[Ebonykrow]

SO. I was watching this show on Animal Planet the other night. I came in about ten minutes late, and turned it off an hour before it was over (because it was a two hour special and wound up going off at 2AM).

The gist was: There's an ancient strain of rabies that survived from the Vikings, who first ventured to North America. That strain of rabies doesn't attack the brain, but some other part of the body (kind of zoned out around there), and makes the individual stronger. By consuming wolfsbane they control the disease. It's also passed on through genetics, as well as saliva.

I also kind of turned it off because it started getting too ridiculous for me. The whole "our story" thing was totally putting me off. They kept playing it up like they weren't human and were still some superior other creature. That was a huge turn off. The show could have been much better had it not been told that way.

I DID like the science-y aspect of it. It gave a realistic spin on what could have caused werewolves in the past, and what could make them still possible today (though, I am in incredible doubt--the way the story was told, it wasn't very believable for me). What I didn't catch was if they mentioned anything about transforming. If there were, I'm sure I wouldn't have posted this topic in the first place. But, oh well. Didn't watch the last hour.

Did anyone else watch this show? What were your thoughts on it?

[Wookietim]

Ebonykrow, on 27 October 2009 - 08:41 AM, said:

SO. I was watching this show on Animal Planet the other night. I came in about ten minutes late, and turned it off an hour before it was over (because it was a two hour special and wound up going off at 2AM).

The gist was: There's an ancient strain of rabies that survived from the Vikings, who first ventured to North America. That strain of rabies doesn't attack the brain, but some other part of the body (kind of zoned out around there), and makes the individual stronger. By consuming wolfsbane they control the disease. It's also passed on through genetics, as well as saliva.

I also kind of turned it off because it started getting too ridiculous for me. The whole "our story" thing was totally putting me off. They kept playing it up like they weren't human and were still some superior other creature. That was a huge turn off. The show could have been much better had it not been told that way.

I DID like the science-y aspect of it. It gave a realistic spin on what could have caused werewolves in the past, and what could make them still possible today (though, I am in incredible doubt--the way the story was told, it wasn't very believable for me). What I didn't catch was if they mentioned anything about transforming. If there were, I'm sure I wouldn't have posted this topic in the first place. But, oh well. Didn't watch the last hour.

Did anyone else watch this show? What were your thoughts on it?

It sounds a bit less than scientific to me... But what do I know? I'm not a doctor or biologist - it could very well be perfectly reasonable...

[Ebonykrow]

Wookietim, on 27 October 2009 - 08:59 AM, said:

It sounds a bit less than scientific to me... But what do I know? I'm not a doctor or biologist - it could very well be perfectly reasonable...

It wasn't very scientific at all, tbh. But they tried to look at it that way. Overall it was a very fail show, I didn't enjoy it, but it was nice to see that SOME form of media was trying a different spin on things, at least trying to make it believable rather than trying to find something that was too impossible to exist.

[Wookietim]

Ebonykrow, on 27 October 2009 - 09:10 AM, said:

It wasn't very scientific at all, tbh. But they tried to look at it that way. Overall it was a very fail show, I didn't enjoy it, but it was nice to see that SOME form of media was trying a different spin on things, at least trying to make it believable rather than trying to find something that was too impossible to exist.

In all honesty it sounds like a decent hook for a movie to use to explain Werewolves... Oh no! That means we will have to endure yet another "Howling" movie in the next few years!

[Ebonykrow]

Wookietim, on 27 October 2009 - 09:12 AM, said:

In all honesty it sounds like a decent hook for a movie to use to explain Werewolves... Oh no! That means we will have to endure yet another "Howling" movie in the next few years!

If the movie went more in-depth and actually used believable mechanics, it'd probably be okay. If it could convince more people that werewolves don't exist (the mythological kind, of course), I think it'd be a great movie.

[Wookietim]

Ebonykrow, on 27 October 2009 - 09:15 AM, said:

If the movie went more in-depth and actually used believable mechanics, it'd probably be okay. If it could convince more people that werewolves don't exist (the mythological kind, of course), I think it'd be a great movie.

