Let me make this clear up front: I am a huge fan of Werewolf by Night. So when Marvel Studios announced it was re-releasing the 2022 Halloween special for spooky season 2023, I was excited to see the Special Presentation in a slightly different format, even if an all-new sequel would’ve been preferable. In case you missed it, Disney Plus is now streaming an alternate version of the special, titled Werewolf by Night In Color, which… Well, work it out.
On paper, offering a colorized version of WbN is a smart move, as those less attuned to the classic horror movies composer extraordinaire-turned-director Michael Giacchino was pastiching may well have been put off by its black-and-white cinematography the first time around. Plus, in execution, Giacchino has done a fantastic job of swapping the atmospheric monochrome for a lurid technicolor, meaning the vibe has gone from 1930s Universal monster monster to 1950s Hammer film (for the horror fans still in the audience).
Nonetheless, the downside of the re-release is that Werewolf by Night In Color renders the special’s most memorable moment totally pointless. While the original release was black-and-white for nearly its entire runtime, it transitioned into color for its gorgeous final scene. As Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly) finally sits down to rest in what is now her mansion, after winning the right to inherit the estate of her father, monster hunter Ulysses, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is heard as color slowly seeps into the frame.
Naturally, the choice of song is a clever nod to The Wizard of Oz, which likewise legendarily transitions from monochrome to color. As Steve Rogers might say, we understood that reference. Unfortunately, the In Color version, repeats this scene but it now comes across as mostly mystifying. If you haven’t watched the original release, it’s confusing why the shot lingers on Elsa doing nothing for so long and the track choice seems superfluous and nonsensical.
2022’s Werewolf by Night is probably one of the most beloved of the Multiverse Saga’s entries so far, if you ask hardcore Marvel fans, so to see part of Giacchino’s brilliant put together mini-masterpiece impeded is a shame. Still, if it means more eyes will be tempted to check it out, increasing the likelihood of a follow-up, then that’s a sacrifice worth making.