Although werewolf movies have been a significant part of creature features since the 1940s, they have never been able to dominate the position of go-to horrors like vampires, demons, or ghosts. This is attributed to the cost of creating a convincing werewolf onscreen and the constraints that come with writing a captivating plot around what most people consider to be a ferocious, animalistic creature. Nevertheless, even without adhering to the mainstream, this creature found its place in the realm of horror. While some of these movies are slightly peculiar, they are fantastic and have gathered a large cult following. This video will showcase some of those insane but awesome Werewolf movies that might have missed your radar! Let’s begin!
Good Manners (2017)
Clara, a lonely nurse who lives on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, is hired by Ana, a mysterious but wealthy woman, to be the nanny of her unborn child. Although the two women eventually develop a strong bond, Clara soon realizes that her job is more complicated than anticipated.
As far as absurd goes, this one is certainly a good contender. Portraying a relationship between a parent and a nanny is one thing, but when that parent is a werewolf, it’s a whole other ballgame. Marco Dutra directed a film with a unique plot and a lucid storyline. This movie has it all, from being filled with references and allusions of queer-bashing, to race issues. Unfortunately, the limited budget set a constraint on the CGI animation; therefore, it’s best to watch this film with an open mind, but that doesn’t take away from its glorious werewolf tale in any way.
Isabel Zuaa carries the movie with her excellent performance right from the opening sequence, and this more than makes up for the emotional turmoil that viewers undergo while watching it. The script is sufficiently ambitious, taking enormous leaps, and the plot does not constitute conventional jump scares. Overall, this dark fairytale-like mixture of horror, comedy and drama is a must-watch.
When Animals Dream (2014)
Marie, a sixteen-year-old shy girl, lives on a remote island with her ill mother and father. As she begins working at a fish processing plant, she notices a weird rash on her body. Soon she is shocked to discover a truth that her parents have been hiding from her for years.
Jonas Alexander Amby creates one of the most innovative but unusual premises for a werewolf movie by putting a hereditary spin on it rather than the usual getting bitten and turning into a werewolf trope. This film is carefully paced with an artsy composition and contains breathtaking cinematography. Jonas Alexander Amby portrays impressive direction for his debut, creating a blend of the horror and coming-of-age genres.
The film showcases a brilliant atmosphere that presents viewers with sympathetic situations and a beautiful familial attachment theme often overlooked. Lars Mikkelson displays an outstanding performance which elucidates the relationships between the main characters. Jonas Alexander takes a simple story and adds his rich flavour to it, making it a heartfelt and memorable Scandinavian horror movie.
Game of Werewolves (2012)
Tomas, a not so successful writer, returns to his village Arga in Galicia after fifteen years. He is invited by the mayor to participate in a ceremony and seek inspiration from his childhood home. Unfortunately, he is unaware of the real reason why he has been summoned there and the secret that the villagers are harboring.
It is highly unusual for filmmakers to create movies where the majority of townspeople are cursed and turn into werewolves rather than the one mysterious person sneaking off on every full moon night. Lobos de Arga in Spanish, this werewolf horror film is based on an entertaining, out-of-the-ordinary premise. It is a blend of horror and comedy and portrays some tongue in cheek action, leaving it with an overall light-hearted atmosphere. It showcases the remarkable work of director Juan Martinez Moreno with plenty of gore, werewolf attacks and a set of enjoyable main characters.
Furthermore, it contains an intriguing musical score by Sergio Moure, who demonstrates his particular talent by complementing the film’s eerie vibe. However, it displays colourful and evocative cinematography, letting viewers get a glimpse of splendid Galician settings. This movie received immense appreciation and turned out a commercial success.
Full Eclipse (1993)
The LAPD has assembled a unique team of officers with a special set of skills that give them an extra edge for reducing crime around the city. Unbeknownst to everyone, the reason for their excellent track record with catching criminals is attributed to a most unconventional reason.
Usually, it’s the cops who are called during werewolf attacks, not the other way around. Not to mention, an entire squad of them! This escapist fantasy, directed by Anthony Hickox, evokes a sense of suspense, disbelief and humour. It is a tasteful blend of sex, gore, fangs, guns and some romance as well. It displays excellent special effects and Mario van Peebles plays the role of Max Dire remarkably.
Bruce Payne, who usually plays the sinister villain in most movies sending a chill down viewers’ spine, creates an equally strong impact as Detective Adam Garou. Hickox claims that this film’s concept is loosely based on X-men with natural claws rather than steel ones protruding from their skin. His state of the art direction, great script and the unusual take on Los Angeles cops keep the audience hooked to their screen.
Moreover, the film also exhibits some great action sequences, influenced by John Woo. The camerawork perfectly captures the jumping and guns a’blazing via slow-motion shots. Despite being a low budget TV film, it acquired sufficient fame due to its unique style of direction and memorable characters that make it worth a watch.
Strippers vs. Werewolves (2012)
Mickey, a member of a werewolf gang, is accidentally killed in a strip club. The girls who work there under Peter Murray have until the next full moon before Mickey’s bloodthirsty pack comes seeking murderous retribution.
A werewolf in a strip club? This has to be one of the most absurd and unusual premises for a werewolf movie. Jonathan Glendening created this movie with a spin of ironic postmodern humour. Bloodshed, nudity and decent dialogue are only some of its great aspects. Martin Compston, Bill Murray and Adele Silva portray great performances amidst a spectacular soundtrack. Although the film’s plot is out of the ordinary, it is well structured, coherent and well-paced.
And who wouldn’t want to see a werewolf in a strip club? It showcases the right comedic timing and uses decent makeup effects and prosthetics. It has excellent cinematography and portrays a timely commentary on contemporary society. Glendening certainly adds his twist by exploring the limits of British satire on this werewolf flick that ultimately makes for a great watch with its hint of self-deprecating humour.
Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985)
Ben White is journalist Karen White’s brother. After she faces an untimely and horrifying demise, Ben is approached by Stefan Crosscoe, a mysterious gentleman who claims that Karen was a werewolf. Both Ben and Stefan learn a shocking truth and travel to Transylvania to battle Stirba, an immortal werewolf queen, before she can restore all her powers and wreak havoc on humanity.
Director Philippe Mora adds an unconventional flavour of fantasy into this werewolf horror film. It has an intriguing plot and award-winning special effects that certainly woo the audience. Although it has a handful of cheesy transitions, it displays breathtaking cinematography and a fairytale-like storyline. Horror veteran Christopher Lee portrays an outstanding performance with his shift from Count Dracula into the werewolf genre. Its dim lighting evokes an eerie atmosphere, which complements its brisk pace.
It portrays decent character development, and the tension building up keeps viewers at the edge of their seats. The film is appreciated for its flashbacks that make the storyline easier to understand while making it all the more enjoyable. Philippe draws an absurd yet entertaining picture of lycanthropes, with cheesy dialogue set in an exploitative old-world setting. This makes it a movie worth a watch.
Monster Dog (1984)
A pop star named Vincent Raven takes his band to his hometown to shoot his latest music video. On arrival, they are greeted by the sheriff that warns them about several murders in the area with the bodies being ripped to shreds. Although the cops think a pack of wild dogs is committing these murders, Vincent knows the truth about them.
Alice Cooper plays a remarkable role in this Spanish horror film directed by Claudio Fragasso. It not only has an unconventionally original plot but also harbours a memorable atmosphere that sends chills down viewers’ spine and lingers long after its end. Although Cooper’s voice being dubbed did not bode well for his fans, other aspects of the film made up for this, like the gorgeous Victoria Vera, playing Vincent’s girlfriend, Sandra. The special effects gave the werewolf a realistic look adding to its 80s spin, and Fragasso kept the suspense alive by showing the creature as little as possible onscreen.
Like any mid 80s film, Monster Dog is heavy on the gore and brings out a surprising side of Alice Cooper that his fans did not know of. It served as an outlet for him to showcase his acting creativity beyond shock-rock theatre. Overall, viewers enjoyed the campy touch that the director added to this low budget cult classic, making it a must-watch.
Night of the Wolf – Late Phases (2014)
Ambrose McKinley, a blind war veteran, moves into a retirement community to learn that its residents have been dying from dog attacks. One night, after having a canine encounter himself, he is convinced that the creatures are more than just regular dogs.
Adrian Garcia Bogliano takes a straightforward werewolf horror tale and adds several elements to it that enhance its plot and raise its entertainment value by several notches. Like his other works, he doesn’t limit this film to just one or two subgenres but makes it a blend of several, including quirky comedic aspects.
Usually, the abundance of humour in a horror film would turn viewers off, but Bogliano’s direction makes it work, and viewers love it. This modern-day creature feature contains sufficient gore that makes it very inviting for the 70s and 80s creature feature fans. It displays excellent cinematography, a decent pace and a handful of remarkable action sequences.
Moreover, the special effects and atmosphere indeed remind viewers of 80s technology. Robert Kurtzman and his troop did an excellent job on the makeup, and Nick Damici delivers a compelling performance as a blind veteran. This film marks a pleasant watch for anyone looking to explore the horror genre and is definitely worth watching.
Wolfen (1981)
NYPD cop Dewey Wilson is assigned to solve a string of bizarre and violent murders where the victims appear to have been killed due to animal attacks. However, Wilson soon learns that they are tied to an ancient legend related to werewolf spirits.
If you’re looking for an unusual werewolf horror movie, it doesn’t get more unique than this. This masterpiece by Michael Wadleigh isn’t considered a werewolf movie by several viewers. It is an unforgettable gem with an eerie atmosphere, great actors and ambient music. Its outstanding cinematography presents New York in an unexpectedly grim yet beautiful manner. Although it has several characteristics of the conventional genre, it is unique enough to be placed in its own category.
It displays pre-Predator style camerawork and groundbreaking visual effects. It is a paragon of tension, suspense and has a fascinating plot that hooks viewers right from the start. Being an 80s flick, it wouldn’t be complete without its share of blood and gore. Overall, the Wolfen are portrayed as terrifying creatures. Wadleigh puts his unique spin on them by showing the age-old antagonism between them and humans in this thrilling film.
Werewolf Woman Legendado (1976)
Daniella Neseri has recurring dreams about turning into a werewolf due to her childhood trauma and stunted sexuality. When this delusion finally surfaces in her real life, she murders her sister’s lover and is institutionalized by her family. After escaping, she murders a man who tries to rape her but eventually finds Luca, who she ends up falling in love with. Unfortunately, Luca is killed, and she sets out to take revenge on his murderers.
Rino Di Silvestro created an unusual werewolf movie with themes of the subconscious, trauma and romance. It is a graphically violent 70s flick loaded with gore and nudity. This combination of eroticism and bloody mayhem blew viewers away, including Annik Borel’s outstanding performance. The film is sleazy at certain points, but that’s just how the 70s folks liked it. Rino Di Silvestro adds his unique flavour of sexploitation to this female-led flick, yet another unusual feature that viewers encounter.
It portrays decent dialogue that was a tad campy but complemented this film’s special effects and dark comedic atmosphere. Di Silvestro unintentionally brings out the proprietary connection between childhood trauma and sexual growth and creates an excellent backbone for the film’s premise. Although it has certain absurd elements, this film acquired a large cult following and is worth a watch.