Becnel Wolfman

While the 2010 remake of the 1941 Hollywood- Horror classic The Wolfman is loosely based on the original and is very different in terms of most of the story line and characters' roles, the transformations that Larry Talbot underwent to become the wolf man were particulary similar in look, but different in application.

Lon Chaney, Jr.'s (Wolfman 1941) transformation involved adding "materials like yak hair, collodion, spirit gum, and cotton" (Jones) to make the make-up more realistic. The make-up artist responsible for Lon Chaney, Jr.'s transformation was Jack Pierce, "the man behind the monsters". Even though some critics have said "that Lon Chaney, Jr. looks more like a wild boar than a wolf" (Jones), Jack Pierce's work is still impressive for his time. In 1941, they did not have the luxury of computer generation or animatronics to apply to the transformation scenes. Also, the original Wolfman had to deal with censorship from the MPAA. The MPAA would "not allow direct man-to-wolf transformations", or "Lon Chaney, Jr. to "look too bestial" (Jones). When Lon Chaney, Jr. became the wolf man, he looked exactly like it sounds: a man with wolf like features, but still discernibly a man. He did not transform into an unrecognizable creature of full wolf.

Benicio del Toro's (Wolfman 2010) transformation involved " pieces of latex prosthetic make-up and loose hair, which were applied" by make-up artist Rick Baker "to del Toro's face each day" and "several dentures and wigs" (Wikipedia). The transformation was computer genrated, which did not sit well with Rick Baker, because he felt that "it would look unrealistic" and the animators did not have his creative "knowledge of design" (Wikipedia). He is a fan of Pierce and wanted to stick to the feel of the original. When Benicio del Toro transformed, he, like Chaney, Jr., looked like a man with wolf- like features. He still had discernable human features, but looked more supernatural. His hands, feet, and body morphed, instead of just growing hair all over his body and his nose changing (like Chaney, Jr.'s transforamtion). You were able to experience the full transformation, instead of experiencing only parts of it, like in the original. In my opinion, del Toro's transformation is more of what I think of as a transformation into a supernatural being than Chaney, Jr.'s.