Tag: George Waggner

The Wolf Man (1941)

The Wolf Man (1941). 70 minutes. Directed by George Waggner. Starring Lon Chaney Jr. (as Lawrence “Larry” Talbot/the Wolf Man), Claude Rains (as Sir John Talbot), Warren William (as Dr. Lloyd), Ralph Bellamy (as Captain Paul Montford), Patric Knowles (as Frank Andrews), Bela Lugosi (as Bela), Maria Ouspenskaya (as Maleva), Evelyn Ankers (as Gwen Conliffe), J. M. Kerrigan (as Charles Conliffe), Fay Helm (as Jenny Williams), Doris Lloyd (as Mrs. Williams), Forrester Harvey (as Twiddle), and Harry Stubbs (as Reverend Norman). Screenplay by Curt Siodmak. Makeup effects by Jack Pierce.

Of all of the monsters that Universal depicted in its golden age, the Wolf Man has to be the least frightening. Although he is part wolf, he is still part man, after all, and he is not undead like other Universal antagonists such as Dracula, the mummy Ardath Bey, or Frankenstein’s monster; nor is he a homicidal maniac who delights in causing human suffering like the Invisible Man. … Read the rest

The Sheik (1921)

The Sheik (1921). 80 minutes. Directed by George Melford. Starring Rudolph Valentino (as Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan), Agnes Ayres (as Lady Diana Mayo), Ruth Miller (as Zilah), George Waggner (as Yousaef), Frank Butler (as Sir Aubrey Mayo), Lucien Littlefield (as Gaston), Adolphe Menjou (as Raoul de Saint Hubert), and Walter Long (as Omair).

The Sheik has to be one of the strangest expressions of romance and sexuality that I have seen in a long time. It tells the story of an Arab sheik who abducts an English gentlewoman exploring the deserts of North Africa and holds her captive. At times we see that he hopes she will develop feelings for him, but at others he is intent on having his way with her whether she desires it or not. Regardless of his unsavory intentions, she does fall in love with him, but the movie’s celebration of both him and their relationship is difficult to admire. Overall, The Sheik is an … Read the rest