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Michael J. Fox, James Hampton, Scott Paulin, Susan Ursitti, Jerry Levine ... see more see more... , Lorie Griffin , Mark Arnold , Matt Adler , Mark Holton , Jay Tarses , Elizabeth Gorcey , Melanie Manos , Doug Savant , Charles Zucker , Harvey Vernon , Clare Peck , Gregory Itzin , Doris Hess , Troy Evans , Lynda Wiesmeier , Richard James Baker , Richard Domeier , Rodney Kageyama , James MacKrell , Carl Steven , Paul Ventura , Larry B. Daugherty , Mark L. Flowers , Jay Footlik , Kris Hagerty , Tanna Herr , Fred A. Nelson , Brian Sheehan , Richard Brooks (VI)

After sitting on the shelf for some time, Teen Wolf was released on the heels of the hugely successful Back to the Future in an attempt to cash in on the huge popularity of star Michael J. Fox. Teen W... read more read more...olf chronicles the plight of Fox as a small-town nerd who can't seem to score a basket on the court or a point with his dream girl. Things change, however, once he discovers his family's hereditary secret, lycanthrope. As he begins to look hairier and hairier, his team begins to win basketball games and his dream girl begins to show interest in his unusual talent. His story does not progress without complications, however. His best friend, an opportunistic weasel, begins to exploit him beyond his limits of toleration, and his dream girl is captive to the requisite bully boyfriend, who, of course, captains the arch-rival basketball team. And then, to top it all off, Fox's other best friend is in love with him. Unbelievably, this film was a box-office success and eventually inspired an even worse sequel, Teen Wolf Too, several years later -- a film which Fox wisely declined. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi

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49% liked it

70,440 ratings

Critics

53% liked it

19 critics

PG, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Rod Daniel

Release Date: August 23, 1985

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Flixster Reviews (2,455)

  • TheDudeLebowski65
    May 25, 2012
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Pretty good comedy horror flick with teen flair, Teen Wolf delivers a good time with a good cast of actors who are great to watch on-screen. Although not as memorable as other horror comedies of the 80's, Teen Wolf is still a must for all horror fans. There are things that could ... read morehave been done better, but for the most part, it succeeds at being a very entertaining film. This is cheesy 80's comedy horror at its best. This is a fun twist on the usual werewolf flick, and it works. Although not perfect, this film is still a must see with great gags on-screen, and a cast that's sure to please. The film at times is weak, but as a whole it succeeds at entertaining you because of the new ideas expressed in its story. The film may falter at times, but it doesn't prevent it from being a fun, entertaining hour and a half. I very much enjoyed this film, Michael J. Fox was very good here, and he made the film work. If you're looking for a fun cheesy comedy horror film that is meant not to be taken serious, Teen Wolf is that film. A very enjoyable film from start to finish this is an underrated film that deserves a lot more praise than it has gotten. Sure there are things that could have been improved upon, but in the end, the film still manages to be worthwhile viewing. If you enjoy 80's comedy horror cheese, then Teen Wolf is the perfect film for you to watch and fill that void. A different take on werewolf films and it pays off.
  • blkbomb
    December 15, 2011
    blkbomb
    Harold Howard: Yeah, I saw, unless that was another werewolf doing a handstand on top of Stiles' wolfmobile and making a fool of himself. 

    "He always wanted to be special.. but he never expected this."

    A movie this stupid really depends on how fun you find it. I didn't enjoy my... read moreself. I'm going to nitpick a little bit here. I know this isn't a basketball movie, but if you are going to devote as much screen time at they do to basketball, at least make the games make sense. It looks like the director of the movie has never seen a basketball game in his life. First foul, he's shooting free throws and then after a foul, they do a jump ball. Little shit like that annoys the hell out of me. I guess if you aren't familiar with any concept that goes into basketball, you won't notice. With that to the side, I still didn't find this movie very entertaining. 

    Scott is an average kid who plays on a crappy basketball team. He isn't really good at anything. All of a sudden he starts to notice little changes, like fur growing on his hands and the fact that he can hear a dog whistle. Well to his surprise, but not his fathers, he is a werewolf. Unlike most werewolf movies the people around him just go with it. He changes in the middle of a game and after staring at him for a few seconds start playing again. Also, being werewolf makes hot girls who never noticed you before horny.

    Teen Wolf is actually rather dull for the story. You would think that there would be at least a little joy coming from the ridiculousness, but no. The film is as average as Scott before he becomes a werewolf. It's also extremely strange and I don't mean because the character turns into a werewolf and everyone begins to love him. No the whole movie is just really strange in a way that is hard to describe. A guy surfs on the hood of a van while "Surfing U.S.A. plays, there's weird montages with some of the worst songs I've ever heard playing during them, and then there's the dialogue like:

    Mick: You don't scare me, freak. Underneath all that hair, you're still a dork, Scott. I've handled your kind before. Your mama used to steal chickens out of the backyard until I blew her head off with a shotgun. Right, Scott? 

    Look, it could have probably been worse, but it just really sucks. Watch it if you must, but God the more I think about it, the more I hate it.
  • phubbs1
    November 19, 2011
    phubbs1
    Saw this when I was kid and loved it, very 80's and very daft but totally enjoyable, its basically a B-movie that somehow became a huge hit despite its cheesy premise. Fox is good as the high school dork who becomes a teen werewolf, the things he can do were probably the things y... read moreou wanted to do when you were at school haha.

