A high schooler turning into a werewolf uses his
newfound powers to become a super popular basketball star. FANTASY/SPORT
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Teen Wolf (1985)Directed by Rod Daniel
Written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman Starring Michael J. Fox, James Hampton, Susan Ursitti, Jerry Levine, Matt Adler, Lorie Griffin, Mark Arnold, Jay Tarses, Mark Holton |
1985 saw Michael J. Fox turn from a television heartthrob into an absolute superstar thanks to the combined box office success of Back to the Future and Teen Wolf, the latter of which I have finally watched. I've been a fan of Fox's my whole life, but there's a few of his films I still need to see. I always thought the premise behind Teen Wolf was fairly stupid, and while it kinda is, it's also surprisingly entertaining and endearing. It's a film about accepting who you are and doing the right thing for the right reasons. Also, everyone in town is totally cool with werewolves. Who'd have thought?
Scott Howard (Fox) is a dorky, unpopular kid despite being on the basketball team and, you know, Michael J. Fox. He's in love with the bitchy popular girl Pamela (Griffin), who doesn't even acknowledge his existence. Also, he's completely unaware that his best friend Boof (Ursitti) is in love with him. After a day of feeling kinda weird, he turns into a werewolf and learns from his wolf dad that lycanthropy runs in their family. However, it doesn't drive him to kill, he's in complete control of it, he can wolf out any time day or night, and it gives him the power to be awesome at basketball. Frankly, without Fox's charisma, this film would be a disaster from start to finish. But he sells it the entire time. Scott's transformation from dorky loner to popular wolf boy is funny, and then his realization that it's not the wolf that makes him great but his inner beauty, is inspiring. Teen Wolf remains one of the weirdest gems of the 80's that has lasted and endured, because who doesn't want to see a werewolf play basketball? |