My Mom's a Werewolf (1989) User Reviews (24)

Recommended for ages 13 and under.

[vertigo_14 · 5/10 · 21 February 2004]

My Mom's A Werewolf is self-explanatory, a lonely housewife on her way to the pet shop one day meets a strange man who gives her the bite that turns her wolfen. But, the town hardly notices, including her oblivious husband. So, her teenaged daughter solicits the help of a fortune teller and her friend, well-versed in monster trivia, to help her mom out.

The movie is out and out corny. I mean, the idea that someone's mom turns into a werewolf is certainly comical fun, except nothing really seems to happen other than that. There's no real hijinks or amusing events that set off a whole series of funny consequences. It's more like, okay, so you're mom is a werewolf.

But, I criticize with caution because I'm watching this in my twenties, reminiscing the fun horror/comedy days of the late 80s. But I'm sure it was aimed for kids, or at least approved for the whole family kind of movie. So, pre-teens are probably more likely to get a kick out of it than I would (although they might miss some of the subtle humor such as "Toe Job" and "Cavity Empor"). But what the heck.

My Mom's a Werewolf is uneven as a comedy spoof of horror flicks

[tavm · 4/10 · 24 July 2018]

In continuing to review werewolf movies chronologically, we're at 1989 with this Crown International Pictures flick. Susan Blakely is a neglected woman since her hubby John Schuck usually stays at work and when he's at home, he's always watching football on TV with friends. So the wife meets a man at a pet shop who manages to make her feel like a woman again but there's a price...The man is played by John Saxon and he and Ms. Blakely are probably the funniest things in the film but the script seems to go everywhere and nowhere at the same time as you both laugh and cringe at how funny some scenes are and how unfunny others are despite some good comediennes like Ruth Buzzi and Marcia Wallace (Ms. Wallace does provide some amusement while Ms. Buzzi does not). Also, singer Marilyn McCoo appears in a straight role as a reporter and she doesn't do much either. There's also a couple of teen girls-one of whom is the daughter of Blakely and Schuck and the other is a horror movie fan-who aren't very funny either but they both have some energy so there's that. So on that note, My Mom's a Werewolf is partly amusing, partly not so it's at least worth a look if you're curious enough...

Pretty poor Teen Wolf clone, yet it has some charm

[Red-Barracuda · 4/10 · 27 August 2015]

My Mom's a Werewolf is clearly an example of a film that came out in the wake of the success of Teen Wolf (1985). That latter film had been released with little fanfare only to become a surprise hit once Michael J. Fox became a superstar off the back of Back to the Future (1985). In fairness, Teen Wolf was a pretty clunky movie with an alarmingly stupid premise and quite a lot of general lameness about it. Yet it had a certain charm nevertheless, My Mom's a Werewolf also has some 80's appeal about it too, yet it's really not very good.

It's about a housewife who is transformed into a werewolf by a mysterious debonair stranger. Once she discovers her condition she tries to conceal her secret from her husband and daughter. The latter joins forces with her horror geek best friend to find a cure.

This one benefits from the presence of one of the all-time b-movie kings, John Saxon, in the role of the smooth werewolf stranger. Like he always does, he again brings some commitment and class to proceedings. It's technically a horror-comedy that definitely focuses on the comedy at the expense of the horror. Mainly, it is full of what can best be described as '80's cheese'. I can't pretend to think this is very successful as a comedy, yet it has a certain likableness about it that prevents me from actively disliking it.

A campy horror-comedy, a decent flick.

[J-Star the Movie Man · 4 November 1999]

I enjoyed this movie. Sure, it was bad at times, and the plot is a bit contrived, but in the badness comes the true comedy. There's a part in the movie where the mom (played by Susan Blakely) comes to terms with her slow transformation into a werewolf. The man who woos her with his charms (played by John Saxon) explains her unusual condition. "I am a werewolf, and I need a were-wife." She replies, "Let me guess, we're going to live in a were-house (as in warehouse)." Yeah, it's a corny joke, but that's pretty much how this movie pounds along. Visions of the 80's will pop in your head as you watch this film, let it soak your brain and give you a spook or two.

Cute low-budget horror spoof, but nothing to howl about ("howl"....get it?)

