Scary List: Old School Movie Werewolves of the 80s

The 80s was a good decade for movies , when make-up artists seemed to be on top of their game , creating masterpieces of transformation for horror movies without the extravagant special effects of today. In this article, you will encounter a handful of werewolf-related movies that hail from that decade, including ‘Silver Bullet.”

“The Night of the Werewolf” (1981)

Paul Naschy gained a reputation for being called the Spanish Lon Chaney because he played the character of a werewolf filled with torment , Waldemar Daninsky. He appeared in dozen of films as this figure, including The Night of the Werewolf. The effects might be cheesy, but the blood-filled action is quite good as Daninsky goes up against his former vampire master. This one is considered the best of his werewolf films.

“An American Werewolf in London” (1981)

One of the most iconic and well known of older werewolf movies is “An American Werewolf in London,” which covers the trials and tribulations of an American tourist who is bitten by a werewolf. He starts to experience violent nightmares and encounter ghosts that suggest in order to end the curse , he must kill himself. The special effects used in the film have been regarded as some of the most groundbreaking in the horror genre.

“Silver Bullet” (1985)

Stephen King has created a host of intrigueing books that have been quickly sent to film crews. ‘Silver Bullet’ is one of the few adaptations that King actually wrote the script. A small town where nothing ever happens becomes plagued by paranoia as residents start turning up dead. Little do they know that it is a werewolf that it causing the murders. There’s a bit of mystery in the movie , set in the town of Tarker’s Mill. It is a young handicapped boy named Marty that believes the killer is not a man, but a werewolf. After the werewolf comes in contact with Marty and his sister, the two search all over town for the man who is the beast. In this movie, Gary Busey played Uncle Red, Everett McGill played Reverend Lowe, while a young Corey Haim played the role of Marty Coslaw. In 1988, ‘Silver Bullet’ was nominated for Best Film at the International Fantasy Film Awards.

“The Company of Wolves” (1984)

With a collection of stories within stories, a British fairy tale unfolds on the screen to reveal a twisted take on the well-known tale of Little Red Riding Hood. Cast members that bring the stories within stories to life include Stephen Rea, Angela Lansbury and Terence Stamp. The movie shows Granny telling her granddaughter Rosaleen disturbing tales about innocent maidens falling in love with handsome strangers and the disappearances of spouses while in the woods. The werewolves in this film are not really meant to give a scare like other horror movies, but the multiple tales are filled with symbolic folklore that entertains.