SCREAM OF THE WOLF

US, 1974, 74 minutes, Colour.
Clint Walker, Peter Graves, Jo Ann Pflug, Phil Carey.
Directed by Dan Curtis.

Scream of the Wolf is a brief telemovie directed by Dan Curtis, the man responsible for the Dark Shadow series as well as many telemovies using classic horror stories like Dracula. He also directed the semi-autobiographical and insightful When Every Day was the Fourth of July. This film is based on a Richard Matheson script, Matheson being a celebrated screenwriter of a range of horror stories including Corman's Poe series. This film is a variation on the classic Hounds of Zaroff theme. Peter Graves is a stern hunter. Clint Walker has reason to look serious. The film touches on the werewolf mythology - and the themes of arrogance and human superiority.

1. Interesting and entertaining thriller? The build-up of the deaths? The investigation? The hunt? The ironic revelation of the truth?

2. Los Angeles settings, atmosphere, the subjective shots for the killings-? The ordinariness of Californian settings contrasting with the finale and the confrontation?

3. The title, the echoes of werewolf themes, the variation on the theme?

4. The deaths, the mystery of the animal, the police investigations and frustration, the advice of John, trying to get Byron to investigate, the further murders? The build-up to a confrontation?

5. John writer, hunter, friend of the police chief, his relationship with Sandy, the attempt on her life, his becoming involved in the investigation, attempts to enlist Byron's help, memories of past hunting trips, their separation? His involvement, Sandy's suspicions of Byron as a werewolf? The finding of Byron's servant dead, Byron and the truth, the final hunt, Byron challenging him, to shoot him in the back, his decision?

6. Byron as hunter, loner, not being involved? His servant? His theories about hunting, being alive? The irony of the set-up, his creating the mystery, his wolf and the pads, his taking control of the wolf? His contempt for his victims? The attack on Sandy to provoke John? The final confrontation, his theory of the superior beings, of predators and hunters, of the prey doing the unexpected, John's being chased, the shot?

7. The police and the investigation? Sandy and the routine romantic relationship?

8. Themes of myths and werewolves? Violence and death? The arrogant super-man?