Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & IV • February 24, 2010 ‘The Wolfman’ remake falls short of the original by Dennis Seuling Cinematic remakes and updates can be disappointing. Often, the charm and appeal of the original are nowhere to be seen. Modern directors, under pressure to produce a hit, cater to what they believe audiences want. As a result, the final movie is a pale shadow of the picture that inspired it. “The Wolfman,” based on the Lon Chaney, Jr. film, alters the time period from contemporary America to Victorian-era England. Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro) has returned from the States, where he has been pursuing a stage acting career, at the behest of Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt), fiancée of his brother, who has mysteriously disappeared. When he arrives, his brother’s body has been found, horribly mutilated. The locals believe it is the work of a large animal. Lawrence stays at the Talbot estate, reconnecting awkwardly with his father, Sir John (Anthony Hopkins), whom he has not seen in years. It eventually becomes graphically clear that a wolf is loose in the neighborhood, ripping its way through assorted townsfolk, gypsies, and police officers. During one of the beast’s attacks, Lawrence is bitten badly and taken to the gypsy camp set up at the outskirts of town. He is tended to by the gypsy woman Maleva (Geraldine Chaplin) and survives, but faces a horrible fate when it appears he was infected by the bite of a werewolf and has become one himself. Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro) awakens dazed after a killing spree has devastated the countryside in ‘The Wolfman.’ The look of “The Wolfman” is perfect. There is a dark gloom reflected in cloudy skies (except for the nights when the moon is full), rundown mansions, narrow village streets, ominous rooftops, and deserted woodland. Rick Heinrichs’ production design does much to create a consistent atmosphere, as does the somber score by Danny Elfman. This is the era of Jack the Ripper, and the crimes that occur terrify the villagers. This latest spate of murders is more horrific than anything attributed to the Ripper, with gallons of human blood and body parts scattered about. The main problem with “The Wolfman” is the casting of del Toro. The script by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self, based on the 1941 movie, spends little time letting viewers get to know Lawrence before he is tragically afflicted. When we first meet him, he is solemn because of the circumstances that brought him back to his childhood home. He never smiles, and constantly wears a pallbearer’s countenance. The script saddles him with a load of background baggage which would not exactly make him a carefree, happy-go-lucky playboy, but the film is so bleak and solemn that it is tough to wrap sympathy around such a cold, brooding character. Blunt fares better, through she is given very little to do until the movie’s third act. She also carries gloom in her eyes and bearing every time she appears. She is devastated by the violent death of her fiancé, but her presence is functional, setting her up as the perfect victim of the beast. Seeing Hopkins’ name in the credits is generally an indication of first-class acting. However, the role of Sir John is so bizarrely written that it not only departs miles from the original, but goes off on a tangent that is completely unnecessary and clutters the movie with detail. Even an actor of Hopkins’ stature cannot elevate Sir John from anything more than a caricature. “The Wolfman” should be a movie about an innocent man fighting his inner demons when the urge to kill is brought on by moonlight. Chaney Jr., not one of the best actors of his time, conveyed the pain and torture far better than del Toro, who often seems to be going with the flow (continued on Crossword page) Greek City Family Restaurant State Line 375 State Highway 17 North, Mahwah Open 24 Hours, 7 Days Join Us For Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner The Best Got Better! Diner - Restaurant 201-529-3353 Now Serving Cocktails, Espresso & Cappuccino Serving Lunch & Dinner Reservations for Friday & Saturday Evenings Take Out & Catering Available 1300 Rt. 17 N, Ramsey (Kohl’s Shopping Ctr.) 201-760-2500 • Fax: 201-760-2555 www.GreekCityRestaurant.com Traditional & Greek Dishes & Grilled Fish $ 00 On $10.00 and over. With this coupon only. One Coupon per table. 5:00 to 9:00 pm only. Off 1 $ 00 Hrs: M-Th 11:30am-10pm • Fri-Sat: 11:30am-10:30pm • Sun 1pm-9:30pm VT On $20.00 and over. With this coupon only. One Coupon per table. 5:00 to 9:00 pm only. Off 2 VT