The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Terence Fisher

Writers:

Guy Endore (novel)
Anthony Hinds (writer)

Release Date:

7 June 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Romance

Tagline:

EVEN THOSE WHO LOVED HIM WERE NOT SAFE! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

In Spain, Leon is born on Christmas day to a mute servant girl who was raped by a beggar. His mother...

Plot Keywords:

Werewolf | Love | Mute | Moon | Servant

Cast

Clifford Evans	...	Don Alfredo Corledo
Oliver Reed	...	Leon Corledo
Yvonne Romain	...	Servant Girl (Jailer's Daughter)
Catherine Feller	...	Cristina Fernando
Anthony Dawson	...	Marques Siniestro
Josephine Llewellyn	...	Marquesa
Richard Wordsworth	...	Beggar
Hira Talfrey	...	Teresa, Corledo's Servant
Justin Walters	...	Young Leon
John Gabriel	...	Priest
Warren Mitchell	...	Pepe Valiente the Watchman
Anne Blake	...	Rosa Valiente
George Woodbridge	...	Dominique the Goat Herder
Michael Ripper	...	Old Soak
Ewen Solon	...	Don Fernando
Peter Sallis	...	Don Enrique
Martin Matthews	...	Jose Amadayo
David Conville	...	Rico Gomez
Denis Shaw	...	Gaoler
Charles Lamb	...	Marques' Chef
Serafina Di Leo	...	Senora Zumara
Sheila Brennan	...	Vera
Joy Webster	...	Isabel
Renny Lister	...	Yvonne
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephen Scott	...	Another Farmer (as Stephen W. Scott)
Kitty Atwood	...	Midwife (uncredited)
John Bennett	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Hamlyn Benson	...	Landlord (uncredited)
Ray Browne	...	Official (uncredited)
Rodney Burke	...	Customer (uncredited)
Max Butterfield	...	Cheeky Farmer (uncredited)
Loraine Carvana	...	Servant Girl as Child (uncredited)
Francis De Wolff	...	Bearded Customer (uncredited)
Richard Golding	...	Customer (uncredited)
Howard Lang	...	Irate Farmer (uncredited)
Michael Lewis	...	Page (uncredited)
Desmond Llewelyn	...	A servant (uncredited)
Alan Page	...	Customer (uncredited)
Michael Peake	...	Farmer in Cantina (uncredited)
Frank Siernan	...	Gardner (uncredited)
Gordon Whiting	...	Footman (uncredited)
Alister Williamson	...	Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
Terence Fisher

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Guy Endore		novel "The Werewolf of Paris"
Anthony Hinds		writer (as John Elder)

Produced by
Michael Carreras	....	executive producer
Anthony Hinds	....	producer
Anthony Nelson Keys	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Benjamin Frankel

Cinematography by
Arthur Grant

Film Editing by
Alfred Cox

Casting by
Stuart Lyons

Production Design by
Bernard Robinson

Art Direction by
Don Mingaye
Thomas Goswell		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Roy Ashton	....	makeup artist
Frieda Steiger	....	hair stylist
Colin Garde	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Clifford Parkes	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dominic Fulford	....	second assistant director
John Peverall	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Jock May	....	sound
Alban Streeter	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Les Bowie	....	special effects

Stunts
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Edwards	....	still photographer
Len Harris	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Molly Arbuthnot	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
James Needs	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Benjamin Frankel	....	conductor
Leonard Salzedo	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Tilly Day	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Hammer Film Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1961) (UK) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1961) (USA) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Network Enterprises (video)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

The Curse of Siniestro
The Wolfman (USA)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:(Banned) (1961) | France:-12 | UK:12 (video rating) (1995) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Hammer Film Productions

Trivia:

The only werewolf movie made by Hammer Studios.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the opening credits, which features a very tight close-up of the werewolf's eyes, the edges of the contact lenses can be clearly seen.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Monster by Moonlight! The Immortal Saga of 'The Wolf Man' (1999) (V)

Wonderful Werewolf Film

It's Spain and a beggar walks through a deserted town forced into public festivities at the marriage of a miserly, degrading Marqis. He goes to the palace in search of food, and instead is given life imprisonment. This is the opening of one of Hammer's best monster films, and easily one of the best lycanthrope films ever made. The beggar through a raping of a servant girl spawns a baby werewolf. The film is about this boy and then man living with his affliction and finally succumbing to its eventual fate. Terrence Fisher has done a superb job with his direction, creating atmospheric sets, wonderful, rich costuming, an impressive musical score highlighting key dramatic moments, and most notably creating a story of a beast in man with compassion, understanding, and depth. The acting all around is excellent(once you get past the notion of Britishers playing Spainards), and Oliver Reed stands out as the young protagonist literally being torn apart inside. The make-up for the beast, while not as grand as Universals, is top-notch and harrowing to the eye. The film is a sight to see and it again affirms that many of the monsters of the movies are tragic heros not in control of what they do.