Before Alcide Herveaux, before Tyler Lockwood, even before Jacob Black, there was another burly young werewolf every girl wanted to date – 1985’s Scott Howard teen wolfThis salacious indie comedy directed by Rod Daniel Achieved unlikely success through association with other things Michael J. Fox strike, back to the future.
Michael J. Fox was a hot commodity in the mid-1980s. Then, in my early twenties, family tiesthe second most popular sitcom in the country in 1984 cosby showFox’s character, conservative and Nixon-loving Alex P. Keaton, became the show’s most beloved character, largely thanks to Fox’s boyish charm and extreme likeability.But it was a back-to-back release of back to the future When teen wolf It catapulted him to superstardom.
What was the original ‘Teen Wolf’ movie?
1985s teen wolf Beyond some standard werewolf and teenage drama tropes, it bears little resemblance in plot or tone to its 2010s counterpart. Scott is a high school student who inherited lycanthropy from his father, and Howard’s him is the only two supernatural beings to appear in the film. By becoming a werewolf, he sharpens his senses and increases his athleticism. many There is no urge to be bloodthirsty, to act aggressively, to rampage through the night, or howl at the moon.
Scott’s adventures are accompanied by his childhood friend Buch (Susan Ursittisecretly in love with him) and best friend Stiles (Jerry Levine), the raucous, obnoxious life of party wannabes who wear witty T-shirts like “Life Dies the Worst” and “What Are Dick Noses Seeing?”
‘Teen Wolf’ and ‘Back to the Future’ have always been closely related
teen wolf They actually share some key plot points back to the future: In both, Fox plays a high school student frustrated with his mundane and mundane life. He is harassed by a bully principal who targets him for not liking his teenage family. And his life is suddenly turned upside down due to a fantastical event beyond his control. But overall he’s a good boy.
back to the future When teen wolf It was shot in a tight six-month window alongside. family tie. teen wolf Taken during breaks in November and December 1984. tie While necessitated by Meredith Baxter Barney’s maternity leave, BttF It was filmed from January to April 1985 after Fox was cast in his place. Eric Stoltz (his no-nonsense method acting was never on point) as Marty McFly. family ties Filming was still going on during that time, which created a grueling schedule for Fox, who spent his days on the set of the film. tie and night photography BttFI often don’t get home until early in the morning.
Werewolf was at its height of popularity in the early 1980s, with both titles being released in 1981. howling When american werewolf in london, When michael jackson thriller Debuted in December 1983. teen wolf I wasn’t ready to succeed. For starters, it’s independently funded by a very small studio, Atlantic Entertainment, and on a meager budget of just over $1 million, other than Fox’s relatively minimalist wolf makeup and prosthetic legs. No special effects were allowed.
‘Teen Wolf’ nearly tanked before being shot
To make matters worse, the film was almost tanked before it was shot. teen wolf Part werewolf movie and part sports movie, it tells the story of a hopelessly bad high school basketball team who is lifted from despair by the sudden appearance of one extremely talented player (in this case, a werewolf). am. The film’s climax is the final game, a test of Scott’s integrity that hinges on his choice to play as himself instead of a wolf. Of course, he and his non-athletic team are unlikely to win. Even after an intensive round of personalized training, the star is barely able to take a shot, and the producers hired a real Loyola University basketball player to act as Fox’s double in a scene where he plays basketball as a wolf. I was forced to
In addition to this, the film has also been plagued by bad early reviews, with Variety describing it as “a decent idea that produces the most unimaginative results imaginable”, and Vincent Canby of The New York Times calling it “a terrific performance.” I call it ‘very boring’. Considering all these factors, teen wolf It seemed destined for box office failure.
How ‘Back to the Future’ saved ‘Teen Wolf’
But it was a smart decision on Atlantic Entertainment’s part that prevented that. teen wolf From being a flop.When they found out about a big-budget, high-profile casting for Fox back to the futurethey decided to release teen wolf rear BttFnevertheless teen wolf It was completed early, so it was able to capitalize on Fox’s growing stardom. BttF Released on July 3, 1985, teen wolf On August 23, 1985, just seven weeks later.
“We Ride the Michael J. Fox Wave” Producer Scott Rosenfeld told Yahoo Entertainment in 2020. back to the future open just before we push teen wolf to the studio number. BttF It was still number one at the box office at the time. teen wolf It premiered and the latter film slipped neatly into second place behind it. teen wolf It was undoubtedly his charm and popularity that made Fox stand out and bring audiences to the theater. Indie eventually surpassed his $30 million at the domestic box office, taking a respectable spot as his 23rd highest-grossing film of 1985. back to the futureOf course we got the top spot.
For a goofy, low-budget teen comedy with a corny premise and sub-par critical response, teen wolf It was impressive.It spawned an even more angular sequel teen wolf two,young Jason Bateman Taking Howard’s name and the Curse of the Wolf to college, he became a wrestling star and an animated series that ran for two seasons on CBS. It was followed by his MTV hit His series, which aired for his six seasons from 2011 to 2017, culminating in a new series. A movie that is showing now. It turns out that the story of cute teenage werewolves and the girls who want to date them has been around for ages.