[gridoon2024 · 5/10 · 29 October 2012]

Some time ago I bought a DVD set called "Rare Cult Cinema" from Mill Creek; probably not my wisest purchase, as I soon realized I was only interested in 2 movies out of the 12 of the set: "The Specialist" (1975) is one, and "My Mom's A Werewolf" is the other - mainly because of that title which does indeed scream "cult". The title tell you pretty much all you need to know about this film. It's been over a decade since I last saw "Teen Wolf" with Michael J. Fox, but this seems to be a rip-off of that, only with the gender and age of the main character changed. There aren't many unexpected gags in this movie: Werewolf Mom grows big teeth and ears, gets embarrassingly hairy, eats raw meat, and becomes an animal in bed. But she is played in an appealing and energetic fashion by Susan Blakely (who is quite the MILF), and I also liked the daughter's friend, the horror / sci-fi movie buff who has to rely on her movie knowledge to help resolve the situation. Cute and harmless film, but one watch is probably enough. ** out of 4.

Lame-o '80s comedy horror

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 26 November 2015]

This is a "does what it says on the tin" type of comedy horror. It's about a suburban housewife who finds herself bitten by a werewolf and subsequently transforms into a hairy beast. There's little plotting here and zero characterisation, just a series of lame jokes and set-ups which have dated badly since first release.

I'm not sure whether this broad, scattershot spoof would have been funny at the time anyway. Crown International Pictures certainly had a history of churning out cheap-looking, poorly-acted movies and MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF is no exception. Susan Blakely was once a starlet in the likes of THE TOWERING INFERNO but is pretty poor in the titular role, it has to be said. John Saxon plays the urbane werewolf catalyst and is a lot better, even if you do feel a bit embarrassed for him.

One of the best things about this film is the inclusion of a horror-loving character who has all kinds of movie posters in their bedroom. Forrest J. Ackerman cameos and there's even a highlight in the form of an early visit to a horror store where cheesy old movies are discussed. This alone is what lifts MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF from the doldrums into a merely bad film. Check out the werewolf costumes, which are among the worst ever put up on screen.

Nothing to howl about

[leliorisen · 2/10 · 12 January 2003]

Not sure why I even gave this film a 2, as opposed to a 1, as it is wretched.

Maybe because it is merely bad and not offensive.

I cannot imagine a more uninvolving and stupid movie. But at least it captures the 80s at their worst.

I suppose that counts for something.

Do you want a drilling or a filling?

[nogodnomasters · 5/10 · 25 September 2017]

Leslie (Susan Blakely) who likes to make her family"seaweed spinach quiche with cultured yak butter, wonders why her family always eats out. She gets turned into a werewolf in what amounts to a so-so spoof on werewolf pictures. The best scene was with Ruth Buzzi as the fortune teller required for a good werewolf film. It was a trip down memory lane to hear Sam, the Sham and the Pharaohs do "Little Red Riding Hood." Marilyn McCoo of the 5th Dimension in a cameo role. The humor was the kiddie side.

Entertaining B-Movie

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 24 February 2018]

The housewife Leslie Shaber (Susan Blakely) has a boring marriage since she is neglected by her husband Howard Shaber (John Schuck) that spends his nights with his friends that are also football fans. Her teenage daughter Jennifer Shaber (Katrina Caspary) and her best friend Stacey Pubah (Diana Barrows) decide to meet Leslie is the restaurant where she usually has lunch to give flowers to her as if it was from Howard, expecting to rekindle their marriage. Meanwhile Leslie goes to a pet shop to buy a flea-collar and her purse is robbed by a thief. The pet shop owner Harry Thropen (John Saxon) chases the criminal and retrieves her purse. Thropen, who is a werewolf, invites Leslie to have lunch with him and Jennifer and Stacey believe they are lovers. Later Harry uses his power to bring Leslie to his apartment where he bite her toe. Leslie turns into a werewolf bringing havoc to her home, while Jennifer and Stacey try to revert the process.

"My Mom's a Werewolf" is an entertaining B-movie, with a silly but funny storyline. The direction, the screenplay, the dialogues, the performances are typical for a low-budget film. But there are many funny moments that will probably make you laugh. Therefore, a reasonable film to be watched at home in a rainy Saturday afternoon. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Minha Mãe é um Lobisomem" ("My Mom is a Werewolf")

You know that your marriage has gone to the dogs when your wife howls at the moon.

