He always wanted to be special… but he never expected this!

Dust off that VHS, rewind your tape, and step back into the neon-soaked summer of 1985, because Teen Wolf is turning 40. Directed by Rod Daniel, this shaggy slice of high school fantasy is as pure ‘80s as a can of New Coke and a Back to the Future poster on your bedroom wall.

The story is simple but delightfully goofy: Scott Howard (Michael J. Fox), a shy, underdog teen, suddenly finds out he’s inherited a family curse… or gift, depending on your outlook. That’s right, he’s a werewolf—and instead of lurking in the shadows or howling at the moon, he’s dunking basketballs, dancing on car rooftops, and trying to figure out if he wants the popular girl or the one who’s been right there all along.

Looking back, Teen Wolf is by no means a perfect film. The script lopes from corny gags to half-baked teen melodrama, and the makeup effects are more Saturday matinee than spine-chilling horror. But it doesn’t really matter. This isn’t An American Werewolf in London—this is a PG, popcorn-munching time capsule of a decade that adored its offbeat high school comedies.

At the center is Michael J. Fox, riding the stratosphere of his fame after Back to the Future. His charisma and comedic timing are the glue that holds the whole fuzzy package together. Without him, Teen Wolf might have slipped into obscurity, but with him, it became an unlikely box office smash and an MTV-generation touchstone.

The Prognosis:

Four decades on, Teen Wolf still makes you grin. It’s awkward, it’s cheesy, it’s ridiculous—but that’s the charm. From “wolfing out” on the basketball court to that rooftop surfing scene, it wrestles all the nostalgic feels for an upbeat excuse to watch a teenage werewolf slam dunk his way through high school life.

So no, it doesn’t howl with greatness, but like a faded rental box at your local video store, it’s got just enough ‘80s magic to make you hit play one more time.

• Saul Muerte

📼 Staff Pick!

“Michael J. Fox plays basketball… as a werewolf. That’s it, that’s the pitch. Totally silly, totally fun, totally ‘80s. Don’t expect scares—expect smiles.”