Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (1961)

An Austrian-Italian co-production filmed at Cinecittà and originally released in Italy in 1961 as 'Lycanthropus' and in Austria in 1963 as 'Bei Vollmond Mord' (literally, 'Murder at Full Moon'). Under either title it would have remained in benign obscurity had it not been crassly retitled 'Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory' by MGM for its US release; as which it has been doomed to wander film history ever since in a dubbed version bearing a 1963 copyright date and subjected to the further indignity of a song over the credits called 'The Ghoul in School' (I guess it proved beyond them to put lyrics to 'Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory').The dubbing is actually competent enough, and the English-language version probably gives a reasonably accurate impression of what the original was like, which was more like a German 'krimi' of the period that anticipated the later Italian 'gialli', and like most of them good looking but plodding and garrulous and structured as a detective film rather than as a horror movie (one of the killings is even committed with a hypodermic by an individual dressed in standard 'giallo' trenchcoat and gloves whose identity certainly makes you sit up when finally revealed); and as usual someone is being blackmailed. The lycanthropic component of the plot seems tossed in rather perfunctorily, his makeup makes the 'Monster' looks more like Mr.Hyde than a werewolf; (SPOILER COMING) and at the end he forgets that only silver bullets are supposed to be able to kill him rather than the conventional ones used here.

Not bad black-and-white early 60's English-dubbed Italian-Austrian made horror film. Shows its Germanic roots. The sets, actors, moody atmosphere and spooky music makes it seem like a West German Edgar Wallace mystery film. A werewolf is stalking the grounds of a girls' reformatory. It never goes near the dormitory. There is no lack of suspects among the faculty. The famed "Ghoul in School" song was never heard by myself, at least in this release. Highly recommended.

This is one of those older "awesomely bad" type of movies. Pretty cheesy, and the dubbing seems to add to the cheesiness factor, but overall it's not the worst film out there. It does keep you guessing, slightly, but it's not that enthralling. I find it more comical than gripping.What's scarier than the werewolf terrorizing these girls in their reform school (who look to be in their mid-twenties, but the audience is made to assume they are teenagers)? The professors. These men are all sleazy! They're trading favors for sexual engagements with the girls, and not a word is mentioned about how this is probably not the best way to conduct a reform school for "troubled girls." If you have about 85 minutes to spare, this is a mildly entertaining film, and it's good for a bit of a laugh.

Just last week, I finished reading Guy Endore's classic 1933 novel "The Werewolf of Paris," a highly intelligent, insightful look at this legendary creature of modern-day folklore. Last night I watched the 1961 Italian/Austrian coproduction "Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory," a film that is hardly classic, overly intelligent or insightful, but that did come as a nice treat for me anyway. To my great surprise, this is not the teenage lycanthrope panty raid that I had been expecting, or the camp fest that the title would lead one to anticipate. The film deals with a series of brutal murders in a young women's reformatory school in what is supposed to be the U.S. but feels distinctly European. To its credit, the movie boasts some pretty creepy atmosphere, effective music, very passable B&W photography, and very decent acting (although it's hard to tell for sure about that last with the terrible dubbing). It feels like a cross between a monster flick and an early Italian "giallo," with a dash of mystery thrown in. Who IS the werewolf? Is it the new, hunky blond professor with a secret in his past? The lecherous old teacher who's being blackmailed by one of the students? Or howzabout the Igor-like, handicapped handyman? Most viewers will never guess; I know I didn't! The Maltin book inexplicably gives this film its lowest "BOMB" rating, but I think the editors there are being way too harsh. Although "Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory" is nothing great, it still deserves some respect for the effective and well-put-together thriller that it is.