Watch The Curse of the Werewolf

The Curse of the Werewolf is a classic horror film from 1961, directed by Terence Fisher and produced by Hammer Films. The movie stars Oliver Reed as Leon, a young man who is cursed to transform into a werewolf every time there is a full moon. The movie opens with a prologue that sets the stage for the story. It takes place in 18th century Spain and shows a beggar woman stumbling into a town on the day of the wedding of the Marques and Marquesa de las Torres. She is accused of being a witch and thrown into the dungeon where she gives birth to a baby boy on Christmas Day. The beggar woman dies and the baby is adopted by the jailer, Don Alfredo, and his wife. They raise the boy, named Leon, as their own.

As Leon grows up, strange things start happening to him. He has an intense hunger and begins to exhibit odd behavior during the full moon. Eventually, he transforms into a werewolf and begins to terrorize the village. Don Alfredo seeks the help of a wise man who tells him that the curse will not be lifted until Leon finds true love.

Years go by and Leon grows into a handsome young man, played by Oliver Reed. He becomes a servant at the home of a wealthy nobleman and falls in love with his daughter, Christina, played by Yvonne Romain. However, their love is doomed from the start as Christina is engaged to another man.

When Leon transforms into a werewolf again, he is captured and put on trial. Don Alfredo defends him, saying that he is not responsible for his actions as he is cursed. However, the town is not convinced and Leon is exiled to the wilderness. Christina, who has come to care for Leon deeply, follows him into the wilderness, hoping to lift the curse with her love.

The Curse of the Werewolf is a classic horror movie that is both terrifying and tragic. Oliver Reed delivers an outstanding performance as Leon, making the character both sympathetic and frightening. The makeup effects used to create the werewolf are also impressive for the time period, and add to the sense of dread and horror that permeates the film.

The movie's themes of love, fate, and the struggle with one's inner demons are timeless and hold up well even sixty years after the film's release. The Curse of the Werewolf is a must-see for fans of classic horror and remains a standout film in the genre.

The Curse of the Werewolf is a 1961 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 31 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.5.