This is not new (it’s actually from October 2007), but I only just stumbled across it the other day, and with Hanukkah starting in less than a week, it’s marginally relevant. Wait, why am I rationalizing the fact that I’m posting this? It’s a novelty 1980’s-style hip hop song about Jewish werewolves, it’s from 30 Rock and the whole song is available as a free download from NBC. There is not a single thing about this situation that requires defending– just listen to it, and when you find yourself still singing the chorus under your breath eight hours later, you can thank (or curse) me.
“The Slaughtered Lamb” T-Shirt
Last Exit to Nowhere is a UK-based t-shirt company that specializes in designs “which are inspired and pay homage to some of the most memorable places, corporations and companies in 20th century fiction.” They’ve got some pretty incredible shirt designs, including one that fans of An American Werewolf in London will recognize:
The holiday shipping deadline for North America has already passed, but if you’re in the UK (or anywhere else and don’t mind waiting), you can snag one of these shirts for £17.50. Alternatively, if you’ve got a great idea for a shirt Last Exit to Nowhere ought to create, let MovieMaker Magazine know and you could win a shirt for free.
The Wimp Whose Woman Was a Werewolf
When the city comes under attack by a mysterious creature on the night of the full moon, the town is thrown into chaos. Jack (the wimp) follows the trail of death and destruction left behind by his girlfriend Cheyenne (the werewolf) and worries what might become of her when she’s finally stopped.
I’m a sucker for short films and alliteration, what can I say? Brothers Larry and Aaron Longstreth are premiering their short film “The Wimp Whose Woman Was a Werewolf” at The Kent Stage in Kent, Ohio tomorrow night. You can check out a trailer for “The Wimp…” on YouTube, and there’s a preview (including some decent shots of the werewolf suit/makeup) on Dailymotion. If you’re in the Kent area, get out and support your local filmmakers (and werewolves)!
Michael Sheen Defends Werewolf Role
Frank Lovece of Newsday.com recently conducted a brief interview with Underworld: Rise of the Lycans star Michael Sheen. Sheen, who recently played David Frost in Frost/Nixon and who has also been tapped to play the Cheshire Cat in Tim Burton’s upcoming vision of Alice in Wonderland, has appeared in each of the three Underworld films as Lucian, embattled leader of the Lycans. In his interview, Lovece is mystified as to why Sheen is willing to reprise his werewolf role:
Lovece: After all these rich roles in prestige movies and a storied career on the stage, you’re reprising your role as the werewolf Lucian in “Underworld 3: The Rise of the Lycans.” Umm … why?
Sheen: Wow. (Taken aback) That’s a (chuckles) – now, there’s a huge amount of snobbishness about a film, isn’t there? What’s so awful about those films? The only thing that matters is whether [a character] connects to people, whether it speaks to them about something that has to do with their experience of what it’s like to be a human being. Y’know, there is an audience that these stories speak to, and for one person to say that what speaks to one person is less valid that what speaks to them is the height of ignorance and snobbishness and arrogance, I suppose.
If I’m playing a werewolf and I play it in such a way that it has resonance and it has richness and complexity, then it has as much validity as playing [British ex-Prime Minister Tony] Blair or whomever.
Now, I don’t think anyone’s suggesting that the Underworld films are high cinema, but I admire Sheen’s tact and evident pride in the role of Lucian.
“The Wolfman” Officially Delayed
The rumours have been confirmed – the release of the increasingly-anticipated werewolf film remake “The Wolfman” has been delayed. Originally slated for an April 3 2009 release, we’ll now have to wait until November 6 2009 to watch Benicio del Toro wolf out. Variety says the delay “gives the film more of a high-profile release, as well as ample time for post-production”, which is certainly a positive outlook. It’s certainly a more appropriate time of the year for a horror / monster movie, but an extra seven months is a long time to dedicate to post-production.
Win a Signed Copy of “Wolves of Odin”
To celebrate the release of Grant Gould’s Wolves of Odin graphic novella, Werewolf News is teaming up with Grant himself to give away two signed copies through an exclusive contest. If you want to win one of these signed Wolves of Odin books, you’ll need to get out your cameras and werewolf makeup. To enter the contest, simply submit a photo of yourself (or a patient friend) dressed up as a werewolf in winter. Visit the contest page for full details!
Wolves of Odin, by the way, officially hits the shelves this week (Wednesday the 26th). If you want a copy but don’t want to dig out the Halloween stuff you just packed away, you can ordered it from Amazon or your local comic retailer (Diamond Order Code SEP08 4260).
Visit wolvesofodin.com for some costume inspiration and more information about Wolves of Odin.
“The Wolfman” Delayed Until Fall 2009?
Fangoria is reporting a rumour that The Wolfman’s release date is getting pushed from April 3rd 2009 to “sometime next fall”. No further details are given. Given that the film was already delayed after the departure of its original director, Mark Romanek, there might be something to this. If it’s true, it’s not great news, but if an extra six or seven months it what it takes to make this film shine, I’m willing to wait.
“Untitled (Dark)” by David Altmejd
David Altmejd’s sculptures are some of the freakiest, most mesmerizing examples of art I’ve ever seen. The piece shown above, “Untitled (Dark)”, is part of Altmejd’s exhibit at the Andrea Rosen Gallery in New York.
He doesn’t have an official web site other than the Andrea Rosen Gallery page, so I’m reduced to quoting from his Wikipedia entry:
Altmejd’s sculptures mix seemingly random objects such as decapitated werewolf heads with graffiti-style Stars of David, stained Calvin Klein underwear, towers made of mirrors, plastic flowers and faux jewelry, to create sculptural systems loaded with what he calls “symbolic potential” and open ended narratives.
And yet behind the crystals and matted hair is a guy who loves werewolves!
Werewolf heads have appeared so frequently in his work that in the contemporary art world, they are widely recognized as being closely affiliated with this artist.
Altmejd’s work is turning heads in the world of modern art, and it pleases me to no end that he’s doing it (in part) with werewolves.
Werewolves Are The New Vampires
If you’re familiar with internet memes, you’ve probably seen barackobamaisyournewbicycle.com— the super-minimal site that displays a new feel-good thing that Barack Obama has done for you (but not really) every time you reload the page. Why do I bring it up? Well, after reading this NY Mag article that asks “Are Werewolves the New Vampires?” (by correlating the forthcoming werewolf movies with a possible resurgence in werewolf popularity), I felt compelled to assert my own thoughts on what werewolves might be, do or think. Behold:
Werewolves Are The New Vampires
Yes, this will be a permanent feature. Yes, there are a lot of entries, and yes, I will be adding more. If anyone wants to contact me about the possibility of publishing a book based on this, like what happened to Mathew Honan
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans Poster
ShockTillYouDrop.com has got some exclusive new images from the forthcoming Underworld movie, including a rather imposing poster / onesheet of Viktor (Bill Nighy). Nothing featuring a werewolf yet, but if you’re a fan of Rhona Mitra in tight black clothing, you’ll want to visit the gallery.
