183: The Curse of the Werewolf (with Meg Shields) (Patreon)

The film writer Meg Shields returns from Vancouver for a spooky season show about one of her favourites, the 1961 Hammer Films gothic horror The Curse of the Werewolf, the first starring role for the great Oliver Reed.

Based loosely on Guy Endore’s novel The Werewolf of Paris, Hammer's only werewolf movie is a unique take on the usual lycanthropic fare, positing it as a spiritual curse tied to a person's environment rather than something you catch from a werewolf bite. Set in Spain, the film follows Reed as a young man who gets a job at a wine vineyard… cursed to transform into a werewolf when the moon is full. His only hope for a normal life depends on the love of a good Catholic woman. Complications ensue.

Despite its controversial violence and memorable werewolf transformation effects, the film was initially unsuccessful but has since garnered a cult following and is now considered one of Hammer’s best. Reed's tragic performance, mirroring his future troubled life, adds depth to this dark tale.

Plus: some great quotes from Oliver’s 1979 autobiography “Reed All About Me” and Meg’s takes on some of the other Horror FX movies now streaming on Criterion Channel, along with The Curse of the Werewolf.

Follow Meg Shields on Twitter.

Trailer for The Curse of the Werewolf (Terence Fisher, 1961)