The Wolfman (2009 film)

Infobox Film
name = The Wolfman


caption = Promotional image of "The Wolf Man"
director = Joe Johnston
producer = Scott Stuber
Rick Yorn
Mary Parent
Benicio del Toro
writer = David Self
Andrew Kevin Walker
starring = Benicio del Toro
Anthony Hopkins
Emily Blunt
Hugo Weaving
Geraldine Chaplin
music = Danny Elfman [cite news|author=Harry Knowles|title=Danny Elfman is scoring THE WOLFMAN!!!|work=Ain't It Cool News|date=2008-08-24|url=http://www.aintitcool.com/node/38048|accessdate=2008-08-25]
cinematography = Shelly Johnson
editing = Dennis Virkler
distributor = Universal Studios
released = April 3 2009
runtime =
country = United States
United Kingdom
language = English
budget = US$85 million
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.thewolfmanmovie.com/
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0780653

"The Wolfman" is a 2009 horror film that is a remake of the 1941 classic of the same name. The remake is directed by Joe Johnston and stars Benicio del Toro. It was originally scheduled for February 13 2009 (a Friday the 13th), but is now set for release on April 3 2009. [cite news | title = Valkyrie Moved Back to 2009 | publisher = ComingSoon.net | date = 2008-04-07 | url = http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=43761 | accessdate=2008-04-07]

Premise

Set in the late 1880s, the film keeps the plotline of the original, with Lawrence Talbot meeting his father following the death of his brother. The film details events during Lawrence's past that led to his estrangement from his father (which includes Gwen), and the setting is expanded from Blackmore (now identified as the village from the original) to London. The official synopsis states Talbot was traumatized by his mother's death as a child, while Gwen Conliffe is his brother's fiancée. Following his brother's disappearance, Talbot hunts a murderer, which turns out to be a werewolf, and the curse is passed on. [cite news | title = The Official Wolfman Plot Synopsis | publisher = ShockTillYouDrop.com | date = 2008-05-14 | url = http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=6064 | accessdate=2008-06-08]

Cast

* Benicio del Toro as Lawrence Talbot, a man who is bitten by a werewolf.
* Anthony Hopkins as Sir John Talbot, Lawrence's father. [cite news | author= | url=http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/news/comments/?entryid=414526 | title=Anthony Hopkins Wants to Growl as Wolfman's Dad | publisher=Rotten Tomatoes | date=2007-04-15 | accessdate=2007-05-16 ]
* Emily Blunt as Gwen Conliffe, whom Talbot falls in love with. [cite news | author = Olly Richards | title = Emily Blunt Joins Wolf Man | publisher = Empire | date = 2008-01-21 | url = http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=21829 | accessdate=2008-01-21]
* Hugo Weaving as Detective Aberline, who investigates murders by the transformed Talbot.
* Geraldine Chaplin as Maleva, an old Gypsy. [cite news | author= | url=http://www.soitu.es/soitu/2008/02/29/info/1204306911_740362.html | title=Chaplin pide a los productores valientes que amen el cine y flipa con el Festival de Las Palmas | publisher=soitu.es | date=2008-02-29] [cite news | author= | url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/11888 | title=FULL 'The Wolfman' Cast Revealed!! | publisher=Bloody-Disgusting | date=2008-04-10]

Art Malik, Rob Dixon, Nicholas Day, Michael Cronin, David Schofield, David Sterne, Roger Frost, Dianne Pilkington and Clive Russell have also been confirmed, although their roles are not known.

Production

In March 2006, Universal Studios announced the remake of "The Wolf Man" with actor Benicio del Toro (a fan of the original film and collector of "Wolf Man" memorabilia) in the lead role.cite news | author = Olly Richards | title = Producer Talks Wolfman | work = Empire Online | date = 2008-03-21 | url = http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=22240 | accessdate=2008-03-21] [cite news | title = Del Toro bites into 'Wolf Man' | work = Variety | date = 2006-03-14 | url = http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117939762.html?cs=1 | accessdate=2008-03-21] Screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker was attached to the screenplay, developing the original film's story to include additional characters as well as plot points that would take advantage of modern visual effects. In February 2007, director Mark Romanek was attached to helm "The Wolf Man".cite news | author=Borys Kit | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i1bca43ffb402e1d79849f348de10f930 | title=Romanek stalks Del Toro 'Wolfman' | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=2007-02-08 | accessdate=2007-02-08 ] The film was scheduled for a November 12 2008 release, before being pushed back to early 2009 in September 2007. [cite news | author=Pamela McClintock | coauthors=Marc Graser | url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972295.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | title='Monsters' makes room for 'Avatar' | work=Variety | date=2007-09-19 | accessdate=2007-10-05 ]

