HallowScream - Werewolf by Night (2022)

          Hey guys, Chuck here, and we're back with more HallowScream. And what's really awesome is that, for the first time during HallowScream, we're taking a look at a Marvel Studios project. This is my review of the all-new Marvel Halloween special Werewolf by Night, streaming now exclusively on Disney+. 

        Okay, so this Halloween special, which is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was directed by noted film composer Michael Giacchino, who of course also worked on the music score for the special. And I gotta say, he did really great with both, and this was, quite honestly, my favorite MCU project of 2022. Now, admittedly, there are still two more MCU releases for the year in the forms of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special some time around Christmas, but as far as the MCU releases already out there, this is my favorite as of right now. 

          So, the special is set on the night of a Great Hunt in memory of the recently deceased Ulysses Bloodstone. Several monster hunters are gathered to make a claim on an ancient relic, the Bloodstone, which will be attached to a monster. The hunters' task is simple: kill the monster and claim the Bloodstone before the end of the night, and the stone is theirs. Among those in attendance for the evening are the likes of Jack Russell, Jovan, Billy Swan, and Ulysses' daughter Elsa Bloodstone. The monster being hunted, as it turns out, is none other than Ted Sallis aka Man-Thing. So, what exactly happens when a band of monster hunters go up against Man-Thing to claim the Bloodstone family's heirloom? You're just going to have to watch the special on Disney+ to find out. 

         Okay, so for Marvel Studios' first foray into the horror genre, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's clear that composer/director Michael Giacchino is a huge fan of some of the classic monster movies from the 1930's and 1940's like Dracula, The Wolf Man, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and so on, because he definitely goes to frame this movie like those horror classics. Both Gael Garcia Bernal and Laura Donnelly are excellent in the roles of Jack Russell and Elsa Bloodstone. And the rest of the cast, including the likes of Harriet Sansom Harris, Kirk Thatcher, Cary Jones, and so forth are all excellent in this project as well. 

          One major thing to note is in how this special was shot. Werewolf by Night is predominantly in black and white, but it does have splashes of color here and there, and the final moments of the special are in full technicolor. The idea of showcasing the special primarily in black and white is a really nice touch to those old school monster movies and B-movie horror projects that would be showcased at a Grindhouse theater, even to having the occasional bits of dust crop up, as well as changeover cues also known as "cigarette burns." Making it black and white also allows them to get away with a lot of the gore in this project,  and yes, there is a bit of blood and gore to be had in Werewolf by Night. I also thoroughly loved the creature designs for Werewolf by Night and Man-Thing, and the makeup team did an excellent job with designing these two to look just amazing and accurate to the original comics. 

           Now, no surprises here with my rating, but I'm giving Werewolf by Night a 5/5. If you guys have Disney+ and want to see a fun, spooky Halloween special from the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is definitely one to check out. This is Chuck signing off, and next time on HallowScream, it's back to the world of Stephen King with my review of The Shining. 

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