Tools for this page
Print

I Was a Teenage Werewolf

(1957, Rated NR, Horror, Starring Michael Landon, Yvonne Lime, Whit Bissell)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

    (Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)

    Not age appropriate for kids under 9, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 12.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0

  • Common Sense says

    Dated 1950s drive-in shocker has metaphorical bite.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Tony is terminally hotheaded. We don't get to the origin of his anger -- his therapist and the moviemakers being too busy turning him into a monster -- but it's possible his mother's offscreen death has something to do with it. Most grownups, police, and parents are domineering, but the psychologist Dr. Brandon is a treacherous mad-scientist type. There's some old-fashioned sexism in the way the female characters are treated by their boyfriends.

  • Violence:

    Youthful fistfighting. Several people, one dog, killed by the werewolf Tony (though bloodshed is discreet). A shooting.

  • Sex:

    Harmless hugging and smooching.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Cigarette smoking by grownups.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About I Was a Teenage Werewolf

Parents need to know that several people and a dog are killed -- non-explicitly -- and there is some in-your-face schoolyard brawling (human and werewolf). An undertone of mistrust in authority persists, with a respected therapist secretly involved in unethical human experiments that cost human lives. One can read a rape metaphor in a famous scene in which the werewolf attacks a leotard-clad "teenage" girl gymnast. Sensational as it was in 1957, this material has none of the extreme sex, gore, and nudity in later R-rated horror shows. Adult characters smoke cigarettes.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the way the movie portrays anger and restlessness of male teens. Ask kids if they know anyone like Tony (aside from the werewolf part). Is this movie still relevant today? Other movie idols, including Elvis Presley and James Dean, also played troubled youth; you can get horror-minded kids to watch Rebel Without a Cause or Jailhouse Rock and compare how Michael Landon's teenage werewolf fits right into the 1950s troubled-teen "scene."
Tools and tips that can help

Want more? Get Common Sense recommendations delivered to your inbox.

Our Members Say

Have you seen it? Review It!

  • What did you think about I Was a Teenage Werewolf?

  •  I think this movie is

    for ages

  •  I also give it

  •  Any concerns?

  •  Any highlights?

  •  Love it? Hate it?

  • or to post a review

More Great Stuff For Your Kids

  • Now Playing

    Age 6+
    Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

    Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

    Age-apropriate 3-D food adventure doesn't fully satisfy.

  • Tech Tip

    Learn the basics with our latest video.How to Text

    Learn the basics with our latest video.

  • Book of the Week

    Age 10+
    Million-Dollar Throw

    Million-Dollar Throw

    Another Lupica sensitive dad/son sports story.

  • Issue Spotlight

    The 10 Most Violent Video Games (And 10 Alternatives)

    The 10 Most Violent Video Games (And 10 Alternatives)

    Our video game experts weigh in.

  • Download This

    Age 10+
    The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack

    The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack

    Dark, cool tunes OK for kids too young for the movie.

Give Us a Minute, Get a Lot of Common Sense!
  • Age-appropriate best bets for your kids
  • Weekly email alert with the latest picks, reviews & advice
  • Post your own reviews and share them with friends
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
A screen name protects your privacy
(It's free!)

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
To post a review or comment you must become a Common Sense Member. It's easy!
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations.
A screen name protects your privacy
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
(optional)
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child

Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
We can make Common Sense just right for you. With a little info about you and your family, you'll get the most out of our site.
Set-up your account
This will never be displayed to others.
Your email will never be displayed to others.
Your password should be 6-10 characters long.
Tell us your children's ages
You'll see the movies, games, books, shows, music, and sites our editors select just for them. As your children get older, our picks will grow with them!
Why we ask for this
We never display your children's names, (or nicknames) to anyone, but you. Providing your children's ages allows us to personalize information on our site, so you get better information, faster.
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
is
until
Add another child
Choose a screen name
It will appear when you post your own reviews and recommendations
A screen name protects your privacy
Already a member? Log in
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.
Register to add this school to your profile. You'll be able to see and share reviews from parents, teachers, and kids at your child's school.
I'm already a Common Sense member.
Kids under 13 must use a screen name
Your family's privacy is our highest priority.
See our privacy policy, community guidelines, and terms of use.