From Lon Chaney Jr.'s iconic performance, to Benicio del Torro's more recent turn at the character, the werewolf has been an integral part of film history. Though there is no single origin story for how the werewolf ingrained itself into our culture, it is the idea that deep within us there is an animalistic side waiting to come out that has appealed to so many filmmakers. While the world of cinema is filled with tales of bloodthirsty vampires or the walking undead, werewolves are more of a tricky monster to get right on screen. There is a certain compassion that the audience needs to feel for the afflicted that is not there with other legendary creatures. The idea of turning into a werewolf is a curse, which turns into a battle between the human and monster inside.
Being able to strike a balance between empathy and sheer terror is no easy task. It is often left to makeup artists and special effects creators to define the fine line between both. If the werewolf (and the werewolf transformation) does not look right, the story of the film becomes inconsequential. On the other side of things, placing the werewolf into an original story has its own challenges.
To help guide you through this quandary, here are 13 essential werewolf films to watch, whether you are new to the genre or a lifelong fan.
The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)
The only werewolf movie made by legendary horror studio Hammer Studios, The Curse of the Werewolf is a film that is about what it means to be an outsider and whether one can escape their place in society. In many ways the movie is the ultimate example of the nature vs. nurture debate. As a young orphan, Leon is raised lovingly by adoptive parents, only to find out that his thirst for blood is too strong to overcome. Played by legendary actor Oliver Reed, the grown up version of Leon searches for love and his place in the world while trying to combat his family history. One of the film's lasting legacies is the look of Reed's werewolf, which would go on to inspire the future creature look in the '80s cult hit, The Monster Squad.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Written and directed by John Landis, with Academy Award-winning makeup from legendary artist Rick Baker, An American Werewolf in London has become the standard-bearer for which all other werewolf movies are judged. The film is renowned for its epic transformation scene, but it is the simple and dark build up in the film, along with its self-aware humor that truly separates it from other films in the genre. It tells the story of two American students making their way through Great Britain, and it is here where the theme of the outsider in an unknown land is exemplified. Later, the movie delves into a deeper human emotion by focusing on survivor's guilt and how one deals with trauma without any close connections nearby. Again, this is what makes the werewolf movie so vital to the horror genre: the battle with the beast within can go in many directions.
The Howling (1981)
Released the same year as An American Werewolf in London, and often left behind in its shadow, The Howling is a werewolf movie that deserves its own recognition. Directed by Joe Dante, later of Gremlins fame, The Howling focuses on a news reporter played by 80s icon Dee Wallace, who is sent to a remote mountain resort called "The Colony" in order to deal with her inner self after helping police with a famed serial killer. At the resort she encounters a variety of strange and sinister people who aid in building tension in the film, which peaks with various werewolf transformations that still hold up today. Dealing with the familiar theme of the genre, of battling oneself, the movie takes care to never sway from Wallace's character's perspective leading to a gripping final 30 minutes with a must-see ending.
The Company of Wolves (1984)
Before he tackled vampires in Interview with a Vampire, director Neil Jordan co-wrote and directed what can only be described as a blend between a fairy tale and psychosexual thriller. Playing off the "Little Red Riding Hood" story, the movie is known for its stylized look and iconic animatronic wolf transformation. For some, the confusing nature of the narrative and gore can be off-putting, but what the film lacks in straightforwardness, it more than makes up for by truly creating a fantastical world that leans heavily on the Grimm Brothers dark tales.
Wolf (1994)
While the majority of the films on this list are specific genre films, Mike Nichols' Wolf is an example of a werewolf movie trying to go mainstream. Starring Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer at the peak of their Hollywood powers, the movie makes a not-so-subtle attempt to tie in the theme of aging with the werewolf trope. Nicholson plays an aging book editor who gets bitten by a wolf and finds himself slowly turning into a new person. Like his memorable roles as the Joker and Jack Torrance, Nicholson is able to blend his slightly-off, every-man persona into full-blown madness by film's end. What makes Wolf stand out is that it can be looked at as more of a romantic drama that is about a man battling time, society and his inner werewolf - an idea that would be used by more modern takes on the genre in the years to come.
Ginger Snaps (2000)
From Canadian writers John Fawcett and Karen Walton, best known for Orphan Black, Ginger Snaps can be looked at as the werewolf movie that changed the tone of the horror genre. Making the connection between turning into a werewolf and the changes that come with being a teenager, the female-led cast is able to blend dark humor with the lore of the werewolf. Two teenage sisters, both outcasts, obsessed with the idea of death, do their best to navigate their complicated teenage world and the fact that one of them has been bitten by a werewolf. While the film has an enduring legacy for its metaphorical theme, it does not hold back when it comes to werewolf terror, making it an essential part of the werewolf collection.
Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)
One of the most financially successful French films of the 2000s, Brotherhood of the Wolf is a movie of mashed-up genres that artfully plays with the idea that there is something terrible lurking in the woods. Based off the real life tale of the Beast of Gevauden, a wolf-like creature that killed hundreds in France from 1764 to 1767, the movie focuses on the beast's hunters and their attempt to solve the mystery that is haunting the woods. With its picturesque cinematography, the movie blends the simple village life with the shrieking terror of an unknown beast. Add to this, Brotherhood of the Wolf can also be looked at as a revenge martial arts film, and you have the makings of a unique perspective on what it means to be human, and where the real beast lies.
Late Phases (2014)
Directed by longtime horror creator Adrian Garcia Bogliano, Late Phases takes the idea behind The Howling and kicks it up a notch. An aging Vietnam veteran moves into what seems like an idiotic retirement neighborhood, only to find out that its residents are being picked off by a canine-like creature. Left with no other choice, he takes it upon himself to protect the residents and himself from the strange creatures. While that may seem simple enough, the catch here is that the veteran is blind. The best werewolf movies are always trying to show aspects of the battle that goes on inside all of us. Here, we get a distinct viewpoint on what it means to grow old and die, while exploring how someone who seems to be at a very specific disadvantage fights creatures that are very difficult to kill.
Howl (2015)
Conceptually, Howl is a fresh and thrilling take on the werewolf movie. After their train crashes, a group of strangers must battle a hulking werewolf, not only trying to survive the monster, but each other. The film is definitely more of the B-movie variety, but it does feature some genuine thrills and scares. The problem with the film lands with the werewolf itself. While physically imposing and scary, it looks a little too much like a mutant human as opposed to the traditional werewolf. The film is well paced and the attacks themselves are violent in a way that makes you wish the characters would have gotten off on the last stop.
Good Manners (2017)
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Good Manners is a Brazilian fantasy horror film about a nurse who is hired by a pregnant wealthy woman as a housekeeper and future live-in nanny. The two develop a close bond and love for each other, but once the child is born, let's just say that things change drastically. Good Manners is one of the most unique horror films of the 2000s and makes a perfect pairing with The Curse of the Werewolf, to which it owes a lot of its story. The film focuses on familial relationships to tell its werewolf story and strives to make its viewer feel uncomfortable rather than jump-out-of-your-seat scared.
Valley of Shadows (2017)
A prime example of the Scandinavian Gothic film movement of the 2000s, Valley of Shadows looks at tragedy through the eyes of a six-year-old boy. Aslak, the film's protagonist, is searching for answers about his place in the world and comes face to face with the mysterious and gruesome deaths of several sheep in his farming village. As the young boy searches for the creature he comes face to face with the reality of his life and choices made by his family. Valley of Shadows does an excellent job combining werewolf lore with the innocence that comes from the perspective of a child trying to formulate answers for questions he does not understand.
The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)
Another dark comedy that focuses on problematic life in a small town. Written, directed and starring Jim Cummings, The Wolf of Snow Hollow is an angrier version of Werewolves Within. Cummings plays a local sheriff who is not only trying to solve several local murders, but also trying to convince his police force and small town that the attacks were not committed by a werewolf, despite the evidence. What separates the film from others is that it is as much an examination of Cummings' character as it is a werewolf movie. His Sheriff Marshall is a recovering alcoholic with a severe anger management problem, who is drifting farther and farther apart from his college-bound daughter. Focusing on character over jump scares or gore, the movie is a modern take on small town paranoia.
Werewolves Within (2021)
Movies based off of video games don't have a high success rate, but Werewolves Within is definitely an exception to the rule. The film is full of dry humor and works as a solid whodunit. It plays on the same idea of Howl, a group of residents in a small town are stuck together in an inn while battling a wolf-like creature. Lead by a postal worker and forest ranger, the group not only tries to survive the night, but attempt to figure out if the beast is a force trying to get it in, or is already in the hotel. Horror comedies are not the easiest genre to pull off but the film's humorous take on small town life portrays humanities own prejudices, forcing the viewer to examine their inner self - the true theme of any werewolf movie.