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Okay. I've been kinda quiet about this. Now, it's time for me to rant. Why is it, that most filmmakers seem ashamed to admit they like werewolves. Or werewolf movies?
"Golly Matt," you query. "Whatever are you talking about ?" Glad you asked.

Blood and Chocolate, which came out today, is just another in a long line of werewolf movies that seems to be ashamed of itself. By that, i mean they're almost always set against some pseudo-gothic backdrop, IE, Romania. With scary statues, and what not. As if werewolves themselves weren't mysterious enough on their own. Or, as in American Werewolf in Paris and B&C, a cast populated by sissy looking Eurotrash right out of VOGUE. I can't buy these people as anything but underwear models...not real people.

Or Underworld, with it's characters all decked out in dark rubber or turn-of-the-century frilly clothes, and living in a castle, which, I might add, is always shot through a Sepia, or Blue filter. It's as if directors are afraid if they film a movie that shows natural color, someone will accuse them of being GAY.

I think what I'm saying, is werewolf movies are almost too aware of themselves, and too influenced by dark, brooding, leather wearing vampire movies. They can't force a werewolf to crack a smile, otherwise he's not "scary" or "dark" enough. It's ALMOST as if if they are afraid of someone cracking werewolf jokes about their film, so it has to be "dark" in order to have any legitimacy with a very small horror sub-genre fanset.

Sorry, this may be a little more analysis than what you guys are used to hearing. But I can't be the only person who feels this way.

Can't really comment on B+C as I have only seen a quick trailer, Despite differing views on it I'm quite looking forward to it, in a 'ITS A WEREWOLF FILM !' kind of way.

AWIP was I have to admit, CHEESE. Although, again, I sort of quite liked it. (a better attempt at a teen wereflick than the huge steaming turd that was Cursed)

And as for Underworld, it is what I would regard as stylised. It has gone for the gothic kind of image(a la Blade) that I would associate with a comicstrip or a batman Graphic novel.

I understand what your getting at. But werewolf films are at the end of the day, Fantasy films, pure SF. I believe and have faith in what the noble Mr Brownrigg is doing with FREEBORN. I love the idea of an intelligent and civilised beasty. And I would dearly love to see Elena brought to life in film versions of the Bitten series of books.
But I'd rather watch Underworld than say, On Golden Pond or Mr and Mrs Smith, but with werewolves. I don't really see the point.

This is just my opinion, but I love all the imagery and legend that comes with the Werewolf myth. It's one of the reasons I'm a fan.(and NO! I'm not a goth) Although I do wish film makers would put more effort in with the TF's. A BLOODY RAINBOW!!! wass all that about!?

My opinion on werewolf movies is most of them are good but others are s***. My favourite part of a werewolf film is when the muzzle forms. I don't just like werewolfs i also like animal transformation of all sorts there is a link to my group on my profile but a warning you must be 18 years old to join

Been going on about Plasma and Carob for some time... First, the book was barely average written material, and you could see the paste overs that the author did.
Then it was sold, to the same East-Euro producers that did Underworld.
I have to admit, they didn't bother with the somewhat creaky plot: they just eviscerated it and did something completely different. Do not expect to see a Movie version of the book. Outside of the title, there is very little in common with the book.
In fact, it resembles Underworld a lot, with Romeo and Juliette mixed in, leaving lumps.
In a word: BAD. Wait till it comes out on CD and watch it then...

Why do you think your opinion is good enough for a topic of its own?

Just write a (unofficial) list of werewolf media stereotypes. As many as possible.

Morkulv wrote:Why do you think your opinion is good enough for a topic of its own?

Because you can create a topic about anything, well, within reason.

I totally agree with you Matt...

Short Tail wrote:

Morkulv wrote:Why do you think your opinion is good enough for a topic of its own?

Because you can create a topic about anything, well, within reason.

Not if there allready is a topic about it.

I just find this a bit arrogant really. So I'm affraid I don't really care about the topic-poster's opinion.

But there isn't a topic about the main problem of recently made werewolf films, is there? In fact, I'm not exactly sure why he mentioned Blood & Chocolate in the thread title, though, since it isn't the only film that the thread is about. He also mentions Underworld and An American Werewolf in Paris, and I'm sure it applies to other films, too.

