Absolutely the worst movie.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Having reviewed many werewolf movies for the past week in mostly chronological order, I'm now at the first one made in color and the only one made by the British company Hammer Films. Previously, I've only seen one Hammer film in its entirety though I don't remember the exact title. Unlike the previous wolf pics, this one has some gore so there's no doubt what the wolf does to his victims. While watching, I didn't understand why this child Leon would turn into a werewolf as I don't think I heard clearly the explanation during the dialogue scenes, so I'm thankful for Wikipedia for providing the complete synopsis. When Leon grows up, he's played by Oliver Reed in his first starring role. Reed is aces in the role as is all the supporting players of which the only other one I recognized was Desmond Llewelyn who was the greeter at the door for the beggar at the beginning. This was before he took on the role of Q in the James Bond flicks. Aided by fine direction by Terence Fisher, I highly recommend The Curse of the Werewolf.

This movie begins about 200 years ago in the small Spanish village of Santa Vera when a beggar arrives and seeks food at a nearby castle belonging to an evil man by the name of "Marques Siniestro" (Anthony Dawson). Although he receives both food and wine he is humiliated in the process and, without much thought, imprisoned by the Marques because of an unintended slight. Time passes and eventually the beggar is totally forgotten about in his prison cell. Then one day when the beggar has gotten quite old an attractive young woman named "Cristina" (Catherine Feller) is also sent into the same prison cell because she failed to answer a question by the Marques due to her being mute. She is then raped by the beggar who dies not too long afterward. A day or two afterward she is sent back to the Marques but when he attempts to have his way with her she kills him and flees into the woods. She then proceeds to live in the woods like a wild animal before being rescued by a nice man named "Don Alfredo" (Clifford Evans). Although her wounds are treated it is soon discovered that she is pregnant and a few months later gives berth to a son named "Leon" (Oliver Reed) on Christmas Day. Unfortunately, being born on this specific day is considered unlucky by the people of the village and eventually the sum of all of these inauspicious events catches up to him and turn him into a werewolf when the moon is full. Naturally, it is during this time that terrible events happen which sets the course for the rest of the movie. Now, rather than reveal any more. I will just say that this film spent quite a bit of time attempting to provide its own interpretation on the origins of lycanthropy but doesn't really get involved in the horror or action sequences until the last third of the movie. This causes the film to seem rather slow and dull at times and not up to the usual standards of a Hammer film. At least, that is my opinion. In any case, I have rated this movie accordingly. Slightly below average.

I liked this because it wasn't your standard Universal Studios werewolf movie.First, it's set in Spain, not in Romania. The movie starts a bit slow as it's the origin story of how the werewolf is born and not via a gypsy curse. Then the boy's family and the priest are very sympathetic and even the werewolf begs them to kill him. This movie is so different. Even the ending where the werewolf, shot by his father, dies at the top of the church tower and does NOT transform back.The only issue I had was the rape origin story and potential rape by the nobleman. The rape was tastefully done and over dramatic, but I felt it wasn't necessary.

In Spain, Leon (Oliver Reed) is born on Christmas day to a mute servant girl (Yvonne Romain) who was legitimately raped by a beggar (Richard Wordsworth). His mother dies giving birth and he is looked after by Don Alfredo Corledo (Clifford Evans).While Hammer made a name for themselves with Christopher Lee's vampire films, they never really were known for doing werewolves. In fact, this was the only werewolf picture they ever made. That gives it a bit of power in itself, as this has to be seen as Hammer's specific view on lycanthropy.You have to love the mythology here about how a werewolf is created (although it comes off a bit confused), and some boundaries were clearly pushed; a few minutes were cut by censors, and it is unclear if they were ever put back in. The movie focuses a lot on Leon as a human, and it builds slowly through his life (spending a fair amount of time on his father). Those who want to see the wolf early and often will not be pleased. But if you like a solid plot, good story structure and a piece of humanity, this film has a lot to offer.Oliver Reed deserves recognition for having a strong breakout performance here, though he was surely not the man in the makeup for all the roof-jumping scenes. Richard Wordsworth (the beggar) is the strongest actor here, and he needs to be singled out. Hammer fans will also know him from "The Revenge of Frankenstein" (1958), also directed by Terence Fisher.Viewers will take notice of Catherine Feller, Leon's love interest, as she has a very distinct look. Feller is something of a mystery, not having a long list of credits to her name; even her birth date seems a mystery. If a decent DVD were to be released of this film, it would be incredible to track her down for an interview or commentary.Bonus: the name Leon means lion, a kind of cat. In this film, however, he transforms into a wolf, a kind of dog. Was this intentional?