Biology of.....Werewolves
 

Okay, traditional views on Lycanthropes varied everywhere from people who changed completely into wolves because of a curse or infection, to (i believe Loup-garous) men who put on wolf furs, which magically transformed them into wolves. more modern "stylings' have introduced us to Lon Chaney's "Hairy guy with sharp teeth", all the way to human-wolf hybrids aas seen in Dog Soldiers.

Although the old Loup garous were people who actively sought out wolf form, the more modern stereotype usually involves unwilling transformations. There are sometimes cases of outwardly evil people who dont seem to mind changing into a monster and killing , whether it is voluntary or not. however, they usually seem to make the werewolf a tragic innocent, someone who doesnt wish to change into a monster and kill, but does so uncontrollably. (althoughm, theynever commit suicide. i never really understood that)

There also seems to be a bit of a control issue. In movies like Dog Soldiers and American Werewolf in London, the werewolves kill out of hunger or need, and there is very little if any of the "human" personality present while in this form.

In others, Like Full Ecplise, the people appear to maintain at least SOME control over their actions. i personally prefer the "cursed" view of the whole thing. Full Moon equals bloodthirsty monster.

Then there is the "how do you kill them?" question. In some movies, a silver bullet is required (or some silver). Dog soldiers used this, but they also supported the "catastrophic damage" theory. basically, silver or no, blow up a werewolf, and he is done for. not so in Monster Squad. In American wereolf in London, a regular bullet kills the monster. in Dog Soldiers, it obviously doesnt feel very good, but regular bullets cant kill them.

What about fire? regular old fire doesnt seem to be touched on, at least not in any movies i have seen. One intersting theme that is often used is that injuries sustained in wolf form will carry over into human form, as shown in Silver Bullet. there is an awsome old story about a man and his wife that i will post if i come across it that is in this vein. its a damn fine read.

What out of the above does everyone feel to be the "right way"?

Also, let me know if i seem to have missed anything :D

the howling - werewolfs are killed by setting fire to the barn in which they are trapped. also they can change at will even during the day.

I defnatly prefer the tourteded sould type warewolves, ie: Lawerence Talbot

I could be wrong here but aren't they also effected by deadly nightshade ?

I heaed that too, somewhere....


We have Nightshade in out front garden:cool:

Vod me old mucker, I'll get back to you on this one :D have to go to work soon.

take your time, my freind :)

Nice to see the crazy drunk guy again :D

you too dude, glad to hear the wedding went well :)

You should be OK then...

It just hit me, I think you are getting Wolfsbane and NightShade confused. Nightshade is a poison (belladonna), but wolfsbane is different (i think they are related, however)

another name i have heard for wlfsbane is "Wolf Aconite". it is also poisonous.

Shit I think you might be right...strange how a lycanthrope can be scared by a little flower though lol

Not scared, allergic to.

Here's a brain bender, what if a werewolf is allergic to dogs?

now that really is a brain bender, then surely he would be allergic to himself/herself. Shit! what the hell does werewolf shit look like?

From "WEREWOLF OF LONDON" (1935)
 

Does anyone remember the "Mariphasa Lupino Lumino," or whatever it was called--that flower that could temporarily change the werewolf back into a decent human being? I liked that, even though it was pretty much made up for the movie, "WEREWOLF OF LONDON" (1935).

Oh, man! I remember we used to have some scary books in the school library when I was a wee lad. Back then (in the 70's), "horror" was still considered "kids' stuff," so a lot of really hardcore shit would wind up in the kids' sections of the library by accident, and the kids would take this stuff home and read it and have horrible nightmares.

I remember there were a couple of books specifically about werewolves, different ways of becoming a werewolf and what werewolves did etc.; and these were pretty bad. Scholastic Books published a 75 cent book called "Meet the Werewolf" which featured some really graphic descriptions, like how it sounded when werewolves would gnaw on crunchy human bones, and so on. Cute kiddie stuff like that! A don't think Scholastic would put something like that out nowadays.

Re: Biology of.....Werewolves
 

I don't believe in that silver bullet thing. I think Werefolk made up that story so the poor pesents won't come out and hunt them. And why only on a full moon do they transform? Why not any moon? Also, according to Fright Night, when a Vampire die's it becomes a Werewolf.

..again another subject worthy of higher learning,a view i've recently come to embrace is that of "spieces" of werewolves.running down the list...from man like to f#$kin huge hulk-like creatures that we've come to know and love.

in any case i believe werewolves to be shapeshifters,though the the thought of the fullmoon does add a welcomed creepiness to the mythology.

I believe the full moon aspect of the werewolf myth is connected to selenophobia (fear of the moon). Some people who are afflicted with this phobia could become violently crazy during a full moon, becoming (on a metaphorical level) a beast.

Dont forget "lunatic". That word derives directly from luna, and i believe was a description of "moon madness", or psychosis caused by the full moon.

interesting fact...Do werewolves mate ?

You mean question?

Depends on your source, but yes, i have read things where people were "born" werewolves.

Where they born human's that turned into werewolves or werewolves that turned into humans ? kind of chicken and egg situation me thinks lol