[mark.waltz · 3/10 · 18 October 2016]

Terribly unfunny juvenile comedy that has clever references to old horror movies, actors and characters, but never tried to be clever or funny on its own. A cast of familiar faces try ardently to make the lines fly, but they just lie there like a corpse. Susan Blakeley is mom, John Schuck is dad, and that's all I'm mentioning ad far as the actors playing members of this family. The less said about the rest, the better. Poor John Saxon must have been embarrassed as the werewolf who makes Blakeley his victim, apparently while sucking on her toe! If that visual doesn't turn you away, then, well...I'm sorry.

There have been numerous attempts to repeat the success of "Young Frankenstein", but the writers didn't force the comedy on you like incisors on a victim's aorta. The jokes fail miserably. I did laugh at Ruth Buzzi as a gypsy with a Bela Lugosi accent and Lucy Lee Flippen attempting to be a sexpot nurse. But for the dentist scene, the noise of files and drills on Blakeley's fangs had me queezy to the point of hitting the fast forward button. As they say, comedy is the toughest form of entertainment to pull off. Even at his most desperate, Mel Brooks pulled it off better than this.

Underrated and funny

[blondcutie1972 · 8/10 · 9 July 2017]

Leslie Shabor is tired of being under-appreciated by her husband and goes to a pet store to buy a flea collar for her dog and meets a handsome and mysterious man (John Saxon) and has a tryst with him, and over the next few days, she slowly transforms into a werewolf. John did a great job as the mysterious and handsome werewolf.

Silly 1980s Film... I Guess It Is a Horror-Comedy

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 28 December 2012]

The frustrated housewife Leslie Shaber (Susan Blakely) visits an animal shop to purchase a flea-collar. Unknowing that the owner (John Saxon) is a werewolf...

Diana Barrows (a "Friday the 13th" veteran) is a bit over-excited, but has the part of the die-hard horror fan. (I go to conventions, but I have no interest in every little thing like she does... that would be crazy.) Her presence cues us in from the beginning that this film is not a horror film so much as it is a love letter to horror fans.

John Saxon is great. While known best (probably) as the father from "Nightmare on Elm Street", he does a fine job as the werewolf, being both creepy and... well... more creepy. His scenes are really only beat by possibly the nightmare scene or the dentist scene, but Saxon steals the show.

Nice tip of the hat to "Prime Evil", whose poster shows up not once, but twice -- at the horror convention and in the girl's room.

At least Saxon is in it

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 14 December 2019]

You may have asked, "Did the director of Death Spa make anything else?" I'm here to answer that affirmatively, because today we're going back to the Mill Creek Pure Terror box set with My Mom's A Werewolf, an oddity that somehow unites some of my favorite disparate stars and plops them into a late 80's comedy. This movie is ridiculous, yet it got me right from the beginning, thanks to plenty of cheesy synth and MTV era rock - I have a weakness for bands that only got their songs into one movie no one has ever heard of - as well as its loving depiction of a horror movie convention.

Leslie Shaber (Susan Blakely, who between Capone, The Lords of Flatbush, The Concorde ... Airport '79 and Over the Top is all over our site; she's also Cherry Diamond in Dream a Little Dream) is a suburban mom who has a boring life and a husband named Howard (John Schuck, forever Sgt. Charles Enright from McMillan & Wife, as well as the 80's version of Herman Munster, the robotic cop from short-lived 70's series Homes & Yoyo and the Klingon Kamarag, one of the few Star Trek characters to appear in more than one more of the films).

Her daughter Jennifer (Tina Caspary, who makes appearances in tons of 80's favorites like Can't Buy Me Love, Teen Witch, Mac and Me and Annie) worries that her parents will get divorced, but she continually gets sidetracked by her horror movie loving friend Stacey (Diana Barrows, who would end up in a horror movie herself, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood). I mean, this girl loves movies so much that she has Prime Evil, Deathrow Gameshow and Galaxina posters up in her room. In fact, this movie mentions Galaxina more than anyone ever has.

