Rickert Wolfman Blog

The advancement of technology has played a prominent role in the 2010 Wolfman film. Advancement of technology is specifically understood within the scene of transformation from man to wolfman. In the 1945 version of Wolfman the transformation of Chaney’s full body is not shown in his transformation into Wolfman. Instead the audience is shown a succession of shots edited together of Chaney’s legs growing thick hair and turning into the feet of the wolfman. The audience then realizes that Chaney has turned into a wolfman without fully showing the full transformation. This transformation is a stark contrast to the latest 2010 version of the film Wolfman. In this newer version the audience has full view of Del Toro’s transformation this is possible because of the CGI. The audience views his hands forming into claws, human feet into larger animal like feet, and face becoming that of the wolfman. The audience can experience an almost life like transformation of Del Toro where in Chaney’s transformation the audience must implement more imagination. Chaney’s transformation can be understood as more intense build up of the horror of the wolfman for the audience. This is mainly because the audience does not see the wolfman till more than half way through the movie. Therefore there is an air of uncertainty of the appearance of the wolfman, allow the audience to formulate their own idea of the monster.
Both films incorporate the greatest forms of technology and cinematic effects to successfully communicate the transformation of the wolfman. There is no real answer to the more effective style of cinematic effects whether it be CGI or absence of main character to build suspense. Both films will live on to delight the imaginations and minds of the audience for years to come.