The Gore Connoisseurs

As your werewolf movie approaches its climax, it's time for your cursed antihero to writhe and groan as some FX magic happens and a helpless victim just stands there and watches the whole thing. But just how the transformation occurs has changed a fair bit over the years - depending both on the evolution of practical effects and prevailing cultural trends. Some have aged better than others.  Let's start with: The hairy crossfade (pre-1980s) Notable examples: Werewolf of London (1935),  The Wolf Man (1941), Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man (1943),  Curse of the Werewolf (1961) Werewolves had it easy pre-Rick Baker. Come the full moon, they would segue into vicious beasts via a series of crossfades, minus the whole screaming, flesh crunching and skin ripping which would come later. In these early films, strategic pillar walking was a less time-consuming FX option, as evidenced by this clip from Werewolf of London.  In The Wolf Man , Lon Chaney...

Why do movie werewolves always look ridiculous? We've rated ten of the most popular on appearance alone, independent of the quality of the films they appear in. We know – we're so shallow. It's our controversial opinion that there has never been a truly satisfying werewolf design. But there are certainly less bad ones. From towering classics  American Werewolf and Ginger Snaps to less lauded pop culture fare such as Twilight and Harry Potter, we've taken a good long look at some hairy beasties. Here are our findings... Twilight  (2008-2012) –   0/5 The teen saga's treatment of werewolves is arguably even more heinous than its portrayal of vampires. The lycanthropes are fluffy doggos you wouldn't be too put out seeing on a lead in the park. Characters transform at will in a matter of seconds – this is lycanthropy as a superpower and we're not buying it. The Howling  (1981) – 1/5 Not that we enjoy being provocative but... ...