The Awkward Movie Challenge: I Was a Teenage Werewolf
Jeffrey:
Woof!
Unfortunately for those people who were hoping to see some blood, once again, Mike and I are on the same page. (Incidentally, have we disagreed on a movie besides Rock n’ Roll High School? It may be time to start watching ’90s teen movies so we can finally get some arguments going. One guess as to which of us is more partial to that particular genre … ) The only place we differ is in our enthusiasm. Mike gives Teenage Werewolf a solid thumbs up, while I raise my thumb proudly above my forehead on this one. The difference in our levels of appreciation could be related to the fact that Mike has seen far more classic monster movies than I have … or it could be because of my aforementioned adoration for teen movies. Which is what this film really is at heart.
Whatever the explanation, I thought I Was a Teenage Werewolf was a terrific flick. As a story about teen angst, I found the allegorical approach to be more touching than anything in Rebel Without a Cause. (Yes, I just went on record saying I Was a Teenage Werewolf is a better film than Rebel Without a Cause. Suck it, Mineo!) Michael Landon gives a surprisingly engaging performance as the roughneck Tony, and the script is much smarter than it had any right to be. As a warning about the dangers of psychological manipulation, the film is a worthy precursor to A Clockwork Orange. Even the silly and completely unnecessary musical number (“Eeny Meeny Miney Mo”) is a gas.
"For the last time, Tony, you really have to start wearing your retainer."
The only place in which Teenage Werewolf really failed me was in its ending … once Tony has been outed as the werewolf, the film stops focusing on the teen angst theme and it turns into a by-the-book monster hunt. Thankfully, the film is only 70 minutes long, so the stock moments don’t drag it down too badly. And sure, the werewolf makeup is wholly ridiculous … it’s hard to imagine werewolf Tony doing much damage when he can barely open his mouth. But, overall, I found it to be a wholly engaging monster flick that’s well worth a look if you have any interest in this sort of thing. I kind of don’t, and I loved it. Yes, the title has become silly camp shorthand, but don’t let that dissuade you. I Was a Teenage Werewolf has really got teeth! Lots and lots of unnecessary teeth.
On the Awkward scale of pizzas, I give I Was a Teenage Werewolf … five pizzas!
Pages: 1 2
Rebel has not aged well. Appreciating it requires contextualizing it in the mindset of the time. When I finally was this "classic" film I was all "Um. That's it?"
1I'm upset that neither Dinsmore nor McCarron mentioned that I Was a Teenage Werewolf was the film at the drive-in in Grease (the play), and that back in our musical theater days we'd watch it from the behind the screen every night during that number. I think that memory bumps it up at least one arbitrary counting thing for me.
2