The Wolf Man's best hair day?

[Earth 2 Chris]

So, we know by watching the classic films, that Lon Chaney Jr's Wolfman's appearance is subtly different from one film to the other. Heck, due to the makeup methods of the day, it's often quite different from scene to scene!

So which look do you like best?

1. The Wolf Man



Larry seems to have more of a fro in this film, with the hair atop his head being pretty fuzzy. His "beard" is less full than later appearances.

2. Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man



I tend to like this look best myself. Seems like Pierce perfected the look a bit from the first film. Fully "bearded" and his hair up top seems more wolf-like than yak-like.

3. House of Frankenstein



Larry is going through his hippie phase here, letting his hair grow long! He's rockin' a ZZ Top beard in some scenes, and showing lots more chest hair!

4. House of Dracula



Here we see Larry getting groomed, after leaving his hippie ways behind. I've read Pierce had to tame Chaney's mane due to a Yak fur shortage, because of WWII. For whatever reason, Larry's less hairy, but his fur is more uniform than before.

5. Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein



Larry's got him a new stylist! Bud Westmore and crew give Larry more menacing fur around his brow line and in some shots his face appears darker as well.

6. Route 66



Is that Lon Chaney...or Jimmy Durante? I doubt this is anyone's favorite, but I had to show this for completeness' sake!!!

Chris

[RedKing]

I love all of them but I'd have to say I like Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and House of Dracula best.

[aura of foreboding]

I love all of them but I'd have to say I like Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and House of Dracula best.

Second.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I think it's interesting that the Wolfman makeup in all its incarnations really hides Chaney's features. I most of these shots it's hard to say that's him, moreso than his Kharis getup...and that was a mask!

It's a testament to Pierce's work that he totally transformed Chaney, but left enough of him to emote.

Chris

[zombiehorror]

Not to knocked Pierce's work but Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein; I think I like the broader nose they give him, it looks more canine than other incarnations!  The bouffant hair of previous depictions is also toned down too!

[Pauspy]

I kind of like the looks from both Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and A & C Meet Frankenstein. In the former, Pierce seems to have mastered the original look, the latter (perhaps because of changes in an older Chaney's face?), he created a look that showed more dog/wolf-like detail around the snout. 

[Rich]

I love all of them but I'd have to say I like Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and House of Dracula best.

I agree.

I also like Henry Hull's more held back werewolf make-up in Werewolf of London.

[Lunkenstein]

I think I'm partial to the look in the first 2 films, but love them all!

[neonnoodle]

I find it so hard to choose.  The first movie was the template for the look and Pierce gave it its own special magic.  The A&C Meet Frankenstein version is a nice update with the hair more of a big single cowl piece with tufts of hair glued all around the edges...very furry looking.  They're all awesome.

[Monsters For Sale]

I kinda like the cleaner look of the original makeup.  Not as natural-looking perhaps, but I am fond of it.





Here is a little closer look.  See where the makeup appliance ends around the eyes?





I've always thought "The Wolf Man" owes as much of its appeal to the wonderful sets and atmosphere as it does to the monster makeup.

My favorite view of Lon in the forest:

[Earth 2 Chris]

Oh yes, definitely. The Wolf Man is just dripping with eerie atmosphere. That fog-shrouded forest is the quintessential "spooky forest" of filmdom, as far as I'm concerned.

I watched the film last night with the commentary track by Tom Weaver running. He said that Jack Pierece and Chaney's relationship hadn't gotten so rocky by "House of Dracula", that Pierce never touched Chaney's make-up in that film, except for promo photos (like the one I posted above). First I'd heard of this.

Chris

[Monsters For Sale]

The open-faced makeup has been popular all along.


Before The Wolf Man:



Henry Hull - Werewolf of London



After The Wolf Man:



Oliver Reed - Curse of the Werewolf



For some reason, the harry-faced look has never been as popular:



Kerwin Mathews - The Boy Who Cried Werewolf

[Earth 2 Chris]

The open face definitely allows more range of emotion for the actors. I'm not a big fan of "walking" dog werewolves myself. If the werewolf just looks like a dog on his hind legs. I know there have been some great movies using this look, but I prefer the melding of man and wolf more.

Chris

[crissrudd4554]

I've always liked the 'arch' like look to the top of his head in the original like in the pic below. His head is more rounded in the later films. The Wolf Man had a unique look in each films. Westmore's approach to the Wolf Man is still interesting but not as good as the 4 Jack Pierce films.

[Rich]

I have always liked how he looked in House of Dracula. That was always my favorite transformation scene as well. I loved when he was in jail and transformed into the Wolf Man in front of the cop, nurse, and doctor.