Eighty-four years after The Werewolf, Universal’s black and white classic starring Lon Chaney Jr., Hollywood is taking a new look at this cinema myth. In Wolf Man, a father injured after a car accident sees his world collapse when he realizes that he is changing…
The film favors practical, realistic effects and makeup over digital tricks. A know-how reminiscent of the heyday of horror cinema. It is no coincidence that the main inspiration for this Wolf Man is none other than… The Fly by David Cronenberg. Meeting with the film crew.
Imagine a new monster
Leigh Whannelscreenwriter and director: “I knew I wanted the monster to be grounded in reality. I wanted to approach this story more from an illness perspective rather than a supernatural or folklore perspective. So I thought about how I could distinguish myself. I googled a lot of things that weren’t fun to watch.”
Transform into a monster
Christopher Abbottmain actor: “I worked with Or Schraiber, a dancer who helped me find different body movements. We sent each other videos of animals, strange dances, we had to find something unique because it would just be ridiculous to imitate the wolf.”
“For makeup, it was difficult. I had worn prosthetics before, but not to this extent. It ranged from two hours to seven and a half hours of makeup a day. There were several pieces to put together. Those on the chest were quite heavy which pressed on the rib cage. The headdress was also very heavy, my jaw was hanging…so the body movements I was working on changed naturally from that point on.“
Escape from the monster
Julia Garnermain actress: “When I read the script for the film, I didn’t realize how far I was going to run to be honest (laughs). After the first act, the tension never drops and the chase scenes follow one another. I spent over three months running around, it was a very physical shoot.”
100% makeup and practical effects
Leigh Whannelscreenwriter and director: “I’m a big fan of practical effects and not just out of simple nostalgia. Digital effects can be wonderful too but when I watch a film I want something organic, like you can touch it.”
“Practical effects can be grimy and not always perfect. There’s a shot in the film, without giving too much away, where it’s about growing nails. Someone might say, “Oh, that doesn’t look realistic.” But you have to accept this when using practical effects. You have to accept the grating side of things and the fact that it’s not “perfect”. I’d rather it not be perfect and be real than try to make something too smooth.”
Comments collected by Thomas Desroches on January 6, 2025.
Wolf Man by Leigh Whannell can be seen at the cinema
Original article published on AlloCiné
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