The Lodger (1944), Wolfen (1981), and Lair of the White Worm (1988)

Adapting novels and short stories into motion pictures is as old as cinema itself. Some adaptations are very successful, while some… not so much. Plus, there’s the age-old question of how well the source material is represented in the cinematic version. Are the filmmakers using it as inspiration rather than offering a straight-up telling of the original story? But when it comes down to it, the real questions are: does it work, and more importantly, is it entertaining?

In this episode, we’re taking on three very different stories from three very different authors. With tales ranging from Jack the Ripper to super-wolves to a pagan deity, they’re all over the place, each one filled with its filmmaker’s own sense of craftsmanship and style.

Films mentioned in this episode:

Alien (1979), An American Werewolf in London (1981), Christine (1983), Communion (1989), The Devils (1971), Die Hard (1988), Faust (2000), The Funhouse (1981), Gothic (1986), Grizzly (1976), Halloween Kills (2021), The Haunting (1963), Hell of the Living Dead (1980), Heretic (2024), The Howling (1981), The Hunger (1983), It (2017), Interview with the Vampire (1994), Jaws (1975), Lair of the White Worm (1988), The Lawnmower Man (1992), The Legend of Hell House (1973), The Lodger (1944), The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927), Night of the Demon (1980), Pet Sematary (1989), Psycho (1960), Ratpocalypse (2015), Rats: Night of Terror (1984), The Ritual (2017), The Ruins (2008), Salem’s Lot (1979), Salome’s Last Dance (1988), Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf 2015), Spawn (1997), Stand By Me (1986), War of the Worlds (1953), Wolfen (1981)