Movie #129- "The Wolf Man" (1941)

As this project rolls forward, I'm astonished at the number of early movies that I haven't seen.  Given that I once majored in cinema, I should have more of these classics under my belt (of course, due to a couple courses, I've seen my fair share of early Russian cinema).  I used to joke about not seeing many films made before 1970, which was a statement that had a large amount of truth to it.  One of the genres I've probably ignored the most is the horror film, especially the classic movie monsters.  It's been entertaining to look back on the creatures that Hollywood has tried to revive far too often.
One key element I've noticed is how varied each key monster is handled (I've got a few more films in the future).  The background stories, personas, and motivations differ with each character, giving some added depth so the monsters are not carbon copies of one another.  Dracula was cold, emotionless, undead.  He continued to feast on the living, with no mortality or conscience.  In contrast, "The Wolf Man" gave us a man placed in a situation that leads to a tragic conclusion.  Something terrible, and unbelievable, has inflected him, yet he doesn't have the ability to fight it.  He arrives home to mourn the loss of a brother and reconcile with his father, then becomes a monster that he can't control.  Lon Chaney brings humanity to the role of Larry Talbot, a sincere but conflicted man, not buying into the folklore until he becomes a part of it.
I also credit "The Wolf Man" for an excellent job in creating a creepy vibe.  Whereas "Dracula" relied on the castle, "The Wolf Man" has the haunting atmosphere of a forest.  Examples include the gypsy camp, featuring quality performances by Bela Lugosi and Maria Ouspenskaya, along with the swirling fog through the trees during the climatic chase scene.  The early horror films are fairly fast-paced, wasting little time to get to the conclusion as they generally seem to clock in at under 80 minutes.
Another iconic movie that Hollywood will forever try to remake.
 
Rating: 9/10
Movies I've previously seen: 6
First time viewings: 123