31 Films for Halloween, #2: The Wolf Man (1941)

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Speaking of Larrys...

Admit it. You've never ACTUALLY sat down and watched "The Wolf Man" (1941) to see the lycanthropic fate of poor Larry Talbot.

Do. 

Not because the Wolfman will frighten you.  But because Larry Talbot will frighten you.  He's the biggest, ugliest, oldest-looking, 35-year-old you have ever seen. At least, modern Hollywood nepo-babies are generally good-looking and have some talent.  Lon Chaney Junior only got in any movies because his DAD was a horror movie star; Junior could barely pull off playing, say, a piano-mover in a Bowery Boys flick.

Pretty sure this is his high school yearbook photo.


Plus his character Larry Talbot is every creepy, pushy, entitled white male on the mack from every old movie, all wrapped up into one.  I was shocked The Girl didn't just beat him to death with that honking big cane she sold him. By the time they got to it, I was rooting for the wolf that attacked him.

His real name, btw, was Creighton Chaney, but he had to start calling himself "Lon Chaney, Jr." because it was the only way anyone would hire him.

Bela Lugosi, who most people don't even know is IN the film, is the actual FIRST "wolf man", since he plays the gypsy lycanthrope who bites Talbot.

You also don't want to miss the brief appearance of this character, Jenny Williams, who performs CINEMA'S MOST DRAMATIC EXIT.  Sometimes I practice it at home, but I've never even come CLOSE,

If nothing else, watch it for its historical importance and as background for tomorrow's recommendation.

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