Curse of the Werewolf, The (Blu-ray) (1961)

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General		Extras
Category	Horror	Theatrical Trailer
Rating
Year Of Production	1961
Running Time	92:37 (Case: 87)
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Terence Fisher
Studio Distributor	Shock Entertainment	Starring	Clifford Evans Yvonne Reed Oliver Reed John Gabriel Hira Talfrey Catherine Feller Warren Mitchell
Case	Standard Blu-ray
RPI	?	Music	Benjamin Frankel

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English DTS HD Master Audio 2.0 mono
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.85:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	1080p
Original Aspect Ratio	1.85:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	None	Smoking	Yes
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     A mute servant girl (Yvonne Reed) is raped in a dungeon. She flees into the woods where some months later she is discovered by the kindly Don Alfredo (Clifford Evans) and taken to his home to be cared for by his servant Teresa (Hira Talfrey). Later, on Christmas Day, the girl dies after giving birth to a son, Leon. Don Alfredo becomes Leon’s adopted father but as Leon grows up strange things start to happen in the village around the full moon: animals, including goats and cats, are found with their throats ripped open. Don Alfredo knows something is wrong and consults the village priest (John Gabriel); they realise that Leon is a werewolf but believe that with the proper love and care the beast within can be contained.

     This seems to work; the attacks stop and when Leon (played as an adult by Oliver Reed) becomes a man he moves to an adjoining village and finds work in an inn, where he and the innkeeper’s daughter Cristina (Catherine Feller) fall in love. But it seems that her love cannot quell the beast and during the full moon Leon transforms into a werewolf once again and goes on a killing spree. Sad, ashamed and guilty, Leon begs his adopted father to kill him, but the full moon provides one further twist.

     In the late 1950’s and early 1960s Hammer was at its peak with franchises based around Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy. Thus it is rather surprising that The Curse of the Werewolf is Hammer’s only werewolf film. The Curse of the Werewolf is based upon a novel by John Elder, The Werewolf of Paris, transposed to Spain because apparently Hammer had built a set for a film set during the Spanish Inquisition. It is well directed by Terence Fisher who had helmed the successful Dracula and The Brides of Dracula for Hammer.

     The Curse of the Werewolf has a languid pace: the backstory of the rape and flight of the servant girl occupies over 15 minutes and after that the clues to Leon’s behaviour as a boy are gradually revealed. The pace is not aided by Clifford Evans who receives top billing. He had 94 credits listed on the IMDb but is very bland and is outacted by a young and charismatic Oliver Reed who does not appear until almost 50 minutes have elapsed. Yet, from that time, the gradual set–up pays off as the final third of the film is exciting, sad and poignant as Leon realises what he is and what he has done. Like most good horror films, The Curse of the Werewolf delays revealing its cards and Leon’s full transformation into werewolf is not shown until the climax, and is certainly well worth waiting for. The other interesting casting is an almost unrecognisable Warren Mitchell (the one and only Alf Garnett) as Pepe the hunter.

     The Curse of the Werewolf is another example of the good horror films Hammer was turning out in the 60s. It takes its time to set the scene, but is well made and, after 50 years, still looks great with rich colours, great production values and costumes and sets which are detailed and elaborate.

Video

     The Curse of the Werewolf is presented in the original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, in 1080p using the MPEG-4 AVC code.

     This is a nice print considering the age and budget of the film. Colours are deep and rich, without that digital glossiness. Exteriors do look soft and some shadow detail is lost in dark sequences, but interior scenes are solid with good detail. Grain is evident, but nicely controlled. Blacks are solid, brightness and contrast consistent, skin tones natural.

     There are no subtitles.

     Slight ghosting against broken surfaces, such as the trees, is evident.

     There are no subtitles.

Video Ratings Summary

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Audio

     The audio is English DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono, which is the original audio.

     Dialogue is clear and easy to hear. The effects are flat but acceptable. The original orchestral score by Benjamin Frankel is overly lush. There is no surround or subwoofer use.

     I noticed no hiss or distortion.

     Lip synchronisation was fine.

Audio Ratings Summary

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Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Theatrical Trailer (2:20)

    There is censorship information available for this title. Click here to read it (a new window will open). WARNING: Often these entries contain MAJOR plot spoilers.

     There is not currently a Region A US Blu-ray release of The Curse of the Werewolf. There is a Region B German release that includes an audio commentary (in German, no subtitles) plus a making of (English 46 minutes) and lycanthropy featurette (3 minutes). The Region B UK Blu-ray is due at the end of September and is advertised as including the above making of and featurette, a stills gallery and a featurette on Censoring the Werewolf (13 minutes). If this is correct, when released this would be the preferred version, although I do not know which cut of the film it will contain.

     1961 Hammer horror cult classic The Curse of the Werewolf makes a welcome appearance on Blu-ray. The film builds to its climax slowly, it looks marvellous and stars a young and charismatic Olive Reed but it seems to be a censored version.

     The video and audio are fine, a trailer is the only extra.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall