The Curse of the Werewolf (1961)

This week on The Spectator Film Podcast…

The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) 10/11/19
Featuring: Austin, Maxx

Commentary track begins 14:46

— Notes —

• Terence Fisher by Peter Hutchings — An engaging and insightful book on the director of many of Hammer’s greatest movies, Terence Fisher. Peter Hutchings is a wonderful writer, and this book fits right in with a lot of his other writing. There’s a brief section here discussing The Curse of the Werewolf.
• A New Heritage of Horror: The English Gothic Cinema by David Pirie — This study by David Pirie was one of the foremost academic examinations of the gothic tradition in British filmmaking. The book isn’t exclusively dedicated to Hammer, but Pirie still discusses Hammer films extensively, while also dedicating an entire chapter to Terence Fisher. Recommended for anyone looking to learn some more about Hammer.
• The Primal Scene and the Wolf Man — Here’s the link to a page from The Freud Museum discussing the famous “Wolf Man” case and its relationship to the concept of the primal scene.
• Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film by Carol J. Clover — One of the most substantial books discussing the horror genre. We referenced it multiple times during our discussion of The Curse of the Werewolf, particularly Clover’s observations on how possession narratives relate to the female body.
• “Rasin’ Hell with Burton, Harris, O’Toole, and Reed in the #MeToo Era” from Notes from the Back Row — Here’s the link to an episode from the Notes from the Back Row podcast discussing Oliver Reed’s antics, hosted by Jenna Ipcar and Veronica Dolginko. The show’s informative and fun, and they have plenty of other episodes worth listening to.