    This has a huge cult following and I can see why as its so darn good, the basketball game sequences are fun, get your juices going, funny, abit racey here and there and Fox looks good as the wolf, nice. How can you forget stile's Wolfmobile and Chubby's constant eating throughout hehe.
  • ythelastman89
    April 7, 2011
    ythelastman89
    This exists in a realm of weird that few movies share. It is completely ignorant of the rules of storytelling and just has everyone accept off the bat that Michael J. Fox is a Werewolf, "but hey, it's all good". However, that's what it wants to do. Teen Wolf is all about being th... read moree ultimate goofball 80s premise and its execution is even more goofy. The make-up makes Michael J. Fox look like an ape rather than a wolf, but his acting makes up for it.
  • ajv2688
    January 20, 2011
    ajv2688
    An outrageous, over the top, stupid werewolf story that has been spoofed ever since. Fox gives an okay performance, but other than that it's a pretty bad movie, at least it isn't as bad as its sequel, though.
  • bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    July 29, 2010
    bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb1
    C+
  • Chiefilms
    February 23, 2010
    Chiefilms
    I guess it's cool, funny, random idea to come up with, a wolf in high school, very 80's. Update: Haha Jason Bateman had the lead role in Teen Wolf 2 which went nowhere. This is like Michelle Pheiffer having the lead role in Grease 2 which had the same outcome. Gotta go for th... read moreat top billing even if it is a milk dud.
  • movieguru12
    January 29, 2010
    movieguru12
    Once again a good 80s movie with an adorable Michael J. Fox. :)
  • DrZeek
    January 27, 2010
    DrZeek
    Harold Howard: I was hoping it would pass you by.
    Scott Howard: Well, Dad it didn't pass me by. It landed on my face.

    This is the kind of goofy premise that somehow works. It really shouldn't, I mean: A high school kid suddenly learns that he's a werewolf? Hilarity ensues as he... read more learns about taking responsibility in his life, while playing on the basketball team and suddenly becoming the most popular kid in school. This film reeks of 80s cheese, but somehow, its always enjoyable to watch. Michael J. Fox is surely one of the reasons, his attitude is just the right kind to make it work. The ridiculous characters, with the exception of the awesome basketball coach, are certainly not helping, but still, this movie is bafflingly watchable.

    Coach Finstock: Look Scotty, I know what you're going through. Couple years back, a kid came to me much the same way you're coming to me now, saying the same thing that you're saying. He wanted to drop off the team. His mother was a widow, all crippled up. She was scrubbing floors. She had this pin in her hip. So he wanted to drop basketball and get a job. Now these were poor people, these were hungry people with real problems. Understand what I'm saying?
    Scott Howard: What happened to the kid?
    Coach Finstock: I don't know. He quit. He was a third stringer, I didn't need him.
  • SirPant
    September 24, 2009
    SirPant
    I love the 80's, crap films in the 80's turned into classic films of the future! Brilliant!

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Critic Reviews

Matt Brunson
October 23, 2011
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing

Rather than a wolf in sheep's clothing, Teen Wolf is basically a standard 80s teen flick in werewolf's clothing. Full Review

R. L. Shaffer
May 16, 2011
R. L. Shaffer, IGN DVD

It's often ridiculous, and filled with '80s cheese, but Teen Wolf does harbor some poignant coming-of-age metaphors and decent helping of intentional, and unintentional, comedy. Full Review

Brian Orndorf
April 18, 2011
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com

Despite the inexcusable lack of a DeLorean, Teen Wolf is a modest, digestible comedy, guided by a perfectly itchy Fox performance as the titular beast. Full Review

Rich Cline
June 6, 2006
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

corny but endearing

Kevin Fiddler
February 19, 2003
Kevin Fiddler, Henderson Home News (Henderson, NV)

Classic 80s teen flick. Ow-wooo!

Jeffrey M. Anderson
February 7, 2003
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner

Forgettable formulaic comedy.

MaryAnn Johanson
October 31, 2002
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher

Perhaps the nicest werewolf movie ever made -- and how could it not be, when it stars sweetie pie Michael J. Fox? Full Review

Clint Morris
September 20, 2002
Clint Morris, Moviehole

Lots of fun. Michael J.Fox is hilarious!

Rumsey Taylor
April 3, 2002
Rumsey Taylor, Not Coming to a Theater Near You

The anecdotal happenings in the film are insignificant, because in theme Teen Wolf offers an unparalleled analysis of puberty, adolescence, and the all-to-familiar search for popularity in teenage film. Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

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Teen Wolf Trivia

  • Michael J Fox starred in Teen Wolf, who starred in the sequel Teen Wolf Too?  Answer »
  • in what 1986 movie we can find michael j. fox dancing this song in the roof of a van?  Answer »
  • One actor played the lead role in "Teen Wolf"; and yet another filled the same role (different character) in the sequel, "Teen Wolf Too". name those two actors.  Answer »
  • Michael J. Fox stars as a adolescent wolf  Answer »
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