OT (Semi): The Wolfman

[Gothick]

Fans,

there's an IMDB page for a remake of the 1940 classic Universal film The Wolfman:

http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0780653/

Cast includes Benicio del Toro in the role of Lawrence Talbot that was poor Lon Chaney Jr's most iconic achievement; Emily Blunt plays the Sabrina Stuart role (if you'll pardon my conflation), and Anthony Hopkins is on board as another member of the Talbot family.  According to IMDB, location filming included work on the Chatsworth estate in England (I wonder what the ghost of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire thought of the proceedings?).

As most fans are aware, the Curt Siodmak screenplay for the original Wolfman was mined by DS writers for a number of features in both the Chris and Quentin storyline, including the Pentagram appearing on the face of the Wolfman's next vicitm, the use of a Pentagram charm to repel the beast, and the involvement of an unflappable gypsy crone in the tale (no sign on IMDB of who's going to play the Maria Ouspenskaya role).

G.

[David]

Superb cast!!
But this is from the director of the atrocious Van Helsing.
I'm not expecting much.

David

[MagnusTrask]

As most fans are aware, the Curt Siodmak screenplay for the original Wolfman was mined by DS writers for a number of features in both the Chris and Quentin storyline, including the Pentagram appearing on the face of the Wolfman's next victim, the use of a Pentagram charm to repel the beast, and the involvement of an unflappable gypsy crone in the tale (no sign on IMDB of who's going to play the Maria Ouspenskaya role).

There go my last bits of belief in the idea that DS ever came up with original plot elements.   

I think it's only in DS though that werewolves are at all interesting to me.    Werewolves themselves, never scary to me.    The story of the guy dealing with the curse, that's the interesting thing.

[Julianka7]

How Great! Thanks for the heads up Gothick 

[PennyDreadful]

Here's an interview with Rick Baker featuring the first two pictures of Benicio Del Toro as the Wolf Man.  I like Rick Baker's makeup.  It does have modern touches (the teeth are a bit on the large side) but is still true to the original.  Baker is a big fan of the Universal classics.  I don't feel that great about a remake of one of my favorite (if not my favorite) Universal movies, but I'm keeping an open mind. 

 The interview with Rick Baker is here for anyone who wants to read it ... http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20185191,00.html
 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Thanks so much for posting the link to the EW article, PD! Especially when it hasn't appeared in the print issue. (Well, unless it's in the new one - but mine hasn't arrived yet.)

[retzev]

The original The Wolf Man was set in contemorary Wales, this new one is to be set in Victorian England, so I'm not sure if this is a straight-up remake. The publicity stills look great, I'm looking forward to seeing this one. I hope they don't blow it -

[PennyDreadful]

Me too.  I am excited about it, but after what Universal did to Van Helsing I'm keeping my optimism in check.

~Penny~

[Gothick]

Golly.  There sure are a lot of BUNNIES on here!!

If folks out there who enjoy Werewolf stories ever get the chance, check out this short lived series from around 1990, She-Wolf of London (also known as Love and Curses).  The first fourteen episodes of that show were produced in England and I think a lot of people here would enjoy those shows.  The remaining six were done in LA and weren't as good although I still enjoyed them (a law firm that turns out to be run by vampires ... who'd a thunk?? *rolls eyes*).

The show starred Kate Hodge as an American overseas student in the UK who gets bitten by a werewolf on a camping expedition.  Neil Dickson plays her mythology professor who decides to try to cure her of her curse.  Does this premise ring any bells for y'all?  *grins*

For Bewitched fans, in a two-part episode the pair do battle with a vicious department head by the name of Dr. Samantha Stevens.  In the LA episodes there's also a really whacky Star Trek spoof called Beyond the Beyond.

G.

[arashi]

Victorian England = AWESOME
Benicio del Toro = AWESOME

Same guy responsible for Van Helsing = 

I had much higher hopes for this movie before I found out about that particular. Van Helsing was simply one of the worst movies I have ever seen. We left the theater in fits of hysterics. It bothers me to no end when I see 13 year old fangirls talk about Dracula, and mean the Dracula from that movie.