Screen Weres and Shifters

We haven't talked about this yet, so let's hear about your favourite screen portrayals of werewolves and shifters.

Here are a few of mine.

I remember some from my early love affair with old horror films - such as The Wolf Man with Claude Rains and Lon Chainey. I liked the gothic element in such films, and although I haven't yet managed to see it, from the trailers I think the 2010 remake with Anthony Hopkins follows this tradition.

The next one I remember was An American Werewolf in London, which to be honest I found a bit of a gorefest!   But it's now regarded as a bit of a classic, so maybe it's time for a re-watch!

And then there was Company of Wolves, based on an Angela Carter story, and I loved this to bits! It mingles fantasy, fairy stories and folk tales with a bit of  gothic horror and romance. It can be quite hard to follow - especially after a few drinks on a Saturday night! - but it's well worth the effort for sheer atmosphere.

Digging up my memory for old tv series about werewolves, I remember  a BBC one about a young woman who used to lock herself in her flat every full moon with a large supply of raw steak and hope she never got out. There was a plot about releasing wolves into the wild in the Scottish Highlands too - anyone else remember this? No idea what it was called now, but I got very involved in it at the time!

More recently, a werewolves made their appearance in Dr. Who, when the Doctor discovered one imprisoned in the cellar of a Scottish castle, primed to kill Queen Victoria. That was fun.

  

And of course, we have both werewolves and shapeshifters in True Blood. Sam is the amiable bar tender who can shift into any animal from insects up the food chain, but has a preference for this equally amiable dog.  Of course, he isn't always amiable as the series goes on...




Both shifters and vampires in True Blood, appear to loathe the werewolves, although of course Sookie makes friends with what seems to be a very honourable and attractive werewolf called Alcide.

What others have I missed? Tell us your favourites!

Marie