Werewolf of London

(1935)***

Completely unrelated to The Wolf Man, this installment of the popular character begins in Tibet, where Dr. Glendon is searching for a rare flower that only blooms under moonlight. During his search he is attacked and bitten by a very silly-looking werewolf. Upon returning from his expedition, he begins experimenting with the rare flowers he acquired. While working under a special light, designed to simulate moonlight, he notices that his hands start to turn hairy. He soon realizes that the werewolf myth is true and he now suffers from its dreadful curse. Fortuitously, he figures out that the rare Tibetan flower is an antidote to werewolfism, however he needs to grow many more before he obtains an adequate dosage. Meanwhile his wife, Lisa, who is tried of her husband’s insular behavior, becomes infatuated with a childhood friend. As Dr. Glendon works feverishly to grow more flowers, a former colleague, Dr. Yogami shows up and demands that Dr. Glendon provide him with some flowers as well. It seems that Yogami knows of others who suffer the werewolf curse. Glendon refuses and Yogami steals what few flowers Glendon has. Yogami reminds Glendon that a werewolf always seeks to kill the one he loves (this is the first time I’ve heard of this werewolf lore). Glendon distances himself from Lisa in an effort to prevent harming her. However, despite his best efforts, when the moon turns full people begin to die.

Released 6 years before The Wolf Man (no Lon Chaney in this one folks), this installment from Universal is every bit as fun as the others. The formula never wavers (e.g., person afflicted with werewolf curse is depressed about it and desperately seeks an antidote), and the effects never really improve, but it’s a hoot to see what people in the 30s and 40s found frightening. With so many conservative constraints on the film industry at that time, the directors of these “horror” films are brilliant at conveying/implying disturbing ideas. The violence in these films never amounts to more than a schoolyard tussle at recess, and no blood is ever shown, yet the use of fog (always a foot of it on the ground) and other austere scenery devices creates a moody, eerie setting. Many shy away from these old films because they’re “old” and in “black and white”. I find them fascinating.