Destiny: Lon Chaney Jr. and the Universal Wolf Man Films
Vložit
- čas přidán 28. 10. 2022
- Viewed alongside Universal’s classics of the early 30s, 1941’s The Wolf Man could be seen as the underdog - a hugely enjoyable film, but not a masterpiece on the scale of Frankenstein. But when it comes to the franchise, the Wolf Man has the last laugh, the only one of the classic monsters with a consistent character arc, the only one who does not get swallowed into someone else’s story, and the only character always played by the same actor, Lon Chaney jr, in a role he seemed destined to play.
Please consider supporting Dark Corners on Patreon for bonus videos, uncensored reviews, and ad-free early access: www.patreon.com/darkcorners
Buy Robin's new book "The Wolf, The Raven and the Black Cat" today. amzn.to/3zrpZry
Buy Robin's books amzn.to/3kmGMD3
WE HAVE MERCH! Head on over to TeePublic to pick up your very Dark Corners' merchandise! www.teepublic.com/stores/dark...
Research books
The Wolf Man: Universal Filmscripts: amzn.to/3Ngv4ZI
House of Dracula: Universal Filmscripts: amzn.to/3Djpcu0
Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man: Universal Filmscripts: amzn.to/3Dl6PF3
Chaney's Baby: amzn.to/3Wdji6e
Lon Chaney, Jr.: Midnight Marquee Actors Series: amzn.to/3Wf43cZ
Films
Wolfman Films: amzn.to/3WdqEXu
Universal Horror: amzn.to/3fivl1D
Of Mice and Men: amzn.to/3Fu7VRB
Summary of the films
The Wolfman: After having spent 18 years in the United States, Larry Talbot returns to his ancestral home in Wales. While staying with his father and trying to make amends with him, he meets an array of new people which he seems to like. Larry expresses his sorrow over the death of his older brother, and heir to the family estate, John. But things take a turn for the worst when he is bitten by a werewolf and becomes one himself. Transformed by the full moon, Larry heads for the forest and a
fateful meeting with his father, Sir John, and Gwen Conliffe.
Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman: Graverobbers open the grave of the Wolfman and awake him. He doesn't like the idea of being immortal and killing people when the moon is full, so he tries to find Dr. Frankenstein, in the hopes that the Dr. can cure him, but Frankenstein is dead and only his
Monster is alive and this one wants to live, not to die like the Wolfman.
House of Frankenstein: Deranged scientist Gustave Niemann (Boris Karloff), escapes from prison and overtakes the director of a traveling chamber of horrors. Pulling the stake out of a skeleton, he revives the infamous Count Dracula (John Carradine) and commands him to kill the man responsible for his imprisonment. He then finds the frozen Frankenstein Monster (Glenn Strange) and the Wolf Man (Lon Chaney, Jr.) buried under the ruins of the infamous Frankenstein laboratory. When he
brings them back to life, the Monster is uncontrollable and drags him to a watery grave.
House of Dracula: Dracula arrives at Dr. Edelman's office asking for a cure to his vampirism, but this is a ruse by Dracula to get near Dr. Edelman's beautiful female assistant and turn her into a vampire. Meanwhile, a sincere Lawrence Talbot, AKA the Wolfman, arrives seeking a cure for his lycanthropy. When Dr. Edelman's first attempt fails, Talbot tries to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff, but instead finds a network of underground caves where Frankenstein's Monster is in stasis. Chaos ensues as the three monsters fight for dominance of one another.
Written and presented by Robin Bailes @robinbailes
Directed and Edited by Graham Trelfer
DARK CORNERS OF THIS SICK WORLD:
Destiny Lon Chaney Jr. and the Universal Wolfman Films
#LonChaneyJr #DarkCorners #Wolfman - Komedie
Hot off the press, pick up Robin's Old Dark House inspired book "The Wolf, The Raven and the Black Cat" today. amzn.to/3zrpZry
More inspired by The Black Cat and The Raven.
