Teen Wolf (1985)

Very Cool!!!

hyped garbage

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I have always enjoyed "Teen Wolf" since the first time I saw it as a child at about 10 or 11 years old. And even today I still think this is a good movie. It is just one of those types of movies that never becomes outdated."Teen Wolf" along with "Back to the Future" were the movies that made me become a fan of Michael J. Fox, another thing that still holds true today.The story in "Teen Wolf" is about Scott (played by Michael J. Fox) who is a very average teenager in high school who wishes to be outstanding and special. And when he finds odd changes to his body and he turns into a werewolf he surely does become unique and special.This is a fun and enjoyable teenage romantic comedy that is suitable for the whole family. And it is a fine movie in Michael J. Fox's career.If you are not already familiar with "Teen Wolf" then I can more than warmly recommend that you sit down and watch it.

Teen Wolf is my favorite of Michael J Fox's movies. There is no doubt Back To The Future is a higher quality and better crafted film, but there is a special place in my heart for the crazier, more outrageous classic Teen Wolf. Michael J Fox is a fairly normal teenage dude that is bored with being average. He soon goes through some changes that make him the talk of the town. Once he confesses to his friend Styles that he is a werewolf, Styles then sets a campaign for maximum coolness instantly making him the most popular guy in school. Styles also makes a killing selling Teen Wolf merchandise. Much like every 80's teen movie, our hero has the hots for the stuck up beauty that won't give him the time of day. That is until it becomes fashionable to do so. However, he has a lot of interest from the girl next door, Boof who also looks great but is mad cool as well. This film is grounded by James Hampton(The Longest Yard) who gives a great performance as Michael J Fox's laid back, but caring dad. The father and son chemistry is perfect and without it and without James Hampton, the film would be too silly and not work. Michael J Fox also shows he has some dope moves on the basketball court. His team, The Beavers also has Francis from Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure as one of his team mates, Chubby. He also has a super laid back coach that does not care about anything and gives horrible advice on life. He also has a lot of fun with his crazy buddy Styles. Teen Wolf is a great movie that is very funny but also moves along the story well with good performances and memorable characters.

In the same year that Fox became a superstar going back to the future he also had this little werewolf gem creep out. The title says its all really in its brilliant cheesy way, a typical 80's film title. Young teen Fox slowly discovers that he is in fact a werewolf and its been in the family for generations. In all honesty this is your very standard cheeky 80's high school romp which was the staple diet of many classic comedians throughout the 70's and 80's. The twist in this of course is the supernatural element which is simply a play on the effects of puberty, swapping spots for claws. Its all here as you would expect, the sexy blonde everybody lusts after, the plain brunette our hero never notices, the party obsessed crazy ass best friend, the quiet sensible best friend, the bully, the fat kid, the token black guy (lemonade...awesome character name) and various amusing stereotypical teachers. The best easily being the carefree gum chewing basketball coach.So if you put the predictable teen antics to one side what are the wolf antics like? Well its pretty darn sweet as a matter of fact, and what's more amazing is the makeup effects on show are really quite good. The little sequence of Fox turning into the wolf has clearly been influenced by 'An American Werewolf in London' and its a really well done moment. Its not scary or gruesome in any of course but it still does look quite realistic utilising simple effects and quick editing. His father in wolf mode doesn't look quite as good admittedly, more like a greying woodland animal with puffed up hair.There isn't all that much wolf action so to speak, its mostly more silly high school antics but in wolf mode. Wolf mode gives our hero greater strength, better vision, brains etc...the guy becomes a super werewolf and aces everything in school whilst becoming a ladykiller (not literately). The main events of the film are based around the high school basketball games in which Fox's character usually sucks but naturally as a werewolf he's turned the game on its head. This film actually got me into basketball for a time, it introduced me to the game, because of this I bought NBA Jam hehe. The game segments are really good fun and as the film climaxes it does get a little emotional I can't deny. The game montage accompanied by Mark Safan's 'Win in the End' is glorious mainly down to that corking track. Funny how the underneath of Fox's arms didn't have any werewolf hair applied, always obvious when he raises his arms. I think people can relate to this film in many ways, certain characters despite them being cliché, the problems of popularity, loneliness, bullying, sexuality etc...usual teen stuff. In all fairness this film doesn't really differ much from the vast array of fast food American high school flicks out there, the werewolf angle is only a different representation of teen angst. It shouldn't really be a good film but somehow it is, what you see isn't original and there aren't any dazzling special effects, its more a character/school based fantasy which is simply a good fun little ride. Attractive performances all round especially from Levine as Stiles and a wicked soundtrack make this a solid cult gem.8.5/10

