Werewolves were a major part of European folklore dating back to the time of the ancient Greeks. Myths around lycanthropy vary across regions, but the prevalence of wolves in Europe prior to mass hunting (and possibly medical conditions like porphyria and hypertrichosis) lead to myths of humans becoming wolves becoming a common motif. The specifics were refined from other incidents (such as the 18th century cryptid Beast of Gévaudan, killed by a silver bullet). With the colonization of the Americas by both the Norse and later the rest of Europe, lycanthropy would even spread to some native American cultures, with the most notable being the skin-walker of Navajo myth, who were witches who could change shape into various animals, including wolves. The first werewolf film, The Werewolf from 1913, (now lost) was about a Navajo skin-walker. There was no literary books on werewolves until 1933, when Guy Endore's The Werewolf of Paris explored a man inflicted with lycanthropy as he stumbles through the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune. This film is, in fact, not an adaptation of that book. It's instead an original story by Robert Harris, going through several screenwriters. Not much on the inspiration or impetus for the film, though some sources cite this as a response to Paramount's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Many of the modern werewolf myths (biting to spread lycanthropy and turning under a full moon), come from this film. Jack Pierece's initial make-up was rejected when star Henry Hull noted that the characters should be able to recognize the protagonist as the werewolf. It has had a mixed reception, both then and now.
Botanist Dr. Wildfried Glendon (Henry Hull) is in Tibet (where they apparently speak a lot of Cantonese), searching for a rare mariphasa flower He has a brief encounter with Dr. Yogami (Warner Oland, in yellowface) When he sees the flowers, a mysterious creature bites him. Glendon takes the plant back to merry old England, where he lives and cultivates the plant in the home he shares with wife Lisa (Valerie Hobson). Yogami warns that the plant is a potential cure if you're bitten by a werewolf. Glendon is incredulous, until he starts becoming more violent.
The make-up is very well done, with a very intimidating look to it. It feels like a real animalistic creature is on screen. Henry Hull does well in his performance, giving the creature some degree of menace and terror. I liked the shadows. The climax and transformation sequences are very well done.
Yeah, the fact that the Van Helsing role is played by an actor in yellowface is very distracting. The fact that it's Warner Oland, who also did Fu Manchu makes it equally uncomfortable. It's easily the biggest part of the film that has dated it significantly. Also not helping is the story just sort of grands until the climax of the film. Not a lot happens during it, and it's a bit dull.
As a historical document, it's probably worth watching as effectively the originator of the modern werewolf movie. As a film, it's mostly just okay. I feel it may be notable as just a trial run for the first very big werewolf film, which we will cover soon enough.
Well, hopefully I can expediate the end of this, so tune in next time for an overview of some of the other Universal monster movies released during the 1930's.
No comments:
Post a Comment