In January 2008, Romanek left the project because of "creative differences".cite news | author = Michael Fleming | title = Romanek drops out of 'Wolf Man' | work = Variety | date = 2008-01-29 | url = http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117979801.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | accessdate=2008-01-30] Brett Ratner emerged as a frontrunner to replace Romanek, but the studio also met with Frank Darabont, James Mangold and Joe Johnston. They were also interested in Bill Condon, and Martin Campbell was interested. [cite news | author = Borys Kit | title = Ratner among 'Wolf' men | work = The Hollywood Reporter | date = 2008-02-01 | url = http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i2b58004ff7cfb2623b1bb3e41d76990e | accessdate=2008-02-01] Johnston was hired to direct on February 3 2008, and the film's shooting schedule and budget remained as intended. [cite news | author = Michael Fleming | title = Johnston to direct 'Wolfman' | work = Variety | date = 2008-02-04 | url = http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117980108.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | accessdate=2008-02-04] Johnston hired David Self to rewrite the script.cite news | author = Diane Garrett | title = Hugo Weaving to pursue 'Wolfman' | work = Variety | date = 2008-02-21 | url = http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117981295.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | accessdate=2008-02-22]

Shooting took place from March 3 to June 23 2008 in the United Kingdom.cite news | author= | url=http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=chart_film_prod_d&dept=Film&recordid=1117786736 | title=Film Production Detail | work=Variety | date=2008-04-09 | accessdate=2008-06-20 ] The film was budgeted at US$85 million. They shot at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, Chatsworth, Derbyshire, and Castle Combe in Wiltshire. [cite news | title = Werewolf at door... | work = Sheffield Telegraph | date = 2008-03-07 | url = http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/quidnunc/Werewolf-at-door.3853570.jp | accessdate=2008-07-05] They transformed Chatsworth House by adding weeds, dead grass and ivy. [cite news | title = Film stars at Chatsworth | work = TheStar.co.uk | date = 2008-03-08 | url = http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Film-stars-at-Chatsworth.3856711.jp | accessdate=2008-07-05] They also shot in Lacock in Wiltshire, a village conserved by the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, for a day. Universal donated £5000 to the village, in return for filming in the tithe barn for a scene involving frozen corpses. [cite news|author=Scott McPherson|title=Film fans descend on Wolf Man's Lacock set|work=This is Wiltshire|date=2008-04-10|url=http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.2188902.0.film_fans_descend_on_wolf_mans_lacock_set.php|accessdate=2008-07-05]

Rick Baker created the make-up for "The Wolf Man". When he heard Universal was remaking the film, he eagerly pursued it, as both "The Wolf Man" and "Frankenstein" inspired him to become a make-up artist as a child. He acknowledged transforming del Toro was difficult because he is a hairy man: "Going from Benicio to Benicio as the Wolf Man isn't a really extreme difference. Like when I did "An American Werewolf in London", we went from this naked man to a four-legged hound from hell, and we had a lot of room to go from the transformation and do a lot of really extreme things. Here we have Benicio del Toro, who's practically the Wolf Man already, to Benicio del Toro with more hair and bigger teeth." The make-up took three hours to apply, and one hour to remove. New pieces of latex prosthetic makeup and loose hair was applied to del Toro's face each day, while several dentures and wigs were created in case some were damaged. [cite news | author = Lindsay Soll | title = First Look: Benicio Del Toro as the Wolfman | work = Entertainment Weekly | date = 2008-03-19 | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20185191,00.html | accessdate=2008-03-19] Baker and del Toro were adamant about the design resembling the make-up created by Jack Pierce, but Romanek went through thousands of concept art. When Johnston signed on, Baker returned to his second design, which is the finished result. [cite news|author=Ryan Rotten|title=SDCC '08: The Wolfman At Your Door|work=Shock Till You Drop|date=2008-07-29|url=http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/comicconnews.php?id=7133|accessdate=2008-07-30] Baker said the transformation will likely be computer-generated, which disappoints him as he is not being involved and therefore feels it will look unrealistic (as the animators do not have his knowledge of the design). [cite news|url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/07/27/cgi-wolf-man-an-upset-rick-baker-shows-his-teeth/|author=Larry Carroll|title=CGI Wolf Man? An Upset Rick Baker Shows His Teeth|work=MTV Movies Blog|date=2008-07-27|accessdate=2008-07-27]

References

External links

* [http://www.thewolfmanmovie.com/ Official website]
*imdb title|id=0780653|title=The Wolf Man
* [http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3442&Itemid=99 October 8, 2007 script review] by IESB.net
* [http://www.latinoreview.com/scriptreview.php?id=28 August 4, 2006 script review] from LatinoReview.com