The Wolf Man

In 1941, Universal Pictures released The Wolf Man. In this film a man returns to his homeland of Wales to reconcile his relationship with his father. Soon after he kills a wolf that is attacking his friend. In the process he is bitten. It is no surprise that this wolf turns out to be a werewolf named Bela (Coincidentally played by Bela Lugosi)


Lon Chaney, Jr. in The Wolf Man (1941)

It was this film that introduced many of the contemporary traits of werewolves. The concepts of werewolves being vulnerable to silver was invented for the film, as well as the werewolf's uncontrollable shapeshifting under a full moon. These are considered by many as part of the original folklore of the werewolf.

April 3 will bring audience goers The Wolf Man, a film inspired by the 1941 classic. It will feature Benicio Del Toro as the young man with Anthony Hopkins playing the role of his father. Hugo Weaving is set to play an inspector who comes to the village to investigate a string of gruesome murders.

Here is some concept art done by Rick Baker of Del Toro's transformation.

AWESOME!!!

What Makes A Scary Movie, Scary?

Horror movies are one of cinema's oldest genres. There have been countless films over the years that frighten, shock, or downright traumatize their audiences. But how is it accomplished? What marks these films as truly scary? Terror is a universal theme with a universal definition. What I find frightening may not phase another, and vice versa.

In the current state of cinema, I believe that "scary" movies fall into two different camps, suspenseful thrillers and grotesque horror. Thrillers are typically rated PG-13 and therefore cannot contain anything too explicit. There is nothing wrong with thrillers, though some find them, at times lacking and uninspired. However, many modern horror films strive to push the envelop and shock their audiences; the same audiences that go to the film to be shocked.

Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

No one watches the Saw movies for their character development or stunning social commentary. People die in terrible ways. That's it. That is all it takes for movie after movie to be made following the same formula.

Elements of the extreme will always frighten and interest audience goers. Clearly, it is more than just blood and guts that bring in ticket sales, but a little gore goes a long way.

The Monster's Make-Up

Today I will post a special interview between myself and Steve Meadows, creative artist and horror aficionado. Steve grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he went to high school with Tom Savini. Out of high school Steve began working on low-budget independent films and going to school for special effects and makeup.

Ron McKnight: Steve, thank you for joining us here on Strange Brew. What first got you interested in masks and monsters?

Steve Meadows: Well, growing up I watched all the classic horror films I could get my hands on. The cheesier the better, I loved it. I was obsessed with The Creature From The Black Lagoon. I wanted to be able to create monsters like that.

RM: What were some of the first projects you worked on?

SM: As kids we were always thinking up crazy stories and acting them out. Creating masks and monster make-up was always my favorite.

RM: What was the most fun you ever had working on a project?

SM: Probably working on the independent zombie film Biophage. Zombie make-up is a lot of fun because you can use so many random things you'd never imagine.

On the set of Biophage

RM: Such as?

SM: Pencil shavings, bits of sponge, Taco Bell sauce... *laughs* You name it and you can probably use it to some effect. It's all about your attention to detail.

RM: Steve, I'd like to thank you for your time and your contributions to the world of horror.

SM: Anytime.

You Got Your Horror In My Comedy

The idea of mixing comedy and horror is nothing new. The 1920s brought us The Bat and in the 1940s we were introduced to Zombies on Broadway. However, it wasn't until the 1980s that these movies succeeded at being both funny and scary.




The Evil Dead

Evil Dead II

Army of Darkness

The Evil Dead Trilogy was written and directed by Sam Raimi. Each film can stand on its own and each brings something unique to the table. These films are a perfect blend of horror and comedy thanks to Raimi's directing and Bruce Campbell's excellent physical comedy and delivery.

Here is a scene from Evil Dead II where Campbell's hand has been possessed by an evil spirit. Hilarity ensues.

Quick Sidenote: I also have to take a moment to recognize the comedic genius that is Shaun of the Dead. This British film is incredible. It has wit, it has gore, it has romance. It has character! But more importantly, it has zombies. Need I say more?

The Greatest Of All Time

I have always been a fan of horror films, particularly those involving zombies. From White Zombie to The Return of the Living Dead there are many horror films that could be considered for "Greatest Of All Time".

However, for me, there has always been one film that stood out among the rest.

The Night of the Living Dead




Night of the Living Dead was shot on grainy black and white film with the total budget coming in at $114,000.

It remains one of the most ground breaking horror films of all time.

Film critic Roger Ebert describes the effect the film had on its first audiences:

"The kids in the audience were stunned. There was almost complete silence. The movie had stopped being delightfully scary about halfway through, and had become unexpectedly terrifying. There was a little girl across the aisle from me, maybe nine years old, who was sitting very still in her seat and crying."

Night of the Living Dead marked the first time a black actor was cast as a non-ethnic lead in a major motion picture in America, and the first time a black actor had a starring role in a horror film. Duane Jones will always be remembered as the ill-fated hero, Ben.

This film brought with it graphic depictions of murder and death intermingled with social overtones. The movie was meant to inspire and produce thought. The horror genre became more mature over night. The bar had just been raised. There was a new standard by which all others would be compared.

In 1999, the Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry with other films deemed "historically, culturally or aesthetically important."

So there you have it folks.

A brief endorsement for the greatest horror film of all time.

Watch it!