I still hate Cat People.
Bela accepted being a wolf, his character was through and through the same beast. Lon's character has his humanity fighting the monster.
@@robinbailes5236 great
@@robinbailes5236 I look Dangerfield
Claude Rains' performance here rarely gets the appreciation it deserves. While it's true that Chaney's bravura turn as Larry/ the Wolf Man makes the film, Rains crafts a sympathetic, slightly overwhelmed, ultimately heartbroken figure. Not for nothing is he my favorite actor of the classic era.
I couldn’t agree more!
Claude Rains could read a bar tab and make it sound like a soliloquy.
Patrick McGoohan had a similar quality.
Before I even begin to watch this video I just want to say thanks to you and all the other monster kids who put this type of content up, any escape from the horror show that has become our modern reality is greatly appreciated.
well put, many of us feel that way.
@taroman7100 Hey, I'm just asking what do you mean or the other guy you agree with the horror show that's become our reality?.
Lon Chaney Jr's favourite performance for me has to be in Spider Baby, where he gives a heartfelt performance in spite of the movie's weird premise. Plus, that theme song is solid gold..!
Take 6 legs from a hairy beast, now you have a cannibal feast! Lol
This movie has been in my list for awhile to watch!
Never heard of it thanks for the mention!
recommended.
Couldn't agree more. Always thought that myself. And theme song is truly a gem.
One of my earliest memories was being around 3 or 4 years old and I was playing in the back yard in my tree house when my mom said "honey do you want to come in? The Wolf Man's on T.V." I couldn't get down out of that tree fast enough. I think that was the moment I was aware I was a Horror fan.
Nice Story!
Sounds like me in the mid-70's when I was 8 and 9 and my 7 year older brother would call me in to watch The Wolf Man. Ironically here in NYC metro area, WOR showed Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man more than The Wolf Man. A few years later, my father would buy me the 8mm films to run on a projector since we didn't have a VHS player then.
@@flexiblestrategist9922 Oh! What a sweet thing for your dad to do... do you still have those old films? That would be awesome if you did.
Another triumph, fellas. My favorite non-canine role of Cheney Jr. was in Spider Baby. His pathos works for different reasons and elevates the story.
No whay. It's Al Adamson's The Female Bunch as Chaney's character lusts after a heroin addict gangster chick.
Damn, he was versatile as hell. Great actor, his performance in Spiderbaby is stellar.
I totally agree 👍.... but don't get me wrong but Lon Chaney Jr. was pretty sinister in the sci-fi horror flick "The Alligator People"
Man ya beat me to it. Cheesy bit creepy. Ever see the Unknown 1927 Chaney Senior? Very young Joan Crawford? Directed by Tod Browning Dracula?
@@scottschlemmer4787 "the Unknown" he played Alonso the armless
Thank you for this fine documentary.
You have given Lon Chaney Jr. the respect - and compassion - that has been long overdue.
After all, he descended from Royal blood…his father will ALWAYS be The King of the Monsters‼️
That is so true and well put!
“Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night,
may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.”
A childhood favorite, and on my Halloweeen watchlist every year. Have a great Halloween eveybody!
Truly a classic performance. Fun little trivia: After Wolfman became a hit, trick or treaters would ask Cheney to do the howl on Halloween
There are scant few horror films which caused me to become sullen, but the end to "The Wolf Man" made me become more than a bit teary-eyed. To my mind, the climax to "The Wolfman" is something akin to Greek tragedy. The look on Sir John's face was an amalgam of disbelief and soul-crushing sorrow. Many thanks for this amazing in-depth review of my favorite monster from the classic Universal lineup. Bravo, Robin!
The transformation scene in Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man is terrific
Wolfman had such an incredible cast to support Lon, Claude Rains, a three-time Oscar nominee, Ralph Bellamy, another Oscar nominee, Evelyn Ankers, Bela Lugosi, even though his role is very small and the wonderful Maria Ouspenskaya. It all makes for a tremendous film. Thank you for a terrific and honest retrospective!
