The Legend of The Werewolf was produced by Tyburn productions, the same people who made 1975's The Ghoul, also with Peter Cushing. Although many involved in the making of these films have been associated with the House of Hammer, it is obvious that Tyburn was a poor imitation for Hammer. Which is not to say Legend of The Werewolf is not entertaining. Indeed, the presence of Peter Cushing alone makes it interesting to horror buffs such as myself. Many films of this ilk are surprisingly hard to find today and valuable to collectors. My copy, distributed by Interglobal Home video, was purchased many years ago and today is next to impossible to find. Interglobal had the distinction for a time in the late 1980's and early 90's for making available films such as these and for that we owe them a considerable debt. Legend of The Werewolf covers no new ground and few surprises. A baby is left for dead and is raised among the wild animals. A few years pass and he is rescued by a traveling carney and spends the rest of his youth performing as "Wolfboy." Finally he embarks out on his own and goes to work as a zookeeper in Paris. Murders begin to happen and Peter Cushing, a medical examiner dabbling in detective work, begins to piece the mystery together. Regrettably, the finale holds little in the way of surprise and is anything but shocking or mysterious. Production values are acceptable given the low budget constraints but one is aware that the House of Hammer could have done much better with similar resources. One bright spot other than Cushing's presence is Ron Moody as the seedy head zookeeper. What a sleazebag! The plotline is fairly creative as a house of ill repute is used to frame the story of the murders and "animal" attacks. Our wolfman's love interest is a prostitute whom he has sadly placed on a pedestal of virtue. Ah well - even low budget B flicks contain their poignant moments of human frailty. If you are a fan of Peter Cushing, obscure horror films, or both, this is required viewing. If you are neither you may not wish to bother. Still, when I viewed this film recently after having not seen it for several years, I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.
Review of Legend of the Werewolf
