I Was a Teenage Werewolf

I Was a Teenage Werewolf

This movie was a classic horror movie that attracted many viewers and supporters at the time. The concept of horror movies was common at the time. This being said, although it was common to have human transform to beasts, the idea of a teenage boy take up this role was entirely a new concept. The movie easily squeezed between the popular movies such as ‘Rebel without a cause’ and ‘Wolf man’. The teenage werewolf; Michael Landon starred the teenage werewolf.   The boy exhibits very distinguished characteristics that could not be easily solved and dealt with. As a result, the teenager is forced to seek assistance from a psychologist, Dr. Brandon, who is a paranoid psychologist. The doctors experiments include drugs and hypnosis that are mainly utilized in bringing out the ‘animal side’ of his patients.

After Tony begins his treatment, he is unable to control his werewolf side and kills a teen. Investigations begin although the police believed that an animal attacked the teen. Tony’s secret is discovered when he transforms in front of a witness. The people are filled with fear after learning of the beast, but they are unable to catch him after launching an aggressive manhunt. In concise, Tony transforms due to the doctor’s hypnosis and obsession to have him turn into his primal state. The movie ends violently when the teenager goes back to the doctor to finish up what the shrink started.

Analysis

The way a movie director and producer conceptualizes his understanding of the environment around him determines his ultimate expression of the thoughts impelled into a film form that depicts it (Fahy 65). On several occasions, movie producers have created colossal scripts not because they were commissioned to do it, but they felt the need to express a personal idea. Sometimes one may view a performance and fail to grasp the implicit message being communicated by the movie producers. Expressions of grief, horror, love, sadness, power and holiness are some of the few themes that are expressed in theatres in the form of visual performance. It is the freedom of expression representing feelings felt by each and every human being.

Genre convections

Horror movies are inclined towards the theme of fear, death and uncovered sexuality. The use of mystical animals, rather creatures is very instrumental in propagating the fear required. These creatures threaten to destroy everything people have built, as well take over the world. This perception is well reflected in the movie ‘I was a teenage werewolf”. This genre is very powerful in terms of classical convection. Producers portray a well, balanced and normal life before it is threatened by the creatures of death.  The stability of life is disrupted, as people seek to either run, or restart their lives. For instance, as observed in the movie, the realization that the werewolf is alive in the village caused uproar as people were filled with fear. Day to day activities were disrupted as people launched a manhunt to capture and kill the creature.

The post war period is very instrumental to the American society. Movies are utilized to reflect the social and cultural history. The post war period was a period filled with trauma and psychological disorders. This is due to the fact the people at the time experienced traumatic happenings. The doctor, present in the movie used Hypnotherapy to cure post traumatic stress. This is a clear indication of the post war period.

Up to now, the perception of the viewer is very important when setting up a horror movie scene. The message sent to the audience while they watch every scene is what characterizes the genre and gives it its purpose. The producers manipulate the relations between the victims, the witness and the killer in such as way that maximum fright and point of view stress are achieved. According to Driscoll (87), the producer in this movie, uses an upside down point of view to introduce the killer (werewolf) in order to keep the audience at the edge of perception. The genre’s motive of keeping the audience psychologically involved while watching the victims fear, run and die is still utilized in modern day theatre (Driscoll 88). Additionally, this technique keeps the audience emotionally involved throughout the movie.

In conclusion, the concept of horror movies was common at the time. Horror movies attracted many viewers and supporters at the time. The importance and uniqueness of this genre from this period up to post modern has been in its unique production. Movies are utilized to reflect the social and cultural history. Furthermore, the post war period is very instrumental to the American society. In this, one is easily inclined to observe the military influence and social configuration. However, the important aspect is in the genre’s motive of keeping the audience psychologically involved while watching the victims fear, run and die is still utilized in modern day theatre. Ultimately, it is imperative to grasp the implicit message being communicated by the movie producers.

Works Cited

Dixon, Wheeler W.. Film genre 2000: new critical essays. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2000. Print.

Driscoll, Catherine. Teen film: a critical introduction. English ed. Oxford: Berg, 2011. Print.

Fahy, Thomas Richard. The philosophy of horror. Lexington, Ky.: University Press of Kentucky, 2010. Print.

I was a teenage werewolf. Dir. Gene Fowler Jr.. Perf. Michael Landon, Yvonne Lime, Barney Phillips and Whit Bissell. RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, 1957. Blu-Ray.

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