I love all those monsters movies the wolf man is my favorite also bela lagosie & Chris Lee as count Dracula & William Marshall as blacula
Excellent work! The 1941 film is actually my favorite Universal monster movie, and Chaney is largely responsible for that. This is a great piece of journalism AND celebration.
This was amazing. I love “Son of Dracula” more than most people, but my mother absolutely adored “Mice and Men” - whenever it was on TCM she would recite Chaney’s lines like she was gonna play the role herself.
I love Of Mice And Men too but it has one trouble, not its own fault. So many WB cartoons with the line "which way did he go, George?" done in a Lon Chaney impression almost ruins his performance if you grew up with the cartoons.
@@frederickburke9944
That is how much impact Lon Chaney's performance had.
It became iconic.
And still so true to the character.
@@charlie-obrien agree
I got Universal Classic Monsters. It's Good. 30 Film Collection.
I thought I didn't have Wolfman....so watching this I looked at it...and it's there. I think Son of Dracula is in it, also. I sound like a commercial. Ick.
Son of Dracula is sensational.
Every frame of The Wolf Man is gorgeous. Black and white at its best will always rule. Your treatment of the character and of Chaney here are truly moving and dignified. You made me think of things I hadn't considered. Another fine effort.
You certainly got that right.
Very happy with this video. Chaney Jr. was a much better actor than he was given credit for in the past. From what I read, in his later years he was considered a real pro of a character actor and someone younger actors looked up to. Excellent video!
"The Wolf Man" is my favorite monster for the reason he doesn't want to be a werewolf. Lon Chaney, Jr. was such a good actor and it's too bad he wasn't given more opportunities. He's excellent in "Of Mice and Men" and just his small role in "High Noon". He really seemed like an average Joe and the dog story sounds like something he'd do.
I remember the first time I watched Roger Corman's "The Haunted Palace" and being so surprised and delighted when Chaney stepped out of the shadows; I legitimately had no idea he was in the movie and it was a thrill getting to watch him alongside Vincent Price
Just finished watching all of the old monster movies, Lon Chaney added so much to the character. I am glad he was the only one to play the wolfman during its time. Wouldn't have worked with anyone else
Wowow! What a lot of great great work here, the telling of Lon Cheney and his Wolfman! Soooo well done
Thank you so much 😀
I adore Chaney and the Wolfman movies. Thank you so much for this masterpiece.
Terrific stuff as always. I've always loved The Wolf Man and Larry Talbot as a tragic sympathetic character and my favourite of the Universal Monsters. A large part of that is down to the always wonderfully affecting performance. Thanks Lon.
In a way, I owe The Wolf Man a debt to my interest in horror and my fascination with monsters.
I first watched it as a nine-year old on a used VHS tape and I was immersed in the haunting forest sets, the intellectual dialogue when discussing the psychology behind werewolfism, and the compelling father/son dynamic. Then again, I always latch onto movie characters with imperfect relationships with fathers. This was all the beginning of shaping how I view horror.
It truly is a genre that takes human concepts to the most extreme places, and tests both the characters and viewers, with the final outcome of these films influencing what happens with the characters and how the viewer sees the world. Horror films have fuelled my desire to explore many aspects of the world and human psychology (I'm not a psychiatrist; just personal interests), and for a genre still maligned by some, I think it can be the most open-minded.
As an autistic person as well, I see a lot of myself in the classic movie monsters, because some are outsiders like the Frankenstein monster and King Kong, and some struggle with their inner demons like the Wolf Man.
I always felt so bad for Creighton. His dad apparently didn't want him to be in films but pressure. I think that is what did his head in along with being told lies. He was a great actor and my favourite thing about The Wolfman was his cute little feet!🤗 Thanks for the care you took with this story. X
I always wondered if he knew that his mother also survived a suicide attempt.
