The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

Hammer takes a stab at the werewolf legend and they do a job well done.

I saw "The Curse of the Werewolf" when I was a kid and I was very disappointed. Like every Hammer movie, "The Curse of the Werewolf" is very slow and talky. I still think many Hammer movies are incredibly boring, but it's not the case with "The Curse of the Werewolf".

Oliver Reed plays the werewolf and he does an excellent job. He starts out as a happy go lucky guy who is loved by his parents. Love prevents the curse from taking effect. But when he leaves for work and he doesn't have his family to support him, the werewolf takes over. He was great as the werewolf and it is one of the best werewolf make-ups on film. I love the look of this gray haired werewolf with pointy ears, burly chest, and bloody lips.

There are many supporting characters that are very interesting in this film. From Oliver Reed's mute mother to the beggar that raped her, each and every character was fun to watch. I really enjoyed the first 20 minutes of the movie, which didn't have anything to do with werewolf lure. It was the story of Reed's mute mother and his rapist Dad.

"The Curse of the Werewolf" might be my favorite of the Hammer horrors. Yes, it may be a bit talky and there could have been a bit more werewolf, but it was really quite enjoyable. It's not up there with the classic werewolf movies of Universal like "The Wolf Man", but it is a worthy addition to the werewolf genre.

B I recommend it.