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Werewolf Movie Favorites

All right, everyone has their particular favorites when it comes to any genre of movies and certainly werewolf movies are no exception. Depending when you were first captivated by these mythical film gems will have a lot to do with which you like the best.

Nostalgia does, after all, reign supreme and as adults, remembering the joys or fears of the teenage years begins to become an important part of your life.

The Howling (1981)

The Howling The Howling approached the subject of werewolves from the aspect of absolute terror. Those who loved being frightened – and there are plenty of us around – still shiver all the way to our bones and have nightmares after watching this classic.

Some of the reviews of this film state that there is a comedic aspect to it. These writers must be watching a different version.

One of the reasons for its continued success is that there is a constant tension – sometimes more intense than others, of course – but the tension never completely subsides.

What if you went on hiatus and discovered the resort you choose turned out to be filled with werewolves out to eat your flesh in the middle of the night? That’s more or less what the main character finds out and to make it worse, she can’t go home because she has amnesia – which is why she was advised to take this rest in the first place.

If you get this film, be sure to have plenty of blankets to huddle under and don’t plan to close your eyes for a week.


But, not all the films of the 80s were dramatic or scary. Another all-time favorite is Teen Wolf.

Teen Wolf (1985)

Teenwolf Teen Wolf starring Michael J. Fox was a great werewolf movie that adopted the theory that being a werewolf was an inherited malady instead of being a curse. Of course, his father explains that there is no cure and that it doesn’t attack every generation – it skipped the father. This was not exactly a comforting thought to Scott who had to watch hair grow on the palm of his hands as his eye color changed to a weird ruby color.

With all the problems that every teenage boy faces – impressing girls and earning the admiration of other guys – suddenly discovering that at any point in time you will suddenly grow enormous amounts of hair all over your body, your ears will get pointy and your teeth will become canine is just more than any one teenager should have to deal with.

The main character joined the basketball team in hopes of gaining attention from the girls in his class but this didn’t work. He was just “too average” and “nice”. Much to his surprise, Scott (the Fox character) becomes popular among both genders because of his unusual shifting appearance. At one point in the movie, he and “the guys” go surfing on top of vehicles – well, not exactly surfing but you get the drift.

If you haven’t seen the movie and are a bit curious, here’s a snippet to whet your imagination.

While there is nothing serious or chilling about Teen Wolf, it is entertaining and a decent teen movie, addressing typical teen concerns. That isn’t always the case. For example, An American Werewolf in London is one example of a movie that ignores teen problems and snubs good writing.

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Amercian Werewolf in London Unless your parents really wanted to get rid of you, it’s highly unlikely that they would have allowed you to go to England with your best pal – another teenager – as your guardian. But, that’s where this movie starts and it gets more ludicrous by the moment once the guys land.

By the way, the best friend aka guardian dies from the attack of some monstrous beast and the main character survives to wake up in the hospital-- starring up at the cleavage of a pretty, young, blond nurse.

So, what makes this a classic that still garners enough votes to be called a favorite? The nightmares of a ghoulish creature dressed as a Nazi attacking you and your family with flames, the love story of a tourist almost eaten by a werewolf while casually strolling through the moors of Yorkshire and the tragedy of watching your BFF being eaten while you are helpless to stop the horror. And, besides, it’s fun.