Then why isn't this posted in the movie-section?

Now that I agree with, it probably should be posted there.

The topic is not Blood and Chocolate per se, but rather the problem for which it is only the latest in a long line of examples. We could debate about where to put this thread--movies section vs. "What a werewolf should be" vs. where it is right now. But, I do think it's a worthy topic, even if it's in part old ground. It does take it at a new angle.

And, Matt,

YYYYYYEEEESSSSS!!!!

I do get tired of it, too. It's not just you.

I agree with everything that Matt says. Why are these people afraid to show werewolves normally, why does it always have to be gritty dark and grusome?

To be honest, I grew a little bit tired of those cute tree-hugging 'indian' upright walking woofs with a scare-factor of 0%. But hey, thats just me.

I'm not saying that Underworld is the best example there is though, quite the contrary. But its still way better then American Werewolf in Paris and Van Helsing together, and therefore one of the best attempts at visualising werewolves in movies to date.

What tree hugging indian wolves? I can't recall a single movie where that was the case.

Morkulv wrote:To be honest, I grew a little bit tired of those cute tree-hugging 'indian' upright walking woofs with a scare-factor of 0%. But hey, thats just me.

I'm not saying that Underworld is the best example there is though, quite the contrary. But its still way better then American Werewolf in Paris and Van Helsing together, and therefore one of the best attempts at visualising werewolves in movies to date.

All Im saying is why not make the werewolf look more humble like and yet still be killers, like van helsing, you never really see werewolves like that before. They look furry and wolf like, yet still vicous. Now Ive seen some really bad werewolf design and props some of them hide it in the dark which is good. But some of the really good ones you rarely see in slow scene. Thats why I was a bit disapointed in Underworld Evolution, most of the werewolf scene are blur or there is too much action. Underworld werewolves is by far the best (non-wolflike)werewolf design I have ever seen.

Now see, this is what the major flaw in this website is. What is the ultimate werewolf?

THERE IS NONE.

Because different people have different tastes. A friendly werewolf may be too lame for a hardcore horror-werewolf type fan. And vice versa. I think everyone here sorta expects to see the END-ALL-BE-ALL werewolf movie, as if somehow, it would justify their being fans of the genre.

I myself like the variety of different kinds of werewolves. I just dont like how all the latest movies are following that pseudo-gothic trend.

To paraphrase Matt's conclusion:

"The ultimate player in a game is yourself". orz

Morkulv wrote:To be honest, I grew a little bit tired of those cute tree-hugging 'indian' upright walking woofs with a scare-factor of 0%. But hey, thats just me.

Goldenwolf does tons of that. But yeah, seeing all this native indian feathers and other tidbits is gettin' really stale to me. No offense, Goldenwolf.

I mean COME ON, there's TONS of other cultures you can jam in a lycanthrope already. What's the f***' holdup? An Indian Sari not belonging to a werewolf because "it looks stupid on them"? Man, that'd be a lameass excuse.

Ah yes. The indian pseudo-spiritual stuff. Yes, i agree, there's lots of that

But not a single frigging one in any movie, anywhere. Not even in the White Wolf rip-offs. (i.e., Underworld) Yes, fandom may do a lot of socially liberal werewolves taking their Toyota Prius out for a spin, but I dare any of you to name one movie that portrays this archetype. I haven't seen or heard of it--not even among low budget movies that are more willing to be experimental. Lycan Colony hedged around it, but only between rounds of hacking, gore, and overacted profanity. Howling III kind of nudged towards it. But, that's about it. The only other "friendly" werewolf I've seen is in Teen Wolf and its spin-offs, which is a comedy nowhere near the fandom eco-defender with feather braids image.

The eco-friendly lycanthrope, debate about lame or not aside, would at least be a break from the monotony of mindless killer monsters. Even the better movies still focus on werewolves as evil or at least inordinately violent. I'd welcome a benevolent and peaceful werewolf as a change of pace, just to show it can be done.

Now, as to the lame or not lame debate, have you actually looked at Goldenwolf's art? How can you possibly apply the word "lame" anywhere near it? Perhaps in an evil parallel universe, there may be an alternate Goldenwolf with a beard (which would be odd, given that she's a lady) who paints lame eco-friendly werewolves, but not here. In this universe, she rocks.