Fabulous Films and Fremantle Media release the 2010 Universal film The Wolfman – starring Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving – on 2-Disc Blu-ray and 2-film format. One disc contains the Theatrical Version, plus some nice extra features, and the other incorporates an Extended Cut, with 17 minutes of additional footage. Lawrence Talbot is a Victorian thespian who returns to his family home at the request of his missing brother’s fiancé, Gwen Conliffe. The relationship with his father is strained at best. Lawrence soon learns that a beast has been savagely killing the villagers, and that a Scotland Yard inspector called Aberline has arrived in the area to investigate. But whilst checking out a local gypsy camp, Lawrence is himself attacked, and from that moment his destiny changes forever...

Why is it that most zombie films are quite dull, whereas there are so many quality werewolf movies? There is something very pagan about its setting and claustrophobic style. The Victorian scenes of London are stunning whilst remaining subtle. Horror has always worked well in a period setting, and I can’t over-express just how good this looks. Of course, it helps when you have locations including Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, Castle Combe in Wiltshire, the National Trust village of Lacock in Wiltshire, Stowe House in Buckinghamshire, Foggintor Quarry on Dartmoor, and the Old Royal Navy College, Greenwich. So, lots of location scenes, but the interiors are just as impressive and include an incredible wolf fight we learn from the extras is conducted on wires.

Let’s talk a little bit about the wolfman – or wolfmen – as it turns-out. The authentic-sounding growls of the werewolves are performed by no other than Frank Welker, the long-time voice of Fred and Scooby-Doo! The wolfman make-up is extremely impressive, so it will be no surprise when I reveal the fact Rick Baker created the look – modernising the original Lon Chaney Jr design. There is nothing to laugh at here. Baker is one of the best in the business and positively gravitated towards the project when he heard about it. No wonder he was aggrieved when CGI was used to show the transformation from man to beast. Baker had the sense not to include contact lenses in his wolves, thereby allowing the human element of the actors’ eyes to shine through and make the whole thing even more authentic.

Around the time I was writing this review, this 2010 version of The Wolfman was shown on the Legend channel. I must say, it looked dark and grainy and didn’t pique my interest at all. So, I would strongly suggest that you pick up this restored Blu-ray version, which is crystal clear and looks amazing. I can’t sign-off without mentioning the great Art Malik, who plays the manservant of the Anthony Hopkins character. What an underrated actor.

Extras include: Alternative Endings; Deleted and Extended Scenes; Featurettes; Return of The Wolfman; The Beast maker; Transformation Secrets; and The Wolfman Unleashed.

10

Ty Power