The Wolf Man (1941)

Second viewing; first was on August 9, 1997.

Larry comes back from America to his home town in Wales. He falls in love with a woman who is already engaged. Larry is bitten by a wolf, or at least that is what he thinks.

This is a modest film, and arguably perfect within its ambitions, except for the werewolf's costume, which by today's standards is not very impressive. This is the kind of story which allows endless readings. On a trivial level, Larry is simply a homicidal maniac. The film is disturbing because within its frame of reference he is just as much a victim as the ones he kills. As a consequence, no one is really guilty of anything; thus, the concept of responsibility is wiped out from the film's moral universe. This is in tune with dominant modern worldviews, especially Freudian-shaped ones.

Rating: 51 (up from 46)