@@ttintagelHe probably knew by the time of his adulthood. I think after his father's death, the media even found his ex wife and she was interviewed. It's common knowledge so no way he wouldn't have known at that point
One of the first mentions of Lycanthropy is in a Greek myth about a father who murders his son, prepares the body into a meal, then invites the gods to a feast.
They become mortified when they realize they're eating the human flesh of his son and punish the father by turning him into a part man, part wolf creature.
Perhaps thats where they got the father/son dynamic for the Cheney film and why he was drawn to the creature because of the issue with his own father.
Comment on the imagery: I once had a friend confide that he was terrified of the wolf man but didn't know why. I replied that he wouldn't be that scared of a wolf....therefore the most terrifying aspect of the creature is not the wolf....but the MAN.
0
Lon, is excellent as the tormented Larry and the werewolf legend is very well explained during the film. The make up is really good for the time. Claude raines as the father is just completely superb, loving caring and supportive. I think this kicks the 7 bells out of the wolfman 2010. A really good video, done with both care and respect.
"The Wolf Man might seem like an underdog..." -- well played.
Impressive video! I love how much research you put into this. I had no idea that Lon Chaney Jr. attempted suicide at one point. It sounds like he lived a somewhat tragic life, but his legacy will never be forgotten.
These documentaries truly deserve hundreds of thousands of views!
Brilliant as usual DC 👏
The irony of Claude Rains playing Larry Talbots father in The Wolfman is that Rains would go on to play The Phantom Of The Opera, a role previously played by Lon Chaney SR.
Bela was quite the ladies man when we was very young. He was very handsome.
I'm a big fan, always have been, since I'm a Monster Kid. Catch his Inner Sanctum series. Great little B's, very worthwhile, with Lon playing a different character in each film. It's needless to say he's superb as Lennie in Of Mice and Men, but he also has an extremely moving bit part in High Noon. In general, you really can't go wrong checking out Chaney, Jr. whenever he is available! 👍
I only discovered the classic Universal Monster movies this year, but Lon Chaney Jr.‘s performance in The Wolf Man is what got me to watch the rest! I had never seen him in anything before and seeing his emotional, sincere performance as Larry Talbot really moved me. Such an amazing actor! I was also very happy to see he was the only actor to ever portray Talbot which is what helped make him such a consistent character throughout the sequels. This was a fantastic review of those films while also highlighting Chaney Jr.‘s performances!
WOOHOO! So glad this came up -- I clicked as soon as I saw it and I haven't even watched it yet but I know it'll be great :D [Edit: I really believe that the Wolf Man series wouldn't have worked half as well without Lon Chaney Jr. He brought a sincere sweetness to the character of Talbot which couldn't have been adequately replicated by any other actor of the time, in my opinion.]
Man, I love this channel so much.
I agree with you about the casting of “The Wolf Man.” Claude Rains and Warren William are two of my favorite actors. My oldest son, now 26, first saw this with me when he was about 10. It’s credit to Chaney that my son felt so sorry for his character that he cried at the end. We still watch it every Halloween.
You made illusions to the fact that no one else could have played The Wolfman/Larry, which is something I've never really thought about before (given, I suppose, that no one else did play the character).... and I think you're entirely right. Another great video as always.
Favorite non-wolfman roles by Chaney - all the horror films he did with Universal (Magnetic Monster, Mummy, Son of Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster). Also - Spider Baby, Witchcraft, Of Mice and Men, The Haunted Palace.
Chaney just brought so much pathos to the character of Larry Talbot and made it his own. Even when I first saw these movies as a child his vivid portrayal resonated with me. And that's the great thing about about all the classic horror films -- they presented sharply defined, archetypical characters that easily transcended social/cultural barriers. Lon Chaney Jr. belonged to this breed of actors.
Favourite non-Wolfman? Got to be Spider Baby
Thanks so much for this! The Wolf Man was always my favourite of the classic monsters.
