Director: Joe Johnston
Writers: David Self, Andrew Kevin Walker
DVD and Blu-ray release date: June 7 2010
Studio: Universal Pictures UK
Number of discs: 1
Price: Extended cut from £12.71
Running Time: 98/102 mins
Certificate: 15
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Emily Blunt, Hugo Weaving
In the foggy depth of Talbot Hall’s grounds lies a monster more brutal than any previously known. Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) returns to his family home after his brother’s fiance, Emily (Emily Blunt), pleads with him to help find his missing brother, Ben.
After Lawrence’s mother was brutally killed and he was sectioned as a young boy, successful actor Lawrence fled his family, making a life for himself in America. Returning to the sleepy hamlet of Blackmoor, Lawrence’s estranged father (Anthony Hopkins) gives him a warm welcome, breaking the news that Ben’s body has been discovered.
On seeing Ben’s horrifically mutilated corpse, Lawrence is determined to find out what happened to his brother. Investigating the discovery of a gypsy coin on his brother’s corpse leads to the same beast ravaging him.
After a miraculously speedy recovery, Lawrence’s body begins to alter and after a full moon, to his despair he realises he has become one of the same brutal killers that slay his brother. A lynch mob of “backward and foolish” villagers armed with mass produced silver bullets and Scotland Yard Inspector Abberline (Hugo Weaving) come for Lawrence but his father ensures he is locked up once again in Lambeth Asylum.
As Sir John Talbot calmly tells his son, “You have done terrible things Lawrence,” having allowed his son to escape into the woods the night before and carry out these brutalities, it is clear his character has an alternative agenda.
Forcing Lawrence into freezing water tied to a duck chair and a series of other experiments aim to prove he is disillusioned in believing that the full moon turns him into a savage beast. When he is used as part of a demonstration, the scientists and psychiatrists soon realise they were mistaken, running for their lives.
Lawrence realises a killer’s life is not one he wishes to lead and knows to stop the mass killings he must kill his father. Emily has grown to love Lawrence and recognising the humanity inside him refuses to admit death is the only answer: “It is said there is no sin in killing a beast – only a man but where does one begin and the other end?”
A remake of the 1940s classic, remaining faithful to the original plot, Wolfman, brings nothing new to the gothic genre, aside from much advanced slick special effects. Del Toro convincingly portrays the pain of a man forced into a destiny he has no desire to follow, while Hopkins brings nice small touches to his character, like the beast’s gentlemanly removal of his shirt for final battle.
***
Special Features:
Deleted and Extended Scenes.
Includes Unrated Director’s Cut and Theatrical Version of the Film.
Exclusive to Blu-ray:
Includes 2 alternate endings..
Return of the Wolfman: See how Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and director Joe Johnston tapped into the tragic roots of the legend and cinematic lore to unleash a new terror.
The Beast Maker: A detailed look at how legendary make-up wizard Rick Baker transformed a classic monster into a modern nightmare.
Transformation Secrets: Whether transforming werewolves, producing hallucinogenic nightmares or recreating the fog-covered streets of Victorian London, we’ll see how the visual effects team created a haunting world of moonlit monsters and unsettling thrills.
The Wolfman Unleashed: The team behind the stunt and action units shares with us the physical challenges of bringing The Wolfman to life, including the climatic werewolf battle at Talbot Hall.
Digital Copy of the film for a limited time only (expires 6/30/11).
U-Control: Access bonus materials without leaving the movie:
Take Control: Special Makeup Artist Rick Baker, Visual Effects Producer Karen Murphy-Mundel and Director of Photography Shelly Johnson ASC take control of the viewing experience by stepping inside the film to reveal details of the filmmaking process.
Werewolf Legacy, Legend and Lore: Take a virtual tour through over seventy years of Universal’s Wolf Man films and a thousand years of Werewolf mythology.
BD Live™: Access bonus content, trailers and more through an internet-connected player:
The Wolf Man (1941): Watch the first ever online streaming of the original 1941 The Wolf Man for a limited time only.
My Scenes Sharing: Share your favorite scenes with your friends.
My Chat: Chat with friends while you watch The Wolfman and participate in live events.
My Movie Commentary: Create your own text and video commentaries.
Pocket BLU™: Experience Blu-ray™ in an exciting new way with the app for smartphones:
Virtual Remote and Keyboard: Control Blu-ray™ features and communicate with ease.
Mobile-To-Go: Add exclusive bonus features to your device to enjoy anywhere, anytime social BLU™: Connect with friends on your favourite social networks to talk about The Wolfman.
