7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A British nobleman undergoes a startling transformation when he's bitten by a gypsy werewolf.
Starring: Lon Chaney Jr., Claude Rains, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, Patric KnowlesHorror | 100% |
Drama | 5% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.36:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: DTS Mono
Dual Mono
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Take a moment and imagine what modern horror would be without Universal Pictures. Without founder Carl Laemmle and his vision for the future of cinema, or his son Carl Laemmle Jr., who inherited the keys to the studio kingdom in 1928, when talkies were rapidly displacing silent films and promising groundbreaking new strides in moviemaking and the movie-going experience. Without early horror pioneers like Tod Browning, James Whale, Karl Freund, George Waggner or Jack Arnold. Without iconic creature actors Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Claude Rains, Lon Chaney, Jr., Elsa Lanchester or Ben Chapman. Without Dracula, the indispensable 1931 classic that left a more lasting mark on vampire movies and lore than any other vampire film before or after (save Nosferatu). Or Frankenstein, which pushed boundaries, shocked audiences and has been received with overwhelming enthusiasm ever since. The Mummy, bold in its atmosphere and unforgettable in its tragic romance. The Invisible Man, which features some of the most astonishing special effects and perhaps one of the most unnerving depictions of mounting madness of the era. The Bride of Frankenstein, a complex, wickedly funny, altogether unpredictable sequel that in many regards surpasses its predecessor. The Wolf Man, a once-chilling character drama that examines the frailty of man and the beast within. Phantom of the Opera, though more a twisted love story than a traditional horror picture, a film that nevertheless caused some theaters to stock smelling salts in in the event that a moviegoer fainted upon the removal of the Phantom's mask. Or Creature from the Black Lagoon, which frightened audiences above the water and below with a scaly monster unlike any they had seen before. Needless to say, modern horror, and really the genre in whole, would be completely different than what we know.
The Wolf Man undergoes what initially appears to be a startling transformation from weathered seventy-year old film elements to painstakingly restored master to terrific 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation. And it might look that good -- as good as most of its fellow classic monster movies -- if it weren't for one widespread prevailing issue: ringing. Wire-thin edge halos are apparent throughout the film (some scenes more than others) and become quite a nuisance; so much so that it warrants more than a mention. It warrants a warning. Otherwise, the image has a lot going for it. Grain is gentle and consistent, contrast is impeccably balanced, black levels are satisfying, midrange grays aren't hindered or disrupted in any way, and fine detail reveals subtleties and textures in the original photography the majority of us have never seen before. The encode is also free of macroblocking, banding and other errant anomalies, making for what could have been a prime presentation. But, oh, those halos...
Universal's two-channel DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track doesn't flounder or fail either. Dialogue is bright, intelligible and rarely hemmed in, effects are supported nicely, screams and cries for help boast a blood-curdling pitch exclusive to the Golden Age of cinema, and howling winds, rustling branches and snarling beasts of the night aren't impeded (other than by the limitations of the era and the resulting audio elements). There is some distortion -- when an attack is backed by music in an already eventful scene, for example -- but again, such shortcomings are a product of the source, and the preservationists working on the project couldn't have done much more without sacrificing the integrity of the film's original sound design. All in all, another able-bodied lossless track from the Classic Monsters collection.
The Wolf Man represents another leap forward in the evolution of the classic Universal horror canon. It isn't as essential as some of the studio's earlier efforts, as ahead of its time as The Bride of Frankenstein, or as strong when it comes to the creature makeup and effects (The Mummy and The Invisible Man being the respective highlights in the collection). But as one of Universal's Big Three Horror Icons -- the other two being Dracula and Frankenstein -- it still delivers, thanks especially to Lon Chaney, Jr.'s performance. The Blu-ray edition delivers too, with a commendable restoration and video transfer, a capable DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix and a solid selection of special features (even if one documentary is a carryover from The Mummy disc). The Essentials Collection is worth the price of admission from almost every angle, but if you choose to wait for individual releases, you won't have to worry when it comes to The Wolf Man.
1941
w/ Glow in the Dark Art
1941
1941
1941
1941
1941
1933
Includes "Drácula"
1931
1931
1935
1932
1943
1948
1943
1931
1943
1954
1939
1936
1982
1945
1944
The Secret of Marrowbone
2017
Late Phases
2014
1942
1940