In the horror film genre, "Curse of the Werewolf" stands out as a timeless classic. Released in 1961, it was directed by Terence Fisher and starred Yvonne Romain as the leading lady. Yvonne Romain portrayed the character of Teresa, the love interest of the cursed werewolf. The film revolves around the tragic transformation of the protagonist, Leon, into a werewolf. Leon was born as the result of a rape committed by a beggar in a small Spanish town. From the very beginning, he carries a curse that would haunt him throughout his life.
Having lived in a Christian orphanage for most of her life, Sayuri (Yachie Matsui) is finally found and adopted (or rather, re-adopted) by her birth parents. However, soon after arriving at her new home, supernatural happenings convince the girl that something is afoot. Her suspicions are proven correct in the form of a mysterious sister, Tamami (Mayumi Takahashi), who’s been hidden in the family attic for God knows how long. The reptilian-like child torments the innocent Sayuri, who begins to suspect that her newly found sister may be more than just a little girl.
Remarkably, as revealed in the supplementals, Yachie Matsui and Mayumi Takahashi would never star in a major feature again after their starkly contrasting roles in Snake Girl. Saturated in beautiful monochromatic hues, the performances are decent, the characters are interesting, the vfx are great, the spiralling hallucination sequences are fantastic bolstered by some eerie theremin.
From the very beginning, he carries a curse that would haunt him throughout his life. As Leon grows up, he becomes increasingly aware of his animalistic tendencies and struggle with his dark inner self. Yvonne Romain's character, Teresa, enters Leon's life as a force of love and stability.
[Film Review] Snake Girl and the Silver Haired Witch (1968)
The child’s point of view can be a powerful tool in horror. It can emphasise being in a position of vulnerability and true powerlessness to maximise a sense of terror, but also has the potential to tell stories of growth and resilience when the child overcomes their fears and survives their terrible ordeal. The Snake Haired Girl and the Silver Haired Witch is a wonderful example of this, and one that until recently wasn’t made available to view outside of its native Japan.
Orphan Sayuri has been told that she will be reunited with her birth parents and is excited for her new life in a big house with her own room, new clothes, and everything she could ever want. Things begin to get strange as soon as she arrives, as one of the house maids is being wheeled away having died under mysterious circumstances, and her mother has sustained a head injury which makes remembering things difficult and calls Sayuri “Tamami”. When her father, an expert on venomous snakes, gets called away to Africa suddenly to study a new specimen is when the horror for Sayuri truly begins.
Whilst not based on a single work and instead taking elements from a few of his stories, The Snake Girl and Silver Haired Witch is derived from the works of manga artist Kazuo Umezu, a leading figure in horror manga with a career that started in the early sixties and is still going strong today (for more on Umezu’s role in the growth of girls’ horror in Japan, see here ). He is particularly known for often centring his stories around innocent and wide-eyed child protagonists attempting to find their way out of horrific situations. That is present here with protagonist Sayuri, and we often hear her inner monologue, something that feels fitting for a film that takes elements from a manga story format. The film’s director was Noriaki Yuasa in what is a departure from the rest of his career, which almost exclusively comprises films featuring Gamera, Daiei’s kaiju series created to compete with Toho’s Godzilla. It is a shame, because The Snake Girl and the Silver Haired Witch does show an interesting style and it would have been nice to see Yuasa develop that more.
This really is a really fun movie, something evident immediately from the Gothic quality to the film’s set-up as we follow the innocent young orphan who is whisked away to an elaborate mansion full of strange objects and forbidden rooms, her new mother acts strange and aloof, there is a mysterious person living in the attic watching everything that goes on, nuns, and a family secret to uncover. Said family secret is the actual Tamami, Sayuri’s apparently hidden from public eyes older sister who takes an immediate dislike to the girl despite Sayuri’s best efforts. She is the titular Snake Girl, although the nature of that is ultimately slightly ambiguous. It is brought out most in visually creative dream sequences that are almost a tamer version of some of the visuals in Nobuhiko Obayashi’s House, who himself adapted Umezu’s work in 1987 with The Drifting Classroom. There are some moments where the effects show their cheapness, but if anything that just adds to the film’s charm. What these scenes achieve is really blurring the lines between fantasy and reality, making you question the exact nature of what is happening to Sayuri as well as heightening the feeling of childhood terror she is going through.