Unfortunately Werewolf movies tend not to be quite that... intelligent. I could probably could on one hand the number of really good werewolf movies (With two fingers left over)...

But I could see how this hook might just work in some way. It might do well - sort of like how "28 Days Later" sort of reinvigorated the Zombie genre (And I know - technically they aren't zombies but darn it - the movie uses every single one of the zombie genres archetypes so in my book its "Survival Horror" just like any other zombie movie).

[Ebonykrow]

Wookietim, on 27 October 2009 - 09:18 AM, said:

Unfortunately Werewolf movies tend not to be quite that... intelligent. I could probably could on one hand the number of really good werewolf movies (With two fingers left over)...

But I could see how this hook might just work in some way. It might do well - sort of like how "28 Days Later" sort of reinvigorated the Zombie genre (And I know - technically they aren't zombies but darn it - the movie uses every single one of the zombie genres archetypes so in my book its "Survival Horror" just like any other zombie movie).

I'm not aware of any good werewolf movies, but then again, I'm not big on mythological movies because so many things get ruined or it winds up having to be a love story.

Never watched 28 Days Later, movies like that scare the crap out of me. Just now realized though, a movie based from that "scientific" perspective could also do a lot of damage... People might convince themselves to go looking for a rabid fox or something so they could contract the disease, or something of that sort. There's no end to people's stupidity. I wonder if the common sense the movie might encourage could outweigh the risks.

[Wookietim]

Ebonykrow, on 27 October 2009 - 09:28 AM, said:

I'm not aware of any good werewolf movies, but then again, I'm not big on mythological movies because so many things get ruined or it winds up having to be a love story.

Never watched 28 Days Later, movies like that scare the crap out of me. Just now realized though, a movie based from that "scientific" perspective could also do a lot of damage... People might convince themselves to go looking for a rabid fox or something so they could contract the disease, or something of that sort. There's no end to people's stupidity. I wonder if the common sense the movie might encourage could outweigh the risks.

Good Werewolf movies :
1. The very first "Howling"
2. An American Werewolf in London
3. I'm coming up blank here so I will just toss in the old "Werewolf of London" just to have three titles...

And you are probably right about the dangers of it... Ever since the "Infected" zombie popped up people have been claiming that zombies could be real (Thankfully being a zombie doesn't seem like loads of fun so people aren't looking to become one but we all know someone would run out to get bit by a rabid animal to become a werewolf if they saw it on the screen).

[667-Neighbor of the Beast]

Ebonykrow, on 27 October 2009 - 09:28 AM, said:

I'm not aware of any good werewolf movies, but then again, I'm not big on mythological movies because so many things get ruined or it winds up having to be a love story.

Never watched 28 Days Later, movies like that scare the crap out of me. Just now realized though, a movie based from that "scientific" perspective could also do a lot of damage... People might convince themselves to go looking for a rabid fox or something so they could contract the disease, or something of that sort. There's no end to people's stupidity. I wonder if the common sense the movie might encourage could outweigh the risks.

Or, we would have another rash of misfit teenagers claiming to be the decendants of these people, especially after hearing that it is passed down genetically. They would be running around, dressing like the Vikings with horned helmets and all, worshiping Oden and claiming that they can transform into werewolves just like their ancestors did. They will try to convince everyone that they should stay clear of them, or else they will change and gnaw on their legs or something.
I always love the idiots who hear stuff like this and try to convince everyone that they are priveliged to some ancient secret that no one else is, so therefore are superior to them, when really they are just a bunch of insecure kids who don't know enough about the real world to know that no one believes them.

