# Wolfman -Opens this Weekend, Any Early Reviews?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [February 10, 2010, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391 "2010-02-10T05:14:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2010, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/1 "2010-02-10T05:14:16Z")
The promos for the new Wolfman with Anthony Hopkins.
Whats the early buzz for this movie?
My biggest concern is the special effects may over shadow the characters. The tortured characterization of Lon Chaney’s Wolfman makes it special. I wonder who they’ll get to play the Gypsy lady? Maria Ouspenskaya scared the shit out of me the first time I saw this movie. The Gyspy lady was scarier than the wolfman. :eek: I hope they kept this character in the remake.
Maria Ouspenskaya pics
> **[Maria Ouspenskaya (1876-1949) - Find a Grave...](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11480/maria-ouspenskaya)**
>
> Actress. Born in Tula, Russia, she began his career singing at the Warsaw Conservatory and acting at Adasheff's School of the Drama in Moscow. In 1922, she relocated to New York City, New York, and was a regular on Broadway for the next decade. Her...
Some great pics from the original classic movie.
[http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2008/09/film-review-the-wolf-man-1941/](http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2008/09/film-review-the-wolf-man-1941/)
---
### Author:  [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/2 "2010-02-10T05:35:42Z")
I found four reviews at [Rotten Tomatoes](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1194949-wolfman/), but they are from pretty small outfits.
A bigger name, Rex Reed, reviews it here: [http://www.observer.com/2010/culture/wolfman-back](http://www.observer.com/2010/culture/wolfman-back)
Sounds like it’s meh. I also found this:
> [@](#):
>
> Test screenings led to revisions and re-edits, including added computer-generated scenes in which the man-beast rockets across rooftops on all fours. No wonder the opening was delayed at least four times.
Delaying the opening (and opening in February) doesn’t augur well for the film.
---
### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2010, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/3 "2010-02-10T05:43:56Z")
here’s a photo gallery of the wolfman makeup process. Looks a little like Lon Chaney’s wolfman.
There’s 12 images in the gallery.
> **[USA TODAY - Breaking News and Latest News Today](https://www.usatoday.com/)**
>
> USA TODAY delivers current national and local news, sports, entertainment, finance, technology, and more through award-winning journalism, photos, and videos.
---
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2010, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/4 "2010-02-10T05:46:54Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> My biggest concern is the special effects may over shadow the characters.
Why do you hate America?
---
### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2010, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/5 "2010-02-10T05:57:17Z")
😕 I’m not sure what you’re refering to.
The original Wolfman has been my favorite horror film since childhood. One of the movies strengths is Lon Chaney’s understated makeup. He didn’t need a bunch of crap on his face to create the Wolfman. I saw _American Werewolf in London_ and didn’t think it was nearly as good.
---
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2010, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/6 "2010-02-10T06:24:29Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> 😕 I’m not sure what you’re refering to.
Rent and view [_La Femme Nikita_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_femme_nikita) and the Hollywood remake [_Point of No Return,_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_No_Return_(film)) and you will understand.
---
### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/7 "2010-02-10T12:45:34Z")
I’m looking forward to it - although due to the weather I might not make it out this weekend.
---
### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/8 "2010-02-10T14:52:18Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> My biggest concern is the special effects may over shadow the characters.
Characters schmaracters! Look at Avatar! We don’t need no stinkin characters!
Special effects overshadowed everything all the way to the #1 money making movie in the world and a nomination for best picture.
That’s apparently what Hollywood and Americans love. Why are you against Hollywood and America? 😉
---
### Author:  [@moonstarssun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonstarssun)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/9 "2010-02-15T05:16:25Z")
I saw it this afternoon. My two cents’ worth:
1. I loved the cinematography–lots of shots that looked like they were straight out of the original. Very atmospheric and just beautifully composed.
2. Anthony Hopkins rocks.
3. Benicio Del Toro’s American accent sounded a little strange to me, but I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong with it.
4. Terrible, terrible dialogue, and no characterization.
5. No chemistry among the characters.
Overall I’d give it a C-. It gets points for being pretty, but I wasn’t drawn into the story or able to really care about any of the characters.
---
### Author:  [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/10 "2010-02-15T05:27:53Z")
I just saw it.
The script could have used some dialog work by somebody like [Tom Stoppard](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001779/), but it succeeded reasonably well enough at doing what it intended to do, which was be an enjoyable time-waster. For the most part, it is very respectful to the original film, and the makeup has a classic look to it.
---
### Author:  [@valleyofthedolls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/valleyofthedolls)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2010, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/11 "2010-02-15T07:09:04Z")
I saw it too. I would wait for dvd or pay per view.
Looked terrific but the dialogue and plot were lazy as were the performances. Can’t say I blame them given the material they had to work with.
Makeup wasn’t bad but still nothing compared to Rick Baker’s work on American Werewolf in London. Baker worked on this one too. I wonder what he thought of the finished product.
---
### Author:  [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/12 "2010-02-15T17:11:26Z")
I saw it yesterday and absolutely hated it. The characterization was thin, Hopkins chewed scenery and Del Toro (at least in this) couldn’t act his way out of a wet paper sack. But it was indeed pretty, although the special effects weren’t up to the par I’d have expected them to be.
---
### Author:  [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wolfman-opens-this-weekend-any-early-reviews/528391/13 "2010-02-15T17:21:10Z")
I did not go out to it. I was going to, but got lazy and instead hung around the house all day. Maybe I was better off…