Great documentary on my favorite monster ever, thanks Robin ! My favorite non-wolfman role from Chaney : Manon in Alligator People (and the fact that my big sister's name is Manon, that makes it even better :D )
Glad you gave Werewolf of London some time in the limelight too. One of the most underrated Universal Monster movies. You were definitely right in pointing out its flaws though, and it is easy to see why Wolf Man caught on and it did not (extra thanks to Chaney of course.)
Wow! This is a fantastic journey through the Universal Wolf Man movies. I’ve seen other retrospective documentaries but you folks have greatly outshone all of them. I actually choked up seeing the similarities between Lon Chaney Jr. and Larry Talbot. Well done!!!
Sad demise for such great iconic actors in Bella Legosi and Lon Chaney Jnr
I can’t wait to hear Dark Corners the Creature from the Black Lagoon retrospective, I’m sure you will find more fascinating and fantastic facts about the Black Lagoon trilogy of films.
P.S. keep up the awesome work you people do for these reviews 👍🏼✌🏼
This channel is awesome. So good to see the greatest Horror films of our past still being talked about and cherished. The fact there hasn't been a truly great Werewolf film in 40 years is a testament to how special this era was in Horror film history
Glad to see i'm not the only one who also happens to prefer Henry Hulls Werewolf makeup to Lon Chaney's
The Wolfman was always my favorite Universal monster - Chaney's performances were no doubt a big part of the reason why. Thank you for this moving documentary. I never knew of the suicide attempt before; I presume it hasn't been all that widely-reported until recent years. -- I certainly hope people will not be judgemental toward Chaney over it. The man certainly had enough tragedy in his life for it to be understandable, I think. Thumbs up, people.
Another outstanding special, Robin & Graham, thanks as always for all the effort you put into making these retrospectives shine! 😁
And my favorite LCJ role outside of the Wolfman is still the heartbreakingly naive & tragic Lennie from _Of Mice and Men,_ foreshadowing the pathos many of his future roles would carry 😢
I love when you do these in-depth analysis videos. I know these spotlight videos take a lot of work, but the high quality really shows! The research is top-notched, and the clips are perfect. I eagerly look forward to your next one.
Delicious. Everything this channel puts out is worthwhile, but these occasional lengthy deep dives are truly special.
Heartbreaking how dirty Universal treated these iconic actors at the end...
Wonderful video. I only just found you via the YT algorithm but I love the content you cover and the way you do it.
I’ve always had a soft spot for the Wolfman. The other Universal monsters still scared me as a kid with their alien natures, but the pathos Lon Cheney Jr. brought to the role of the werewolf always made him more easy to identify with.
Once again, I have to give you guys so much credit, especially in terms of the great source of research this proved to be. This really helped me in a blog review I did of The Wolf Man, which will come out this October, and I felt the need to encourage people to check this video out. I also feel the same for your Bela Lugosi documentaries. Really good stuff, and I always love seeing someone giving classic horror some much needed love.
Happy Halloweekend Dark Corners!! I always watch the Classic Wolf man movie every Halloween along with Abbott and Costello Meets Frankenstein!!
You give me ideas!🎃😉
Excellent Documentary! The Wolf-Man has always been my favorite Universal Monster and fostered a love of werewolves in general. Personally, I think it is the BEST werewolf film of all time, and coincidentally originates most of the iconic "werewolf-isms" we see in nearly all the later werewolf films. You positively bring out all the goodies of the Larry Talbot character and 'His' legendary actor Lon Cheney Jr. It's like "watching" an Issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland, rather than just reading one. 11:51 - I have come to the "fan fiction in my own mind" that a Werewolf becomes MORE wolf-like the longer he or she holds the 'curse'. Bela might have been a very old Werewolf, while Larry, a comparative Nube retains more human traits which would eventually change with the passing decades (had he not been unsuccessfully killed so many times). And although these days, that voyeuristic instinct that Larry "displays" by "creeping on Gwen" (11:42) makes most people cringe, it is a very "wolfish" aesthetic, perhaps another "shadow of the mind" aspect of Siodmak's psychological script.
fantastic, I saw all this as a young kid in the early 70's and Lon Chaney Jr.'s bucket loads of pathos was really what sold the whole thing to child's mind.
