Kerwin Mathews cries “She’s heavy!” in THE BOY WHO CRIED WEREWOLF. THE BOY WHO CRIED WEREWOLF
Routine grade-B monster hokum is fair ballyhoo entry for usual dualler markets. Best where doubled with SSSSSSSS. Rated PG.
It’s been a long time since Lon Chaney, Jr. prowled the sound stages at Universal in that semi-classical series of creature features about the Wolf Man. Just how long is exemplified by THE BOY WHO CRIED WEREWOLF. Universal’s latest foray into the joys of lycanthropy is an indifferent revamping of the original Wolf Man plot, which will serve as an adequate dualler, where promoted, in secondary ballyhoo spots and drive-ins. Kids, as per the title, are the most likely audience. Chaney’s werewolf, who always sported a sort of wounded dignity, had only the sign of the pentagram to worry about. The mod- ern neurotic werewolf, played here by Kerwin Mathews, has more pressing problems—his obnoxious ex-wife (Elaine Devry) is a gung-ho
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women’s liberationist, his little boy (Scott Sealey) knows his dad turns hairy at night and, since Bavarian villagers are in short supply, he’s re- duced to attacking an encampment of Jesus Freaks (“We’re freaked out on God, man,” says their leader). Bob Homel’s uncertainly tongue- in-cheek script mixes the usual they-won’t-believe- the-kid-until-the-last-reel bit with timeworn horror clichés to discouragingly predictable result. By the time Mathews lies impaled on a splintered cruci- fix and riddled with (non-silver) bullets, all but the most rabid horror fans will be yawning. It’s tech- nically okay, with pretty good werewolf makeup and a neat music score by debuting Ted Stovall. Larry Talbot, where are you?
1973. Universal (RKF Productions). Technicolor. 93 minutes. Kerwin Mathews, Elaine Devry, Scott Sealey. Robert J. Wilke, Bob Homel. Produced by Aaron Rosenberg. Directed by Nathan Juran.
and is equally well remembered for helming ATTACK OF THE FIFTY FOOT WOMAN that same year, under the pseudonym “Nathan Hertz.” No home video release to date.
This was the last feature directed by Juran, who previously directed Mathews in THE 7th
VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1958),
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