If you like horror at its most animalistic then chances are you are a werewolf fan. Go on, admit it. Nothing quite like seeing a grown man sprout hair, grow fangs and let out a big howl at the full moon. Of course the fact they're ripping people apart may also appeal to your horror movie cravings.

With plenty of mediocre werewolf films on the market (that usually suffer from low-grade monster effects) we've decided to offer you three slighty different takes on the werewolf lore.

An American Werewolf In London [1981] is probably the most famous werewolf movie in the past two decades. And rightfully so as its mix of horror, a gruelling transformation scene and lots of dark humour managed to hit a chord in enough people to make this a cult classic.

David Naughton and Clayton Rohner are Americans vacationing in London. Despite warnings in a local pub to "not go on the moors" they soon do and are attacked by a large beast. Naughton survives, shaken and injured, while Rohner is killed. It falls to nurse Jenny Agutter to bring Naughton back around only it seems he's become a werewolf and he unwillingly transforms and suffers from visions of his progressively decomposing dead friend.

Directed with style by John Landis (who's known mostly for off-colour comedy) and with Academy Award winning effects by Rick Baker; this is a good starting point if you're new to the "wolf side".

Full Moon High [1981] however is the flipside of the coin. Made by genre stalwart Larry Cohen (It's Alive, Maniac Cop, etc.) this mild comedy stars Adam Arkin as an average high school joe who's bitten by a werewolf which slows down his aging enough for him to return to school twenty years later to try and win the big football game.

While really nothing special at least there's some cheap laughs, it's pretty demented and Ed McMahon co-stars. Plus the idea pre-dates Michael J. Fox starring Teen Wolf by four years.

Ginger Snaps [2000] is bar-none the best werewolf movie of the last five years at least. This Canadian effort has so much right going for it that it's an amazing little gem of a movie.

Telling the tale of two death obssessed, outcast high school age sisters this conveys their alienation and unpopularity perfectly and things get even more out-of-hand when one of the girls is bitten by a werewolf that causes her to change not only in form but also in personallity (she becomes more popular and slutty) while the other, more homely sister tries to cure her.

Loaded with great performances, witty dark humour and a highly original script this was one of my favourite horror films of 2000 and is definitely worth a look if you're wanting something off the beaten track.