When people complain about the "Twilight"-ifaction of the classic monsters, I like to point out that Stephanie Myer did not invent this phenomenon. Cinema isn't that old a medium. It was only about thirty-so years old when the Universal Monsters came along. It was only twenty-some years later when pop culture overexposure had watered the original horrors down to TV sitcoms, kid cartoons, and breakfast cereals. You can't trace a path from Lon Chaney Jr. hunting maidens on the foggy moors to Taylor Lautner turning into a big shiny husky without passing through "Teen Wolf," a fondly remembered bit of ridiculous eighties nostalgia.The premise is hacky, Hollywood, high concept writing at its best/worst/burst. Scott Howard is a high school student who's not quite a loser but definitely isn't cool. He plays, poorly, basketball for his school's poor basketball team. His friends are weirdoes obsessed with van-surfing who can only get into the good parties by promising to bring booze. His object of desire, the hottest girl in school is also a drama student somehow, is way out of his league. All of this is confounded when Scott finds out he's a werewolf. While horrified at first, the powers that come along with the transformations quickly make Scott the most popular kid in school. But, ah, the screenplay implores us, will Scott learn to accept himself for who he is? If that plot synopsis didn't clue you in, "Teen Wolf' is an exceptionally dumb movie. Co-written by Jeph Loeb, a frequently terrible comic writer who gets a life-time pass for "Commando," the movie takes place in that bizarro high school world that only exists in 1980s comedies. One of Scott's basketball teammates is a big fat guy clearly in his thirties. Even the perpetually youthful Michael J. Fox looks a bit too old for this. Jerry Levine plays Scott's best friend, Stiles, a really bizarre creation. Aside from the van surfing, he wears obnoxious t-shirts and MCs inexplicable party games, one of which involve two people in their underwear, tied up and covered in whipped cream. The entire premise hinges on the student body finding a kid turning into a werewolf to be the coolest thing ever. That strikes me as somewhat unlikely. Despite this being made in the mid-eighties, the film parodies "Saturday Night Fever" during the prom scene.Despite its general dumbness, "Teen Wolf" manages to mildly amuse at times. Released the same year as "Back to the Future," Fox is as charming as ever, making his bizarre character a likable every-kid. Even when Scott's sudden popularity is suppose to turn him into a huge jerk, Fox makes him immensely likable. Occasionally, the movie's lame humor catches up with its wacky premise. The basketball couch delivers rambling, heart-to-heart speeches that are in no way helpful. James Hampton is delightfully dead-pan as Scott's very patience father. The jerk principal subplot pays off nicely. Susan Ursitti is also over-qualified as Scott's childhood friend. You know the two of them are going to end up together and it's clear she loves him. However, Ursitti and Fox have great chemistry and she's likable enough to make the obvious plot mechanics less clunky.Like all ridiculous high school stories, "Teen Wolf" tries to play its deeply inane premise for drama in the last act. The school turns on the wolf and Scott is forced to prove himself at the final basketball game. It makes the preceding stupidity seems even more stupid in retrospect, no more so then when an overdone ballad plays over the slow-motion end-credits. The werewolf make-up isn't very good and, considering the tiny budget, it's no surprise that there's only one on-screen transformation. The storyline involving Scott's crush, her douche bag boyfriend, and the drama teacher is terrible. The sometimes homophobic dialogue will probably make you wince. "Teen Wolf" is an occasionally entertaining stupid kid's movie that's a bit too raunchy for kids. Aside from a terrible cartoon show and terrible sequel, the movie would also lend its title to a terrible MTV supernatural romance soap-opera, bringing the "Twilight' connection full-circle.