[Wookietim]

667-Neighbor of the Beast, on 27 October 2009 - 09:50 AM, said:

Or, we would have another rash of misfit teenagers claiming to be the decendants of these people, especially after hearing that it is passed down genetically. They would be running around, dressing like the Vikings with horned helmets and all, worshiping Oden and claiming that they can transform into werewolves just like their ancestors did. They will try to convince everyone that they should stay clear of them, or else they will change and gnaw on their legs or something.
I always love the idiots who hear stuff like this and try to convince everyone that they are priveliged to some ancient secret that no one else is, so therefore are superior to them, when really they are just a bunch of insecure kids who don't know enough about the real world to know that no one believes them.

They might not be werewolfs... gnawing on legs might mean they are were-Chihuahuas....

[667-Neighbor of the Beast]

Wookietim, on 27 October 2009 - 09:53 AM, said:

They might not be werewolfs... gnawing on legs might mean they are were-Chihuahuas....

And of course, they would be immune to silver. They do however have a weakness for Snausages. So, if ever attacked by one of these ferocious beasts, just toss a handful of snausages in one direction, and run in the other. Could save your toes from getting chewed up. Their other weakness seems to be handbags. They are easily trapped by these clever devices.

[Wookietim]

667-Neighbor of the Beast, on 27 October 2009 - 10:46 AM, said:

And of course, they would be immune to silver. They do however have a weakness for Snausages. So, if ever attacked by one of these ferocious beasts, just toss a handful of snausages in one direction, and run in the other. Could save your toes from getting chewed up. Their other weakness seems to be handbags. They are easily trapped by these clever devices.

Actually, I have some to believe I am a were-turtle... All I really feel like doing lately is sleeping and eating while not moving much...

My ancestors must be from Galapagos and were bitten by a rabid Tortoise.

[667-Neighbor of the Beast]

Wookietim, on 27 October 2009 - 10:54 AM, said:

Actually, I have some to believe I am a were-turtle... All I really feel like doing lately is sleeping and eating while not moving much...

My ancestors must be from Galapagos and were bitten by a rabid Tortoise.

I've seen these were-turtles myself, and know they exist. I managed to catch a picture of one below. It didn't attack, as luckily there was an empty pizza box at it's feet.

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[Wookietim]

667-Neighbor of the Beast, on 27 October 2009 - 11:10 AM, said:

I've seen these were-turtles myself, and know they exist. I managed to catch a picture of one below. It didn't attack, as luckily there was an empty pizza box at it's feet.

Well, you know - when those turtles go rabid running away from them is just impossible.... And for the ones you pictured, not only can't you run away from them, they ninja-kick you when they catch up!

[Ebonykrow]

Wookietim, on 27 October 2009 - 09:31 AM, said:

Good Werewolf movies :
1. The very first "Howling"
2. An American Werewolf in London
3. I'm coming up blank here so I will just toss in the old "Werewolf of London" just to have three titles...

And you are probably right about the dangers of it... Ever since the "Infected" zombie popped up people have been claiming that zombies could be real (Thankfully being a zombie doesn't seem like loads of fun so people aren't looking to become one but we all know someone would run out to get bit by a rabid animal to become a werewolf if they saw it on the screen).

The Howling looks pretty good. I think I'll rent that one.

And that's the last thing we need. :x

667-Neighbor of the Beast, on 27 October 2009 - 09:50 AM, said:

Or, we would have another rash of misfit teenagers claiming to be the decendants of these people, especially after hearing that it is passed down genetically. They would be running around, dressing like the Vikings with horned helmets and all, worshiping Oden and claiming that they can transform into werewolves just like their ancestors did. They will try to convince everyone that they should stay clear of them, or else they will change and gnaw on their legs or something.
I always love the idiots who hear stuff like this and try to convince everyone that they are priveliged to some ancient secret that no one else is, so therefore are superior to them, when really they are just a bunch of insecure kids who don't know enough about the real world to know that no one believes them.

Oh lord, good point. I can imagine UM would get swarmed with these kids in the same way it was attacked--is still attacked--when the Twilight books came out.

I just cannot understand what makes kids want to do that kind of thing, though. It's completely beyond my ability to comprehend their motive for that kind of attention.