Why Are There So Few Good Werewolf Movies?

by Chris Vegvary

How come werewolves aren’t as popular as vampires? Is it because they’re more likely to shred you with their bare claws and teeth (unless you’re dealing with one of those feral-type vampires)? I say that makes them more terrifying. And while I’m not arguing whether or not werewolves are scary as all hell (they are), I am arguing that there are so few good werewolf movies out there that it’s ridiculous.

When I think of a “good” werewolf movie, I’m not talking about something out of Twilight or Wolf, but more like something out of Dog Soldiers or the original Howling. By that, I mean biped werewolves that walk around on two legs, not a person who turns into a timber wolf or something like that. I enjoyed Eli Roth’s Netflix series Hemlock Grove, but the werewolf in that just turns into a wolf, although the transformation is pretty sick-looking. Ok, and the one from An American Werewolf in London, even though it was a four-legged wolf, was just horrific. I mean that in a good way, because that thing’s face was kind of disturbing to look at.

There’s something to me that feels more dangerous about a seven- or eight-foot-tall werewolf towering over you, drooling all over you and getting ready to rip you apart. Does anyone remember the movie Waxwork (1988)? While it was a comedy, it also featured a scene with a werewolf that haunted my dreams for a while after I saw it (I was a kid the first time). The werewolf grabs this guy by the head and splits his face open, and just rips him in two. It was truly disgusting, but that’s what werewolf movies out there are lacking these days. Also, I want to point out that there’s WAY too much CGI being used in Hollywood today, and werewolf movies are no exception.

Can we just make a good werewolf movie already? I’m kind of tired of seeing the same nonsense being put out these days, not doing right by my lycanthropic brothers and sisters. There have been attempts, like the Ginger Snaps trilogy, but I wasn’t too thrilled with those, and Wes Craven’s Cursed ended up being rated PG-13 after going through development hell. I enjoyed the remake of The Wolfman, but I do prefer werewolves to wolfmen, because there’s a big difference. Perhaps you, reading this article, could be inspired to go out there and make the werewolf movie we’ve all been waiting to see? It can’t be light-hearted, or a love story, or any of that old jazz. It’s got to be horribly violent; it has to rely more on old-fashioned effects than CGI; and it has to be a large, scary beast that wants nothing more than to eat you alive.


If your interest in werewolves and whatnot has reached new heights by reading this article, or if you’re just interested in horror in general, I encourage you to follow the links throughout to find some nice werewolf-related costumes and accessories for your next party, or if you’re looking to scare someone. What do you say to that?

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