Leofwine_draca Hammer was quick to plunder the Universal vaults in their search for new horror successes. Dracula, The Mummy and Frankenstein had all been done, and it seemed only natural to film a lycanthropic story, following on from the success of Universal's THE WOLF-MAN. Happily enough, their (strangely) sole werewolf offering is a huge success, offering a tragic love story and horrific elements in equal amount.While the Spanish setting eliminates any Gothic visuals, CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF more than makes up for this in the intriguing werewolf story, which spans a whole twenty years, and a sense of gloom and doom as you just know that Leon is going to come unstuck. Also, the introduction of a young, handsome, charismatic actor in the form of Oliver Reed, meant that audiences could really sympathise with the character of Leon, after all lycanthropy is merely an illness, and can anyone be to blame for illnesses which afflict them? This is one of the films that paved the way for Reed's later stardom, he would go on to star in a range of other varied horror flicks like THE BROOD and THE DEVILS. All the classic folklore concerning werewolves is in this film, along with a good score and lavish costumes. The acting is all above par and there are small roles for Peter Sallis, Warren Mitchell, and Michael Ripper, who plays his tiny role of the town drunk with relish.CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF also has some excellent special effects. Stop motion animation is used to show hair growing on Leon's palms, while Roy Ashton's werewolf makeup is fantastic and groundbreaking, much as the transformation in AN American WEREWOLF IN London was twenty years later. To top this all off, the finale is something of a throwback to classic films like Chaney's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and a satisfying conclusion to this epic romantic horror. CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF is yet another classic from Hammer's heyday, a tragic, inventive story which can be watched time and time again. This is a fairytale epic of a werewolf film.

Morgan Hua I liked this because it wasn't your standard Universal Studios werewolf movie.First, it's set in Spain, not in Romania. The movie starts a bit slow as it's the origin story of how the werewolf is born and not via a gypsy curse. Then the boy's family and the priest are very sympathetic and even the werewolf begs them to kill him. This movie is so different. Even the ending where the werewolf, shot by his father, dies at the top of the church tower and does NOT transform back.The only issue I had was the rape origin story and potential rape by the nobleman. The rape was tastefully done and over dramatic, but I felt it wasn't necessary.

meisterburger23 If your looking for a good scary werewolf film, this is for youThe plot is simple narrated by Don Alfredo Corledo played by Clifford Evens. A beggar (Richard Woodsworth) wanders to a town in 18th century Spain, where he learns the town Marques is marrying and that the town people are forced to celebrate. The beggar decides why not try some luck and goes to the castle where the Marques (Anthony Dawson) treats him like an animal and cruelly tosses the beggar when he is finished with him in the castle dungeon.The beggar survives many years with only contact with the Jailer and his young daughter who was born mute. the old jailer dies not long afterwards with his daughter having blossomed into a attractive young woman. The servant girl (Yvonne Romain) now continue to feeds the beggar who has become more animal like living in his cellThe Marques meanwhile is alone and secluded in his room. His vile temper caused his young wife to go to an early grave and the few friends he possessed abandoned him. The old man attempts to seduce the mute servant girl, but when she bites and refuses his advances he has her tossed into the same prison cell with the beggar.The beggar having gone insane from his confinement rapes the girl and dies from exhaustion. When the servant girl is released back to the marques. she kills him and flees the castle. living in the woods like a wild animal for some months before being found half drowned in a lake by Don Alfred and brought to his homeDon Alfredo's maid Teresa nurses the girl back to health and informs him that the girl is with child and that a unwanted child born out of wedlock is an insult to heaven. The baby, a boy is born on Christmas day and the mother dies shortly afterward. They name the child Leon who a few years later has grown up to be a handsome boyWhen a local goat herders goats are found dead with their throats torn, by a wolf hunter. The mayor has the wolf hunter stay at the site to stake out for the culprit. The hunter shoots at a young wolf but as he hurries to check out the animal it is gone leaving a pool of blood.Don Alfredo discovers Leon injured and takes the bullet out of him. After learning Leon had a nightmare for a period of weeks as a wolf drinking blood, he consults a priest. The priest suggests Leon's conception and unlawful birth cursed him and he needs love and affection from his familyYears pass and the transformations have ceased and Leon becomes a man. He leaves home and gets a job at the next town where he falls in love with his bosses daughter.Unfortunately he turns into a werewolf and kills several people including the goat herder. Don Alfredo shoot Leon with a silver bullet and covers him with a clothThe film is very interesting especially since George Woodbridge is in this as well as Oliver Reed. I really do recommend this film its worth a shot

TheLittleSongbird The Curse of the Werewolf is not Hammer at their best(Dracula, The Curse of Frankenstein and The Mummy) but it is worthy of more credit than it does at the moment.It's not without flaws, the biggest flaw being the introduction/prologue, which solely covers the main character's back story, which does take up too much of the film(the second half of the film is much more interesting) and not everything is relevant to the back-story, the subplot with the goat-herder and night watchman could easily have been left out. The inn scenes at times veer on parody and there is a lack of authenticity setting-wise, despite being set in Spain the film always has a very British feel.As ever with Hammer though The Curse of the Werewolf is a well-made film, it's photographed beautifully and in a way that enhances the atmosphere rather than detract from it while the costumes and sets are very stylish. I actually had no problem with the brighter-than-usual lighting or felt that it trivialised the atmosphere. Visually it's the make-up that's particularly great, it's some of the best make-up of any film Hammer made(impressively designed and scary-looking), very ahead-of-its-time too, and Leon in his werewolf guise is one of their best-looking monsters(better than any of the Hammer Frankenstein monsters, although I do consider that series of films bar 2 superior films). The music score is equally great, the intricacies in how it's scored is to be admired and atmosphere-wise it's hauntingly powerful stuff that at its best brings a nail-biting intensity.The Curse of the Werewolf is intelligently scripted and mostly tight in structure, though that is a bit of froth that adds little. While the back-story is flawed, in exploring the origins of how the titular character came to be it also succeeds in making the character interesting and one that can be identified with easily. The werewolf lore is well and imaginatively handled and the build-up to the still quite shocking werewolf transformation is incredibly suspenseful, in fact the entire second half is engrossing and while some may find it tame to me and others it still has the ability to shock. Terence Fisher's direction is typically unflinching and technically accomplished and the acting is very good. Richard Wordsworth is very moving as the Beggar and the standout in support but it's the riveting performance of Oliver Reed that makes the film, he is genuinely scary but also poignantly sympathetic, making Leon one of those characters where you feel repulsion and pity for him.Overall, very under-appreciated and worthwhile without being one of Hammer's best films. 8/10 Bethany Cox