My first and still my favorite horror movie. Thank you
Thank you for this, Dark Corners spoils us! Nice shirt! Beware of the moors & stay on the path. Oops!
This is an incredibly moving documentary. Thank you so much! I confess I've never really been interested in the Wolf Man. Seemed very "meh" to me, so I'd never bothered to look up the films. What a wonderful, heartfelt performance I've been missing! Much thanks for all the work you do.
The Wolfman is awesome.
He really sold me on the fact that the werewolf was a man at heart, his movements were exactly what I'd think a real werewolf would move like...
Bravo! Your finest work. Accurate, compassionate, detailed, & as loving as any Monster Kid could wish. Chaney so deserved this calibre of tribute. To have hit as well on the outliers in Universal's werewolf canon, without any awkwardness, was a master touch. I'll be saving this one to watch again & again. Thank you so much! 🐺
The Wolf Man was always my favorite universal monster/character
Ralph Bellamy.
You were a child of the sun and the sky and the deep blue sea.
What do you want me to say? Another laudable labor of love from Robin. Just wonderful.
Many thanks!
Moving comprenensive tribute. Always thought Wolf man more a personal tragedy than a horror film. Chaney magnificent.
Excellent overview! Detailed and sympathetic, it's the best study of the Wolf Man series I've seen.
The biggest what if I would love to have seen was the Lugosi/Chaney Dracula vs the Wolf Man. What could have been...
... except I'm not sure about that "giant bat" idea.
The closest we got to seeing that was in Abbott and Costello meets Frankenstein.
Great essay. I must agree with a previous post. His role in Spider Baby was amazing. My fave.
Good job. Chaney deserves the praise.
Often said that my three favorite actors are Lon Chaney Sr, Claude Rains, and Creighton Chaney (Lon Jr). As for the Wolf Man franchise my two favorite films are The Wolf Man (1941) and House of Dracula (1945).
Fantastic video! I just watched this film (The Wolfman) a few days ago, but now I think I'll go ahead and watch it again! Another great movie that Lon Chaney Jr did that was not part of any of the classic universal stuff was a sci-fi horror film from the 1950s, the alligator people. That is a really cool little horror flick.
Being today is Halloween I needed something to watch , thanks for making this documentary, it's an excellent one at that.
As a kid..I could not get enough these movies!
Aw, Moose licking the Mummy's face 😍❤🐶
If the dapper little Claude Rains is the father, and the hulking Lon Chaney is the son; I wonder what Mrs Talbot looked like?
That plaster pillow trick in the transformation sequence is very neat.
It wasn't a starring role, but it was nice to see Lon Chaney Jr pop up in "High Noon".
Fantastic piece. I love the horror from that era, and Lon Chaney was so awesome!
Unlike all other universal horror icons, Lon Chaney remains a real human being accessible to us and sympathetic in the extreme, both in his ebullient and tortured aspects. I recall, upon first having seen the wolfman as a lad of 12 in 1959 on a local TV franchise, how struck and smitten I was with both his portrayal and his persona. Of course I was impressed with the work of Karloff and Lugosi and the power of their creations, but in neither case was I personally moved to the point of empathy and love even the underlying soul that evoked this character to such depth and sincerity.
Indeed, if one pairs away the non Lawrence talbot/wolf man scenarios and focuses on Lon Chaney's work from start to finish, it is a seamless artistic testament to his dedication to authenticity and emotional truth. Karloff was a great thespian, and a master of evocation through stylistic skills.. but go see was a magnetic and charismatic presence, pure and simple. But lawn was a human being from start to finish, lovable in many ways, painfully tormented in others, but in either case gripping us personally and indelibly. Even when one beholds him in the final Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein, we see the same authenticity and depth at work, despite the near presence of slapstick and parody.. he is playing it as straight as an arrow, and his gravitas is no less profound than in the original Q Wolfman film.
