Wolf Blood

Believed to be the earliest extant werewolf film and the first of feature length, "Wolfblood" (1925) is more of a drama than a horror film. The story is engaging and the film well made, including lots of beautiful exteriors and some effective double-exposure photography in a phantasmagorical sequence in the third act. The film's visual appeal and historic interest for monster-movie enthusiasts makes it a prime candidate for restoration and an upgrade to HD, but in the meantime, one can't ask for much better than this SD transfer of a 35mm print. Detail is good enough that one can appreciate, to a reasonable extent, the textures of the woods, the play of light through the trees, etc. The film's original tints are retained, and the newly composed score is great, both adding tremendously to the atmosphere. I can't tell whether the score is a real orchestra with a forgivable amount of synth supplementation or a mostly synthesized score that's very well done, but either way, it suits the film nicely.Included is a 23-minute Hank Mann (of the Keystone Cops) short that's in slightly rougher shape than the feature but still looks pretty good and is (to my tastes) mildly amusing if not a laugh riot.

Great movie!