Ideal Werewolf Movie "musts"

[DemonSlayerMau]

So what are your top ten "musts" when it comes to a werewolf film? What makes a werewolf film for you? It doesn't even need to center around the werewolf itself, but at least have a werewolf in it. Van Helsing I thought had an awesome werewolf, but I've heard people say the movie itself was terrible.
Well, here's my top ten werewolf "Musts" and let me know if you agree or disagree, and feel free to share your top ten.

1. Design. The best werewolves to me actually look like an anthromorphic wolf. Examples of werewolf designs include the ones from Van Helsing, or even from the Morrowind Expansion Pack: Blood Moon. And that's not even a movie, it's a video game. Although there's many great werewolf movies out there, they seem to lack in design. They usually just look like a big monster, and nothing like a wolf at all. If they do look like a wolf, they just look like a big fluffy monster with "cat ears." And some wolf designs look more cat like if you ask me. So I'm very picky about werewolf designs. Also, I want the werewolf to look like it's part man and part wolf, I don't mind if he runs on all fours but he's gotta be able to stand up on his two feet. If I want to see a complete transformation of a human to an animal, I'll watch Harry Potter or animorphs. He/She's also gotta be furry. The only two things the bothered me about the werewolf design on Underworld was that there were no female werewolves and that they were bald. A tail would be a bonus, but not a requirement. Wolves have tails don't they? I don't think there are any werewolves with tails except maybe Bloodmoon which is again, a game not a movie. But I'd like to see them with a tail.
(By the way, if there's ever any werecat movies made, I have the same requirements except they have to look cat like instead of wolf like.)
2. Transformation scenes. A good dramatic transformation scene is one of the best parts of the film, it gets you excited. There's that feeling you know it's coming, the beast is coming out. I don't want to just see a shadow in the background, I want to see the man to wolf transformation.
3. I want to see the werewolf! Not just a shadow, not just a clawed hand, but I want to see it. Maybe at the very beginning of the film you can make it all mysterious and shadowy, but from the middle of the film on, I want to see werewolf action.
(I hated New Moon Rising because you didn't even see the wolf at all until the very end. My grandmother enjoyed the country music and square dancing though...but the movie almost put me to sleep!)
4. A decent plot is always nice.
5. And characterization.
6. It's gotta be realistic.
7. Lots of gore and killing involved. (more of a plus than a requirement since I really enjoyed the Underworld Series)
8. Lots of suspense.
9. A dark atmosphere for the setting.
10. Variety, and don't make the werewolves all the same gender. If they are a variety of races, like artic wolves, timber wolves, red wolves etc. that's a bonus. They should be able to interbreed and mate with each other and humans. Far as I know they aren't undead.

Also...the one thing I didn't like about An American werewolf in London and Paris was that when a werewolf killed someone they became an undead entity. Yes it's a curse, but please, just rip the person into bits and be done with it. And like a vampire, if they are worthy of being changed, then they should do it, although a few "accidental" changes are always fun.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Well that's a loaded question, but here goes.

1. Smooth, natural transformation brought about by the full moon. NONE of this "The Howling garbage where they can transform any time they please.

2. A good, interesting legend as to how the wearwolf became a wearwolf.

3. An old town founded around the same time as Salem Mass, where the wearwolf resides.

4. A haunted woodland or forrest where the wearwolf roams and captures prey. I'm not ito these non-traditional stories that take place in large cities and the wearwolf lives in a modern apartment.

5. An old haunted house or mansion with a curse onit, where the wearwolf resides.

6. Good quality cinematography AND photography. I HATE it when they try to do a nighe scene by deliberately underexosing the negative.

7. A well written story line that ties the town, house, and story of the wearfolf together.

8. An EXCELENT, hair raising musical score for the opening theme, closing theme and through out the movie. And while most of you prefer rock, alternative or other more modern music, I think classical music would be a better choice. There can be a modern tune or two in it to promote the mood of the time the story takes place in, but classical music is really better for the theme song.

9. I love to see a classic car or motorcycle in a movie. I think a creepy old Rolls Royce, for the owner of the afore mentione mansion, a creepy old Mercury (50s or 60s vintage) for one of the other characters, and a motorcycle for one of the other characters.

10. MOST IMPORTANTLY, this should be an interesting and SCARY flick, NOT a depressing flick, though a guy cursed to be a wearwolf is a little sad.

And those are my 10 criteria that I would incorporate into my wearwolf movie.

Mike