Overview
A haunting tale of transformation and tragedy unfolds under the full moon's glow.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- foreboding
- melancholic
- classic horror night
- halloween viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard it as a classic Universal horror film distinguished by atmospheric craftsmanship and Lon Chaney Jr.'s affecting performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Larry's encounter with Bela's mother frames lycanthropy as an inherited supernatural destiny tied to village legend.
Larry Talbot struggles against his transformation while seeking help from his father and confronting the consequences of becoming the Wolf Man.
Larry returns to his family's Welsh home, where the estate, forest, and village become the setting for his curse and its pursuit.
Lon Chaney Jr.'s gradual visual transformation into the Wolf Man is central to the film's enduring monster imagery.
Films like The Wolf Man, and why
Dracula
shared gothic horror atmosphere, supernatural transformation, and tragic monster protagonist
Frankenstein
shared universal monsters tradition, folkloric menace, and sympathetic human-monster conflict
The Curse of the Werewolf
shared werewolf mythology, cursed transformation, and moody rural horror
Movie Details
- Director
- George Waggner
- Release Date
- 1941-12-09
- Runtime
- 70 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (699)
Cast
- Lon Chaney Jr.
- Claude Rains
- Ralph Bellamy
- Warren William
- Patric Knowles
- Bela Lugosi
- Maria Ouspenskaya
- Evelyn Ankers
- Fay Helm
- J.M. Kerrigan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Wolf Man about?
- A grieving heir in Wales becomes the unwilling vessel of a werewolf curse, turning family loyalty and village folklore into a tragic supernatural ordeal.
- What is The Wolf Man like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Wolf Man as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Wolf Man violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Wolf Man as mild.
- What did critics think of The Wolf Man?
- Critics broadly regard it as a classic Universal horror film distinguished by atmospheric craftsmanship and Lon Chaney Jr.'s affecting performance.
- Which films are like The Wolf Man?
- Films with a similar feel include Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Curse of the Werewolf.
- How long is The Wolf Man?
- The Wolf Man runs 70 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Wolf Man?
- In United States, The Wolf Man streams on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus.