This is also evident in the outtakes that are viewable online from Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein, in which, when Lou Costello or one of his companions is clowning around, and interrupts a scene in which Cheney is emoting at great depth, Cheney is troubled and confused for a few moments as he is required to emerge from his character and to return to the surface in order to be at least somewhat appropriate to the fun and nonsense that bud and Lou needed to generate on the set in order for the comic energy to remain at its highest. Likewise wit Bella lugosi, who's consummate professionalism did not allow him to simply and easily step out of character.
Well I shall remember all of my universal stars and supporting players with great affection and admiration, it is Lon Chaney whom I hold in my heart with a childish kind of love and devotion, and, as an adult, and abiding compassion and tenderness.
Thank you for this sensitively created overview of the man and his work in the Canon of the Wolfman - the consummate League beautiful co-creation of Jack Pierce and Lon Chaney, under the angelic guidance of Kurt Siodmak's skillful hand.
Great job! Chaney’s wolf man is my favorite Universal monster.
Long Chaney Jr. Was the retired sheriff in High Noon that Gary Cooper consults with upon learning the killers are on their way to town to settle scores. Its a short but important screen.
I love the wolfman and other universal wolfman movies with Lon Chaney. Thanks for this story.❤
Whoa. Love Chaney Jr, who's career is deeply overlooked by his legendary father
Thank you for this! I love the Universal Monster movies, with Wolf Man being my favorite :)
"Handog pathos" is the perfect way to sum up Lon Chaney Jr.'s brooding intensity as Larry Talbot! Fantastic video!
This was terrific. One of the best videos on your channel. Honestly, it deserves to be in the bonus features on a release.
Both Lon Chaney Sr. and Jr. were accomplished actors. It's so sad that Lon Chaney Jr. struggled with low self-esteem and alcoholism.
Another brilliant documentary! My favorite Lon Chaney, Jr. film - the one that bombed - as Lenny in Of mice and men. He also played "Lenny" in an episode of The Monkees called "Monkees in a Ghost Town".
I have often thought that his father would be so proud of the work he did.
I'm glad you mentioned Moose, Lon Chaney Jr.'s beloved dog.
My favorite of these was the unifying with Abbott and Costello. A real remembrance that made me laugh.
For 40 years I've been mesmerized by his portrayal of the tragic Lawrence Talbot. No one could have done it better.
I’ve been waiting for this one for so long!
The wolfman and werewolfs were always my favorite monster. I used to like collecting the Aurora Monster Model kits in the early 70s ...im sure some of y'all remember them. Also who remembers those old Super 8 films on your Bell and Howell projectors. Ah how i miss my youth.
Love your retrospectives . Thorough and entertaining 👌
Very nice. Saturday Afternoons and Late Nights fed us a steady diet of Monster movies. Sir Graves Ghastly, The Ghoul (on Fridays), were a hoot.
A fantastic special.
Fantastic review!! The WOLFMAN has been my most favorite for decades. No matter how many times I watch these classics I still get goose bumps! :)
I always thought that the original 1941 "Wolf Man" was my favorite and I never got a chance to fully see the other movies (Wolf Man, Frankenstein, and Dracula movies with Lon Chaney Jr.). Therefore, I didn't realize that the character Larry Talbot got a 2nd chance again to live. Unfortunately, for the updated version of The Wolf Man with Benicio Del Toro, his character was not that lucky for redemption. Thanks for this video, I grew up watching most of the Universal Horror films.❤
Have you ever watched the the Castle Films edit of the Wolf Man that cuts the movie down to 10 minutes? Its actually pretty fascinating, they did it with a bunch of old movies and none of them make any sense
Great stuff guys I love you documentaries! Can’t wait for the next one.
What a great retrospective video; informative, appreciative and entertaining.