They meet a fortune teller (Ruth Buzzi, of course), who tells Jennifer that she has the mark of the pentagram on her face and that soon, she'll fight an unholy evil.

After being ignored by her husband while he watches football, Leslie goes shopping for a flea collar. The owner of the story, Harry Thropen (John Saxon, who is perhaps my favorite actor of all time) offers her a free flea collar while he eats a mouse. Seriously, he has the dirtiest and scariest pet store you've ever seen. So, of course, she falls for him and he ends up biting one of her toes, changing her.

This movie strangely treats the powers of werewolves like vampires, but hey, if you wanted to see Saxon shirtless, this movie is all for you.

This movie turns into sight gag city, with Jewish deli jokes, singing werewolves, a riff on the dentist scene from Little Shop of Horrors (the dentist is Geno Silva, who was the silent killer The Skull in Scarface) and the wolfen mom seeing John Saxon everywhere she goes.

It ends up being daughter against werewolf lord, complete with knowledge straight out of Fangoria. Oh yeah - Solid Gold host Marilyn McCoo and Marcia Wallace, who was the secretary on the original The Bob Newhart Show and Edna Krabappel on The Simpsons also is in here. Keep an eye out for Kimmy Robertson, who was Lucy on Twin Peaks too.

If you go into this expecting nothing to be serious and John Saxon quite literally chewing everything he can, than you'll enjoy this as much as I did. The PURE TERROR set continually surprises me with the all of the place nature of its contents. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am.

Classic 80's comedy.......I give it a B.

[Smooth B · 28 April 2001]

Ah yes, My Mom's A Werewolf. Every time I see this movie I see all the stuff that made the 80's everyone's joke once the 90's came around.

Here's the story:

A mild-mannered suburban housewife goes out one day and meets up with a strange, dark, but quite handsome man, played by John Saxon. One thing leads to another and they end up at his apartment for a little "afternoon delight." He nibbles on her toe, and she screams out in pain and takes off.

What she didn't know was her afternoon playmate was a werewolf, and the bite has caused her to slowly transform into one. A previous review already mentioned the were-wife, were-house (warehouse) joke, which was quite corny but it sure did make me chuckle.

Now she has to hide her "hairy" situation from her husband, her daughter, and her daughter's best friend. I can sense the laughter coming. For the next hour or so, she succeeds.....but she can't hide it forever, you know.

In short, a great "USA Up All Night" kind of movie. A little screaming, some comedy, and a few tasteless jokes here and there.

Story: C Laugh Factor: B Acting: B- Overall: B

Terrible horror/comedy is saved by 1980s nostalgia value

[a_chinn · 5/10 · 4 June 2018]

Lothario werewolf John Saxon seduces housewife Susan Blakely and turns her into a sex crazed werewolf. I remember seeing this PG-rated comedy VHS box on the video store shelf, but never watched it and I had always thought it was a silly low budget family comedy. Instead, it's a rather dirty comedy that has Blakely getting turned on by just about every male character she encounters. But as raunchy as that sounds, the dirty comedy manages to stay fairly clean in that it doesn't show any nakedness, although the innuendo and Blakely frequently wearing nothing but lingerie makes this film hardly a comedy for the whole family. But how good is the film? It's badly acted (except for Blakely and Saxon), it's not very funny, and generally pretty boring. However, the film has a fair amount of 1980s nostalgia with plenty of cheesy hair, music, and fashion, and that was enough to hold my interest despite the overall poor quality of filmmaking. The film also features Ruth Buzzi as a gypsy fortune teller, Marilyn McCoo, Marcia Wallace (best know now as Miss Krabappel on "The Simpsons"), and Kimmy Robertson (best know from Twin Peaks) playing "pedestrian." There's even a cameo by Forrest J Ackerman!

"I'm having a nightmare, can I call you back?"

