (militar body which functioned and still does as a police force) are very close to the original I've seen in History books. Kudos to the Hammer set and clothing designers.
The curse of the werewold.....Mange!
Neville : Your home town knowlage of the films setting adds to the review. More film with a Spanish Setting, if you please! Make a good history lession.
Haha, I'm not a scholar, Flangepart, but it is just that since I often criticise films for their misuse (or just plain ignorance) of Spanish settings in the phorum, I thought that for once I should acknowledge a good use of them now that I've seen it.
I think the spanish setting really adds here, because of the social aspects I talked about (the importance of superstition, religion, differences between social classes, which were more important here than in, say, England, because of ongoing feudalism), plus it was certainly more colourful to watch than Germany in "The Gorgon".
In the case of spaniards, we really have grounds to become angry now and then. For too much time adding a spanish setting in movies or novels was just the excuse for some idly used stereotypes (some flamenco here, a bullfighting scene there), and it is something we can't stand, specially if the story or the exact setting (those things are not exactly popular outside the southern regions of the country) don't call for them.
Right now I can't think of many films/shows that feature Spain that prominently, but here are some of them:
1) Mission Impossible II: We HATE this movie. Apart from having to endure terrible "spanish" music, two of our more popular celebrations are badly mixed in the earlier scenes. And then we have to listen Anthony Hopkins calling us ignorants.
2) The Pride and the Passion (1957): I talked about it recently, when Scott saw it and posted his views on the film. Not a bad film, but the characters are very stereotyped and the geography is completely wrong (in order to move a gun to, I think, Madrid, which is on the center of the country, they follow a path along all the coasts). Oh, and of course, there's flamenco in all the cities they visit. Yawn.
3) MacGyver: In one of the opening gambits, MacGyver rescues an american tourist kidnapped by some terrorists (ETA?). OK. First of all, ETA doesn't kidnap tourists, much less american tourists, and if they did they wouldn't let her alone in a cabin in ther middle of the forest while they indulge in gimnastics (!) with their berets (!!) on using opera as a backdrop. And no, vasques don't live in the forest, cook in the forest and cook in the forest (well, they do in the summertime, as the rest of spaniards do) and showr themselves in the forest. Believe it or not, they are modern people who live in cities and stuff. And no, if they had to rappel down a hill chasing MacGyver they wouldn't made Xena-like screams.
This one is particualrly funny, I recently discobered that a spanish phorum posted the whole video and the people posted their comments, but the link is broken. The scene itself is now and then object of mockery in spanish TV.
4) The A-Team: One episode features them visiting Spain to prevent some terrorists taking off with a kidnapped airplane. The Barcelona airport is completely wrong due to budget restraints (yes, it has more than a single runway, and they even have tarmac). The A-Team tactic of creating faux mist to prevent the airplane from taking off is also often object of mockery, because there is often mist in Barcelona, and locals often have to suffer airline delays because of it.
I don't think I've seen THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF. Even after reading what you all wrote I can't identify it. Guess I'll have to put it on my list.
Just made a title mistake at Netflix. I rented WEREWOLFS SHADOW and didn't know it was a film that I have already seen under a different title THE WEREWOLF VS THE VAMPIRE WOMAN. Great Paul Naschy film from Spain, but I didn't know it was the same movie. Fortunately this DVD from Netflix has an interview with Paul Naschy on it, so it's not a total lost. I will return it in the morning.
Scott, that reminds me of the SCTV where Count Floyd shows a film called "Scream of the Wolf" thinking it was a horror film about werewolves. It was a Bergman film. Everyone in the film talks like the Chef from the Muppet Show and the subtittles make no sense (He laughs while on the toilet).
Curse of the Werewolf was one of the films we showed on the horror movies show I interned for in college.
This is a Grand Film, for many reasons:
The Grand Scenery Chewing performance of Oliver Reed!! Reed actually chewed the scenery for real in "Paranoiac" -- one of the very best of the black-and-white Hammers. See it!!
The Sets & Settings -- which were left over from another period piece film being shot at Shepperton. True to the recycling sprit of Roger Corman!!
The props!! The girl stabs the horrible count with a Kris knife from India -- In Spain???
The costumes!! Watch as Reed pauses to carefully pull his werewolf gloves back onto his hands during the rooftop chase sequence!!
Now, really, I'm not being "ironic" or anything at all here. I genuinely love this film for it's high Cheese factor as well as all the bits that genuinely work.
My wife is in love with Oliver Reed . . .
Please please please: If you enjoy Reed's performance in this, you MUST see Paranoiac!!!
We just rewatched "Curse" again only last week -- It holds up to repeated viewings.
peter johnson/denny crane
Now that I think of it, the reason it is in Spain is Hammer was going to make a movie about the Inquisition, but the Catholics put a stop to their plans so the just moved their proposed werewolf story to Spain.
Has your wife seen Beat Girl ? Oliver dances like he is having a bad seizure to the theme song (which was recycled by Fatboy Slim into "Rockfella Skank").
Okay -- "Beat Girl" -- on the list . . .
peter johnson/denny crane
Scott....I highly recommend "Curse of the Werewolf". It was always one of my favorite Hammer horror films as a teenager. As an adult I still enjoy watching it. In my opinion,it is the best werewolf movie ever made. It has an exciting and eerie atmosphere, and probably contains one of Oliver Reed's best performances.
Watch the trailer:
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0054777/trailers
Sincerely,Steve.
Thanks Steve Byczek for THE CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF recomendatioon.
Peter Johnson you can find BEAT GIRL at Netflix.
I'vee seen it. Liked it. Not only is it one of my favorite Hammer horrors. It is also one of my favorite werewolf films. I believe it is the only werewolf film ever done by Hammer, which makes you wish they had done a series of them, like they did for Dracula and/or Frankenstein. Unfortunately, when shown on television, it seems to be cut for time restraints. Often with the first part or the middle part, cut out of it entirely. So, make sure you see it in its entirity.
As for "The Pride and the Passion," it is based on the book, "The Gun" by C. S. Forester, who wrote the Hornblower series, which was made into a film "Captain Horatio Hornblower" w/ Gregory Peck in the title role. The author also wrote "The African Queen, which was made into the film w/ Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn.
Having read the book and liked it, before I saw the film, I was disappointed the film was not as good as the book.
One last fact about "The Pride and the Passion," the director was Stanley Kramer.