Alright, grab your favourite worn-out flannel, maybe crack open a Jolt Cola (if you can find one!), and settle in. Remember flicking through the aisles at Blockbuster or maybe your local mom-and-pop video store? That feeling when you spotted that cover – the one with the furry dude in sunglasses, looking impossibly cool? Yeah, we’re diving headfirst back into 1985 with a look at the charmingly goofy, undeniably iconic Teen Wolf.
This wasn't just any high school comedy; it was a high school comedy where the awkward kid's biggest problem wasn't asking a girl out, it was turning into a hairy, slam-dunking, van-surfing lupine legend. It’s a premise so wonderfully absurd, so distinctly 80s, that it feels like it could only have sprung forth from that glorious decade of cinematic weirdness. And who better to navigate this bizarre transformation than the perpetually likeable Michael J. Fox?
### More Than Just Marty McFly's Furry Phase
It's impossible to talk about Teen Wolf without acknowledging the flux capacitor-powered elephant in the room: Back to the Future. Here’s a fun piece of retro trivia for you: Teen Wolf was actually filmed before Fox became the globally adored Marty McFly, but shrewd producers held its release until after BTTF blew up the box office in the summer of '85. Talk about perfect timing! Suddenly, Michael J. Fox wasn't just a sitcom star; he was a bona fide movie phenomenon, and this quirky little werewolf flick, made for a relatively modest $1.4 million, surfed that wave to an astonishing $80 million worldwide gross. Not bad for a film about puberty hitting really differently.
Fox plays Scott Howard, your standard-issue nice guy high schooler – unremarkable basketball team, crushing on the popular girl (Pamela, played by Lorie Griffin), generally overlooked. His best friends are the irrepressibly goofy Stiles (Jerry Levine, delivering some peak 80s slang and entrepreneurial spirit) and the loyal, girl-next-door Boof (Susan Ursitti). Life is aggressively average until Scott starts noticing… changes. Unusual hair growth, pointy ears, enhanced senses, and an uncontrollable urge to howl at the moon. Turns out, lycanthropy runs in the family, as his wonderfully deadpan dad (James Hampton, offering a great, grounded performance) reveals.
### Unleash the Wolf (and the Practical Effects)
The transformation scenes, while maybe not Rick Baker-level masterpieces, were definitely a talking point back in the day. Remember watching that first change on a fuzzy CRT? The stretching fingers, the sprouting fur – it was all done with practical makeup effects by the Burman Studios, involving hours in the chair for Fox. Sure, looking back, the wolf design itself has a certain endearing Muppet quality, less terrifying monster and more like a sports mascot gone wild. But that’s part of the charm! It wasn't about visceral horror; it was about wish fulfillment mixed with adolescent awkwardness.
Once Scott embraces his inner wolf, the movie kicks into high gear. Suddenly, the Beacontown Beavers aren't just losing; they have a clawed, snarling, surprisingly agile superstar leading the charge. The basketball scenes are pure 80s cheese, edited with maximum energy to make Fox (who, bless him, wasn't exactly Air Jordan) look like a furry phenomenon. Did anyone else find themselves inexplicably hyped during those games back then? The crowds going wild, the cheesy synth score pumping... it was infectious.
### Heart of the Wolfman
Beneath the fur and the van-surfing (a stunt that feels quintessentially 80s in its casual danger), Teen Wolf actually has a pretty decent heart. It’s a classic story about being yourself, albeit told through the lens of literal metamorphosis. Scott initially loves the popularity and power the Wolf brings, but eventually realises it’s masking who he truly is and alienating the people who liked him before he was the town sensation. The script, co-written by Joseph Loeb III (who later became a powerhouse in comics and TV, known as Jeph Loeb) and Matthew Weisman, taps into those universal teen anxieties about fitting in, even if it uses a werewolf as the metaphor.
Director Rod Daniel, who mostly worked in television before this and later gave us other family-friendly fare like K-9 (1989) and Beethoven's 2nd (1993), keeps things light and moving briskly. He doesn't dwell too much on the potential darkness of the premise, opting instead for laughs and feel-good moments. The supporting cast, especially James Hampton as Harold Howard and Jerry Levine as Stiles, add layers of warmth and humour that elevate the material. Stiles, in particular, with his "Wolf" merchandise and opportunistic schemes, is an unforgettable slice of 80s archetyping.
### Still Howling After All These Years?
Look, Teen Wolf isn't high art. Some of the jokes land with a thud, the fashion is aggressively of its time, and the plot follows a fairly predictable trajectory. It spawned a less-loved sequel (Teen Wolf Too, starring Jason Bateman) and a much later, dramatically different MTV series, proving the core concept had legs (or paws?). But watching it again now, through the warm, fuzzy filter of nostalgia? It’s incredibly endearing.
It captures that specific brand of 80s teen movie magic – earnest, a little silly, packed with memorable moments, and carried by an immensely charismatic lead performance. Michael J. Fox sells both Scott's initial awkwardness and the Wolf's eventual swagger with infectious energy. It's a comfort watch, a reminder of a time when high school problems could be solved with a sudden onset of supernatural powers and a killer crossover dribble.
Rating: 7/10
This rating reflects the film's undeniable charm, Michael J. Fox's star power, and its status as a beloved cult favourite, balanced against its inherent cheesiness and dated elements. The practical effects, while perhaps quaint now, were part of the fun, and the core message still resonates.
Final Thought: Teen Wolf is pure, unadulterated 80s comfort food cinema – maybe not the most sophisticated dish, but guaranteed to leave you feeling warm, fuzzy, and maybe wanting to air guitar on top of a moving vehicle (don't do that). A howl from the past that still echoes fondly.