The Curse of the Werewolf is directed by Terence Fisher and written by John Elder (producer Anthony Hinds), loosely based on the novel The Werewolf of Paris written by Guy Endore. It stars Clifford Evans, Oliver Reed, Yvonne Romain, Catherine Feller and Anthony Dawson. Out of Hammer Film Productions it's a Technicolor production with photography by Arthur Grant and music by Benjamin Frankel.
Hammer's only venture into the lair of the Werewolf proves to be a tragic-romance-cum-nightmarish fairytale more than a film dealing with the savage roamings of a lycanthrope. Off the bat it has to be noted that the film is not overtly horror, something that may result in disappointment for any potential first time thrill seeker. That said, this is still a cracker-jack of a movie, boasting the best of a Hammer production (sets, music, colour, direction) with a narrative of cruel markings and links to puberty, sexual awakenings/urges and Jesus Christ! It's strongly cast, with Reed effective with his brooding good looks, Romain piercing the eyes with her Technicolor sexiness and Dawson knocking it out of the park as a vile bastard son of Ebenezer Scrooge! British fans also get the added bonus of catching familiar TV faces Warren Mitchell and Peter Sallis in secondary support slots.
Paced as it is, very much on the slow burn with a good portion of the picture dealing in the origins of Reed's cursed Leon character, much of the film lacks tension and suspense. This lures one into expecting a barn-storming finale by way off a pay off for the viewers patience. Sadly it's no crowning glory, yes it doffs its cap to the old Universal Creature Features of the 40s and 50s; and there's definitely some emotional heft for the bell tower closure, but it just lacks the dynamism needed to lift it into the upper echelons of Hammer's best output. There's also the small matter of Catharine Feller, who is weak as one of the films crucial female characters. These are problems, even if ultimately they don't detract from the expert story telling of the makers and the fact that visually it's a gorgeous and alluring movie.
With a different spin on the Werewolf legend to be applauded, The Curse of the Werewolf, one or two missteps aside, is still an essential Hammer movie. Even if it could and should have been a little more than that. 7.5/10