[classicsoncall · 5/10 · 1 April 2020]

Can't consider this much more than a teen horror-comedy, light on the horror and the comedy being suspect. My best takeaway was an early film clip of "The First Spaceship on Venus", which at one time occupied by Top Ten Worst Movies list, but with the passage of time I've rated a lot more flicks with a '1', and that one was merely a '4'. The principal players here are adequate for what the film makers were striving for, which was to parlay the success of "Teen Wolf" into a worthy successor. The inclusion of Sam the Sham's 1966 song hit 'Lil Red Riding Hood' adds an upbeat tenor to the story from time to time, to remind us that the big bad wolf (John Saxon) is just around the corner. Having taken a bite out of Leslie Shaber's (Susan Blakely) big toe, the transformation of Jennifer's (Tina Caspary) mom into the title creature proceeds quite naturally. I had to wonder what might have gone through Marilyn McCoo's agent's mind to get her signed up for this picture, her appearance seemed to come right out of left field. One worthy inclusion was the presence of horror mag publisher Forrest Ackerman, who I'm sure felt right at home in this setting. Thinking on it now, a neat cameo would have been provided if teen wolf himself, Michael J. Fox had shown up in a cameo, wondering what the heck all the fuss was about.

Somewhat Amusing 80's Horror Comedy

[gwnightscream · 4/10 · 27 September 2019]

This 1989 horror comedy stars Susan Blakely, John Saxon and John Schuck. This features an unhappy housewife, Leslie (Blakely) who seeks affection from her husband, Howard (Schuck). Soon, Leslie meets Harry (Saxon), a mysterious, pet shop owner who is actually a werewolf. After he bites her on the toe, she starts to change growing hair and fangs. Leslie's teen daughter, Jennifer (Tina Caspary) discovers what's happening to her and tries to help. I remember this was on HBO many years ago and I've always though it was somewhat amusing. If you're into horror or horror comedies, give this a try.

Gives horror-comedies a bad name.

[BA_Harrison · 2/10 · 18 May 2016]

Frustrated MILF Leslie Shaber (Susan Blakely) allows herself to be seduced by dark, dashing pet-shop owner Harry Thropen (John Saxon), who takes her back to his store and bites her on the toe, after which she gradually begins to sprout bodily hair and fangs. Leslie's teenage daughter Jennifer (Tina Caspary) guesses that her mother is turning into a werewolf and, with the help of her horror-fan best friend Stacey (Diana Barrows) and fortune teller Madame Gypsy (Ruth Buzzi), tries to reverse the process.

I'm loathe to call My Mum's a Werewolf a horror-comedy since it isn't scary and there is nothing funny about it. Most likely inspired by the surprise success of Michael J. Fox film Teen Wolf (1985), MMAW is poorly scripted, badly acted, low-budget dross of the sort that would have clogged up the bottom shelves of Blockbusters when it originally came out; now it's a part of one of those ultra-cheap Mill Creek 50-movie DVD box sets, and is probably one of the weaker films to be found there (and that's saying something given how bad some of the others are).

One of the silliest films ever, but still entertaining.

[PeterBradford · 7/10 · 20 May 2020]

How did they get Susan Blakely and John Saxon in this one? I can only fathom when they read the script it was so far off from anything they've done, it might have sounded like fun. It's beyond silly. Yet, it works. And it's entertaining. Mark Pirro wrote the script but didn't direct. The film has a good cast and high production value for a Crown International release.

Amusing horror comedy romp

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 9 March 2012]

Frustrated housewife Leslie Shaber (a delightfully vibrant performance by Susan Blakely) gets bitten by suave werewolf pet store owner Harry Thropen (the always great John Saxon in splendidly smooth form) and starts to transform into a lycanthrope. It's to Leslie's teenage daughter Jennifer (winningly played by Tina Caspary) and her spunky horror buff best gal pal Stacey Pubah (a pleasingly perky portrayal by Diana Barrows) to figure out a way to reverse the process before it's too late. Director Michael Fischa, working from a blithely silly script by Mark Pirro, relates the cheerfully inane story at a zippy pace, maintains an amiable tone throughout, and ably milks the funny sense of engagingly goofy humor for plenty of belly laughs (Leslie eating raw meat while driving and singing in her car, going to the dentist to have her sharp canine teeth filed, and locking herself in the bathroom to shave her hairy legs rate as the definite gut-busting highlights). The enthusiastic cast have a ball with the wacky material: The incredibly foxy and personable Blakely is both sexy and sidesplitting in the lead, with sound support from John Schuck as Leslie's neglectful husband Howard, Ruth Buzzi as flaky medium Madame Gypsy, Marilyn McCoo as narcissistic TV reporter Celia Celica, Marcia Wallace as eager beautician Peggy, and Geno Silva as smarmy amorous dentist Dr. Rod Rodriguez. Favorite quirky gag: The kinky S&M freak next door neighbors. A total howl.