Of course, what is children’s horror without the child central to it all and Sayuri, played by ten year old Yachie Matsui, has a plucky sweetness to her that you can’t help but root for. She tries to make the best of her new situation, even with Tamami’s cruelty and housekeeper Shige’s disbelief at anything she says. Her only true ally is Tatsuya, an older boy from the same orphanage as her. It’s interesting and even keeps you guessing in a few places. There was a point when I thought that the father’s work with venomous snakes was going to play a more experimental part in an Eyes Without a Face fashion, especially when we see a scar along the edge of Tamami’s face. The actual sinister plot behind everything is a bit more Scooby-Doo than French New Wave, but still entertaining.
The Snake Girl and the Silver Haired Witch has that fun children’s horror quality; not really scary, but an entertaining and fun watch. This could even be a good gateway film for people introducing someone to Japanese horror as it's fairly light on specific cultural elements but can introduce someone to the particular mood, attitude towards monsters, and touches on the things that veteran fans of Japanese horror would already be familiar with.
This is such an odd movie considering it really feels like a childrens movie but is filled with brutal murders and sadistic hallucinations as a young girl is picked up from an orphanage to live with her real parents but soon realizes that she has an older sister, someone who seems to be a murderous psycho as well as half snake. Coz you know, Japan. But then I realize that it is based on a manga by horror maestro Kazuo Umezu and everything falls into place. Because it really feels like one of his mangas and I never for a second thought that they really would translate well into a movie. But The Snake girl and the Silver-Haired witch partly…
Their relationship is plagued by the curse that turns Leon into a bloodthirsty beast during full moons. Teresa's unwavering love and dedication serve as a source of strength for Leon as he grapples with his condition. She represents the light in Leon's life, a glimmer of hope amidst the horror. Romain's performance as Teresa adds depth and emotion to the film. Her portrayal of a woman torn between her love for Leon and the fear of his monstrous side is both compelling and realistic. Romain's chemistry with the other actors, particularly Oliver Reed, who played Leon, creates a believable and tragic love story. "Curse of the Werewolf" stands as a testament to Yvonne Romain's talent as an actress. Her ability to bring depth and emotion to her character elevates the film beyond the typical horror fare. Romain's performance, combined with the atmospheric direction and gripping story, make this film a must-watch for fans of the genre..
Reviews for "Breaking the Chains of Fate: Yvonne Romain and the Curse of the Werewolf"
1. Michael - 2/5 stars - "The Curse of the Werewolf promised to be a thrilling horror film, but it fell short of my expectations. The plot was slow and lacked depth, leaving me bored and uninterested for most of the film. The werewolf transformation scenes were also poorly executed and did not have the intended impact. Additionally, the character development was weak and left me feeling disconnected from the story. Overall, I was disappointed with this film and would not recommend it to fans of the horror genre looking for a thrilling werewolf story."
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - "I found The Curse of the Werewolf to be a complete waste of time. The acting was terrible, with wooden performances that made it hard to take the film seriously. The story was also incredibly predictable, leaving no room for surprises or twists. The special effects were laughable and seemed outdated compared to other films in the same genre. I was hoping for an exciting and terrifying werewolf film, but all I got was a dull and forgettable experience. Save yourself the disappointment and skip this one."
3. David - 2/5 stars - "As a fan of werewolf movies, I was excited to watch The Curse of the Werewolf. However, I was left underwhelmed by this lackluster attempt. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of boredom followed by rushed action scenes. The character development was weak, making it hard to connect with any of the protagonists. Furthermore, the portrayal of the werewolf itself was disappointing, lacking the necessary fear factor. Overall, this film failed to deliver a compelling werewolf story and fell short of my expectations."