The Candy is Coming, The Werewolves Are Here...

I decided to try something different for my personal Halloween festivities this year.  

I decided to have a "theme"...

It started off innocently enough.  I made a list.  I.  LOVE.  LISTS.  Especially at Halloween time.  I love reading lists of horror movies; lists of haunted houses to visit; lists of Halloween candies, etc.  Love it.

This year I had the thought, "Y'know I really like werewolf movies, but I never seem to make time to watch them."  So I started writing down all the werewolf movies that I wanted to see.  There were new ones I had seen trailers for like Werewolves Within and The Wolf of Snow Hollow.  There were classics I've never seen like Universal's original The Wolfman, and Hammer's The Curse of the Werewolf.  There were goofy ones like I Was a Teenage Werewolf and Werewolves on Wheels.  Weird ones like Wolfcop and Werewolf Ninja Philosopher.  

Next thing I knew, I had quite a list.  

So then I thought "Well I'll just watch 31 werewolf movies for Halloween this year." 

The only hurdle I saw was that, unlike when I was in my 20's... I don't have the time to watch a movie a night.  I'm an adult with adult things.  Adult responsibilities.  And I'm Adulting HARD these days.  

And to be perfectly honest, if it gets too late, I nod off.  

My solution?  START EARLY!

So I did.  Despite my unofficial rule of keeping my black & orange festivities contained to October, I started watching back in September.  Right after Labor Day actually.  Whenever I had time I'd put one on.  Lunch break.  After dinner.  In the morning before work.  It took off some of the pressure.

Unlike a lot of the '31 Days of Horror' challenges I see on the interwebs, I'm not sticking to a specific film per day. I've got way over 31, so I just scan the list and put on whatever feel right on that day.  

Once I had the theme, "Werewolves," things started falling into place and connections started forming.

For instance, one of my Halloween traditions is to take in an old TV Halloween episode.  In my werewolf movie searches I somehow stumbled onto a Barney Miller episode from Season 3 (Episode 6) called "Werewolf" (originally aired October 8, 1976).  Perfect!  I added that to my list.  In that same instance, I realized I wasn't going to just limit my list to movies.  TV episodes were going to count too.  

Barney Miller episode "Werewolf"

Next thing I know, werewolves are manifesting in other ways too.  Cavity Colors announced their SpookBag this year, and low-and-behold the artwork was Halloween AND werewolf related and called ---drum roll--- HALLOWOLF!  It's fate.  I'm loving this.  I'm stealing that name for my theme:  HalloWolf.

CavityColors.com SpookBag 2021

Now I had a NAME for my little personal challenge, a list of media to consume, and an official outfit!  (Oh, I managed to purchase a SpookBag.  First.  Time.  Ever.  Can't wait.)

The Pandora's box is open.  Now whenever I flip through Twitter, or Instagram, I can't help but see the werewolves when they pop up.

Hey look, there's a headline about how Build-a-Bear is sold out of their Howl-o-Ween werewolf!

Build-a-Bear, Werewolf 2021

Hey look, Spirit Halloween is selling vintage plastic masks---and there's a werewolf one!

Spirit Halloween, werewolf mask 2021

LOOK!  PixelElixir is including an exclusive Halloween werewolf sticker in their treat bags!

PixelElixir.com, Alchemist Werewolf sticker 2021

HEY LOOK!  I just got an alert that Archie Comics' Jughead: The Hunger volumes are on sale!

ArchieComics.com, Jughead the Hunger

And on and on and on.  

I know, the argument can be made:  am I just seeing werewolves where they would always be?

If I had chosen mummies, would I be exclaiming "Hey there're mummies everywhere!"  

Maybe.  

Probably.

Maybe-probably.  

Doesn't matter.  I'm excited about this.  

Oh and here's that list in no particular order that I mentioned (with notes on where they can be found to be streamed).  Before anyone sounds off in the comments, I have recently watched Wolfen, Goosebumps 1 & 2, and Dog Soldiers and didn't feel like watching them again, so you won't find them on here.  Anything with a check mark I've already watched as of this posting.

This by no means is meant to be a comprehensive list, nor a best-of list.  

It's just a list of werewolf movies that I'm watching this year.  

Some I've seen.  Some I've always wanted to see--good or bad.

That said, if you'd like to recommend something please do.  :)

HALLWOLF (2021 Werewolf Movies Theme!)

☐ Werewolves Within 2020, Rent

☐ Freaks of Nature, Rent

☐ The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, Netflix, Paramount+

☐ The Beast Within (’82) P+, Netflix

☐ MST3K Werewolf. Vudu Ads

☐ Making of Thriller and the music video, YouTube

☐ The Rats are Coming the Werewolves are Here, Rent .99¢ Amz 

︎ The Monster Squad

☐ The Beast Must Die, DVD, Hoopla, Tubi

☐ The Howling (80s), Rent

☐ Howling 5: Rebirth (another whodunnit) Vudu ad, Tubi

☐ Bonehill Road (takes place on Halloween) Vudu ad, Tubi

☐ Late Phases. Werewolf movie. Recommended! Vudu ad

☐ Bloodthirsty, Prime

︎ Cursed (Wes Craven), HBO

☐ The Wolf of Snow Hollow 2020, Rent

☐ Bad Moon (good werewolf design) Vudu ad, Tubi

☐ Howl, Vudu ad, Tubi

︎ Ginger Snaps Vudu ad, Tubi

︎ The Wolfman (Benicio del toro) Peacock

☐ The Company of Wolves, Tubi, Kanopy

☐ Van Helsing, Peacock

☐ Wolf (Nicholson), Rent

☐ The Curse of the Werewolf (Hammer), Rent

☐ Wolf Guy (Sonny Chiba, Arrow Video) Kanopy

☐ I Was a Teenage Werewolf, YT

☐ Teen Wolf, Kanopy

☐ The Wolfman 1941, Rent

☐ Full Eclipse

︎ Wolf Cop hoopla, Tubi

︎ An American Werewolf in London 

☐ Full Moon High (Larry Cohen), P+

︎ An American Werewolf in Paris, Vudu ad, Tubi

☐ Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors, Tubi, Roku

☐ House of the Wolfman, YT

☐ Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, HBO

☐ The Undying Monster 1942 YT

☐ Night Wolf (13 Hrs) 2010 YT, Tubi

☐ Werewolves on Wheels, Tubi

☐ Sheep Skin, Tubi

☐ The Amityville Moon 2021

☐ The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, Hoopla, Netflix

☐ Harmony Falls 2021

☐ Night of the Werewolf 1981,

☐ Werewolf Ninja Philosopher 2018, Rent on Vimeo

☐ The Werewolf 1956 (a retelling, fallout radiation) Crackle free, Plex free

I think it's important to do something different every Halloween season.  I had this realization when, three years in a row, I essentially did the same 'traditions' that I'd always done.  Watched this movie, ate that snack, went to that park.  When I thought back on those years, I couldn't tell them apart.  I couldn't remember which year was which. So--- I made the decision right there and then to do some major different thing every year.  Now when I think back on Halloween seasons, I can remember:  oh that was the Knott's Scary Farm year.  Oh that was the year we held the party that a thousand people showed up to.  Oh that was the year we stayed home during a global pandemic.  You get the idea.

This is the year of werewolves.  

Beware the moon.  Stick to the roads.

Vice Press, American Werewolf re-release poster