Have a Bite?

[bsmith5552 · 6/10 · 15 July 2020]

The title "My Mom's a Werewolf" pretty well sets up the story in this comedic send up of werewolf horror films. If you accept it for what it is, it isn't all that bad in spite of some reviews to the contrary.

Leslie Shaber (Susan Blakely) is a frustrated urban housewife who feels neglected by her her husband Howard (John Schuck). She also has a smart ass teenage daughter Jennifer (Tina Caspary) who in turn has a "Famous Monsters in Filmland" educated pal Stacey (Diane Barrows who bears a passing resemblance to TV's Vicki Lawrence). The girls visit a com con show and see a Gypsy fortune teller (Ruth Buzzi) who foretells of evil happenings to come.

Leslie goes shopping one day and stops at a pet shop to buy a flea collar for her dog. There she meets the mysterious owner Harry Thropen (John Saxon) who just happens to "the Devil in Disguise". After mesmerizing her with lunch and an invitation to his apartment, he bites her on the toe thus infecting her with the werewolf virus.

Back home Leslie begins to feel energetic to the point of seducing her schmuck of a husband. She also begins having nightmares about Harry and the evil within. At a Halloween (yes it's halloween) party Leslie begins to the gradual change into a werewolf. A particularly funny sequence follows where she treies to shave the wolf hair from her legs but fails. Jennifer is now becoming suspicious and goes to her supposed expert friend Stacey for help. They deduce that the werewolf who infected Leslie must be killed with a silver bullet.

Jennifer concocts a spear like device with a silverware fork as the tip. When Harry appears to claim his victim Jennifer confronts him and..................................................

The final confrontation between the two werewolves is out of sync with the rest of the story. It is an element of horror that I didn't think was necessary. Susan Blakely is quite good as the mother exhibiting a heretofore comedic talent. Saxon makes a sexy werewolf and Ruth Buzzi has a good bit as the fortune teller. The beautiful Marilyn McCoo of The Fifth Dimension comes in at the end as TV reporter Celia Celica.

Even though it never won any awards, I rather liked it.

A Bored Werewolf

[Michael_Elliott · 8 May 2016]

My Mom's a Werewolf (1989)

** (out of 4)

Susan Blakely plays Leslie Shaber, a bored housewife whose husband doesn't pay too much attention to her. One day she stops into a pet store where the owner (John Saxon) comes onto her and after a couple drinks the housewife is seduced and bitten. Before long the mom starts to turn into a werewolf so it's up to her daughter and her friend to save her.

MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF comes from Crown International so one shouldn't expect too much. I've heard this film described as a kid's movie and perhaps that's true to a point. There's certainly nothing scary or shocking here and it's got a fun nature to it but at the same time there's a lot of sexual innuendo so I'm not sure this is for really young kids. With that said, there's certainly nothing special to be found here but there are two fun performances that will make it appealing to horror fans.

Both Blakely and Saxon are very good in their roles and I thought a better screenplay really could have made for a much better picture. The two actors are fun in their roles and especially Saxon who gets to play a romantic lover who of course is a werewolf. The werewolf effects are what you'd expect from a low-budget movie like this. Horror fans will enjoy some of the friend's nerd talk dealing with various horror magazines and movies.

In the end, MY MOM'S A WEREWOLF certainly isn't a classic but then again it's not the worst werewolf movie to come from the 80s.

Cute & Campy

[Rainey-Dawn · 6/10 · 17 January 2016]

It's a terrible film - but so cute. It's so bad it's good. It's worth watching if you like the campy comedy-horror.

My favorite comedies are the black comedies & comedy-horrors. I love the classic horror films so to mix horror with comedy is "right up my alley". This one works for me although it might not for others.

If you enjoyed films like The Werewolf of Washington (1973), Teen Wolf (1985) or Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) then you might like My Mom's a Werewolf (1989) because it's along the same vein.

Also, if you are wanting a family style horror film to watch with your kids (in particular for Halloween) then My Mom's a Werewolf (1989) is a good film for that.

6/10