''My Mom's a Werewolf'' is a 1989

horror comedy Comedy horror, also known as horror comedy, is a literary, television, and film genre that combines elements of comedy and horror fiction. Comedy horror has been described as able to be categorized under three types: "black comedy, parody and spo ...

film directed by Michael Fischa, written by Mark Pirro, starring

Susan Blakely Susan Blakely is an American actress and model. She is best known for her leading role in the 1976 ABC miniseries '' Rich Man, Poor Man'', for which she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama. Blakely also ha ...

and

John Saxon John Saxon (born Carmine Orrico; August 5, 1936 – July 25, 2020) was an American actor who worked on more than 200 film and television projects during a span of 60 years. He was known for his work in Westerns and horror films, often playin ...

. In the film, a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat ( red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetaria ...

housewife starts transforming to a

carnivorous A carnivore , or meat-eater (Latin, ''caro'', genitive ''carnis'', meaning meat or "flesh" and ''vorare'' meaning "to devour"), is an animal or plant whose food and energy requirements derive from animal tissues (mainly muscle, fat and other ...

werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposel ...

after being bitten by a male suitor. Her daughter makes an effort to free her mother from the werewolf curse, but accidentally transforms herself into another werewolf.

Plot

Leslie Shaber is an average suburban housewife who is ignored and taken for granted by her husband Howard. On an outing to the pet store, Leslie meets Harry Thropen, the store's mysterious and handsome owner. Leslie is taken aback by his interest in her, but invites him to lunch after Harry stops a purse snatcher that had targeted her. During the lunch Harry passionately kisses her, something that is witnessed by Leslie's daughter Jennifer, convincing her that the two are having an affair. The kiss ends abruptly when Harry is frightened away by their flambé dessert. Leslie follows him back to his store, where he mesmerizes her. He leads her to his bedroom, where he bites her big toe. This snaps Leslie out of her trance and she runs out. Harry is content to let her leave, saying that he will "be in her thoughts". After returning home Leslie's personality and diet begin to change, as she begins to eat meat despite being a vegetarian and becomes more aggressive in the bedroom. That night she has terrible nightmares about Harry and in the next morning discovers that she has sprouted fangs. Attempts to file down the teeth at the dentist are unsuccessful and by the time she returns home, Leslie has also begun to grow fur all over her body, and her ears transform into pointy ears. She is equally unsuccessful in permanently removing the hair. This latest change is witnessed by Jennifer, who is now aware that her mother is turning into a supernatural creature. Before she can learn anything else from her mother, Harry arrives and mesmerizes Jennifer into leaving him alone with her mother. Leslie is able to avoid Harry's attempts at seduction until Howard arrives home. Harry leaves, but warns Leslie that her husband will not accept her in her current state. Horrified at what is happening, Jennifer tries to seek help from her horror loving friend Stacey, who refuses to believe her. She also seeks help from a gypsy who had given her that something strange would happen. The following day Leslie is seemingly back to normal and goes about her usual routine, secretly followed by Jennifer and Stacey. During a trip to the beauty salon Leslie begins to transform again, finally convincing Stacey that this is real. The two teens decide to fight Harry, as they must kill him before the moon sets or risk her mother turning into a werewolf forever. Despite receiving faulty information from the gypsy about what works against a werewolf, Jennifer is successful in killing Harry and freeing her mother from the curse. The film ends with Howard promising to be a better husband to Leslie and Stacey warning Jennifer that they must perform an exorcism on Harry's body or Jennifer would become a werewolf within 24 hours. Exhausted, Jennifer hangs up on her and yawns to reveal long protruding fangs.

Cast

as Leslie Shaber *

as Harry Thropen * Tina Caspary as Jennifer Shaber *

John Schuck Conrad John Schuck Jr. (born February 4, 1940) is an American film, stage and television actor. He is best known for his role as Sgt. Charles Enright in the 1970s crime drama '' McMillan & Wife''. He also played Herman Munster in the late-198 ...

as Howard Shaber * Diana Barrows as Stacey Pubah *

Ruth Buzzi Ruth Ann Buzzi ( ; born July 24, 1936) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She has appeared on stage, in films, and on television. She is best known for her performances on the comedy-variety show ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' from 1968 ...

as Madame Gypsy *

Marilyn McCoo Marilyn McCoo (born September 30, 1943) is an American singer, actress, and television presenter, who is best known for being the lead female vocalist in the group the 5th Dimension, as well as hosting the 1980s music countdown series '' Solid Go ...

as Celia Celica * Marcia Wallace as Peggy *

Geno Silva Geno Silva (January 20, 1948 – May 9, 2020) was an American actor, best known for his role as The Skull, Alejandro Sosa's silent hitman in '' Scarface''. Silva also appeared in films such as ''1941'', '' Tequila Sunrise'', '' The Lost World: J ...

as Dr. Rod Rodriguez * Charlie Holliday as Officer Demyer * Chris Hubbell as Officer Cooper * Phil Rubenstein as Malcolm Macafee

Release

''My Mom's a Werewolf'' was released theatrically in the United States in May 1989, followed by a release to home video later that same year.

Reception

Mike Pearson reviewed the film, writing "So what if it doesn't make much sense? It's tough to find a decent family-oriented horror flick that celebrates grins over gore, and this one just does succeed." Greg Jacklewicz was more negative, criticizing the film as lacking bite and noting that there were people sleeping in their showing.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:My Mom's A Werewolf 1989 films 1989 comedy horror films Crown International Pictures films Films directed by Michael Fischa 1980s English-language films Vegetarianism in fiction American werewolf films Films about mother–daughter relationships