Thursday Movie Picks: Werewolves

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This week's Halloween theme from Wandering Through the Shelves is movies about Werewolves. I have to admit, werewolves are not my favorite supernatural beings in films, but that doesn't mean there isn't some great films out there involving them. So I'll give you one I love, one I didn't expect to like, and one that was a good part in a bad film.

 1) Trick R Treat

First, the one I love: This film has a lot of great things going for it and the werewolf subplot leads to one of the most memorable shots in the entire film for me.

 2) Underworld

 This franchise sort of went to shit, but when the original Underworld came out I really liked it. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it at all, but I liked how it was this supernatural take on a forbidden romance. At the time, it was a nice change.

 3) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

 I'm a massive Harry Potter fan, but Prisoner of Azkaban is probably my least favorite movie. I know everyone has an Alfonso Cuaron boner, but he completely fucked this film, let's be real. Lupin, however is a great character who happens to be a werewolf. So he gets to be here. At least Cuaron didn't fuck with Lupin's character like he did Ron's. 

Comments

  1. joel65913October 22, 2015 at 9:27 AM

    Of your three the Harry Potter movie would be the one I favor the most. I don't love any of the films, but then I'm a casual fan of the books as well. Good catch though, I never even considered it.

    I've seen bits of Underworld but its never drawn me in enough to watch it from beginning to end.

    Trick R Treat is new to me, checking it out on IMDB it has some notable names attached so I might have to give it a try.

    Without planning to I ended up with a theme within the theme, 80's horror, since werewolves, and low budget horror in general, were popular at the box office in the first half of that decade owing to the success of my first pick.

    An American Werewolf in London (1981)-Inventive, fun/sad twist on the old werewolf legend. A couple of young Americans are backpacking through the English countryside when they are attacked by a wolf and one of them is killed…or so it seems. The surviving young man comes out of a coma in a London hospital unsure of what’s happened. Suddenly his now dead and quite mutilated friend appears to inform him that they were attacked by a werewolf and unless he kills himself by the next full moon he will become one too. Then there’s also the problem that his friend and any other victims can’t rest until he dead. He doesn’t believe him but then the full moon rises. Scares, and a fair amount of nudity, leavened with humor and Oscar winning makeup.

    Ladyhawke (1985)-A young thief played by Matthew Broderick escapes from a dungeon in medieval France. While on the run he befriends Captain Navarre, also a fugitive and discovers that he and his beloved the Lady Isabeau, Michelle Pfeiffer, are cursed by the evil Bishop who pursues them. During the day she becomes a hawk and he transforms into a werewolf at night so they only catch a glimpse of each other at dusk. Navarre recruits the young man to help him try and free them both from the curse.

    The Company of Wolves (1984)-Director Neil Jordan adds elements of mystery, dream imagery, werewolves and a slight sexual twist to this adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood that has Angela Lansbury as Grandmother.

    Honorable Mention-Silver Bullet (1985)-When a small town is plagued by horrible killings and mutilations the townfolk begin to think it may be a monster doing the killings. A small handicapped boy comes in contact with the werewolf and with his older sister and uncle set out on a search for the monster. What they discover will be shocking. Good, tense compact chiller with a standout performance by Gary Busey as the uncle.

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    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 22, 2015 at 12:31 PM

      Trick R Treat is wonderful, you should watch it. I haven't seen any of those. I know I should've seen An American Werewolf in London by now. That was on a few lists too.

      Delete
  2. msmariahOctober 22, 2015 at 9:42 AM

    'Trick r Treat' is probably one of my favorite movies of all time. I love this film. I remember when it was supposed to come out a few years before it was released on dvd. I will never understand WB's logic for shelving this brilliant film. Now it's a cult classic for all to enjoy.

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    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 22, 2015 at 12:30 PM

      Yes, I'm a huge Anna Paquin fan so I tracked that film for a very long time. Shelving it was stupid, especially when Paquin had so much success with True Blood. They could've made it a hit.

      Delete
  3. BirgitOctober 22, 2015 at 9:47 AM

    I have only seen the Harry Potter film and I liked this film because Lupin is a great character. I have not seen Underworld because it looked scary and also just a female version of Blade but with Werewolves. I should give it a shot though since you caught my interest. Never seen Trick or Treat or even heard of it. Not sure I f I will see it

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    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 22, 2015 at 12:29 PM

      Trick R Treat is awesome. That's actually where my current site banner came from too. I love that movie. Underworld didn't remind me much of Blade at all.

      Delete
  4. DellOctober 22, 2015 at 6:09 PM

    Though I didn't pick Underworld, I am a huge fan. You're right, the rest suck. Well, I don't mind the second one. Trick 'r Treat is also a very good film. And I have not seen one single Harry Potter movie.

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    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 22, 2015 at 10:31 PM

      You need to let the Harry Potter flow through you. lol

      Delete
  5. AnonymousOctober 22, 2015 at 8:32 PM

    Never heard of Trick R Treat, but Underworld was an okay pick. I never thought of Prisoners of Azkaban though, and I'm surprised you don't quite like it.

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    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 22, 2015 at 10:31 PM

      Cuaron really kind of butchered it to be honest. He captured the dark feel, that's about it. Everything else was off.

      Delete
  6. RuthOctober 23, 2015 at 1:19 PM

    Nice picks! Somehow the one that came to mind is the hilarious werewolves in What We Do in the Shadows. "We're werewolves, not swearwolves" :D

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    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 24, 2015 at 7:07 AM

      I never saw that movie, but that quote is something else. lol

      Delete
  7. StephanieOctober 24, 2015 at 4:58 PM

    Great call on including the 3rd HP movie! I wouldn't have thought of that.

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  8. Candice FrederickOctober 24, 2015 at 5:05 PM

    oooh I would also add Wolf to this list

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    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 26, 2015 at 1:02 AM

      I've never seen that one. I'm going to look it up.

      Delete
  9. DanOctober 25, 2015 at 6:45 AM

    I'm not sure it's the inclusion of a werewolf in the film but Prisoner of Azkaban remains my favourite Harry Potter film in the franchise.

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    1. Brittani BurnhamOctober 26, 2015 at 1:01 AM

      I know a lot love it, but I just hated what they did to Ron in it. It ruined it for me.

      Delete
  10. WandererOctober 28, 2015 at 4:02 PM

    Ahhh....I haven't seen Trick R Treat in a long time. Maybe a rewatch is due. Is that Anna Paquin in the gif?

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  11. JoshNovember 2, 2015 at 6:10 AM

    Great to see Underworld on here, and HP is a brilliant choice. (I like it a little more than you, though.)

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    1. Brittani BurnhamNovember 2, 2015 at 1:42 PM

      I think most like Azkaban more than I do, I just can never be on the Cuaron bandwagon because of it.

      Delete
  12. UnknownJuly 1, 2017 at 10:19 AM

    wow! There are so many movies out there and these are the 3 you picked? American werewolf in London- Howling ( ALL of them) Ginger Snaps! (ALL of them) The Company of Wolves- Silver Bullet....The List goes on and on! Jump in head first and enjoy- wow...

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    1. Brittani BurnhamJuly 1, 2017 at 2:07 PM

      I'd argue that Trick r Treat is better than any of those lol.

      Delete

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