If the makers of new werewolf comedy The Furred Man are looking to bribe me into giving them a good review, they’ve gone the right way about it. In addition to a badge and poster, their goody bag has the welcome addition of free Haribo. Forget journalistic ethics: I’d give a Uwe Boll movie a great review if he slipped me a pack of Sour Mix with his latest based-on-a-videogame atrocity.

In the case of The Furred Man, however, a sweet-based bribe isn’t necessary (though it is entirely welcome). This fun, slickly-made short is written and directed by Paul Williams, who describes it as “an Ealing comedy at its darkest mixed with Hammer Horror at its most horrific”. He’s not far off. The story sees hapless campsite owner Max Naughton (Daniel Carter-Hope) nervously fending off questions at a police station. But why is he dressed as a wolf? And what really happened to the campers at The Lone Moon?

With an amusing central performance from a wonderfully baffled-looking Carter-Hope, a simple but clever premise, and cool creature effects from Jon Moore (who has worked on everything from Doctor Who to the upcoming Captain America: The First Avenger), The Furred Man is a good calling card for its creators that will hopefully result in them landing an eventual feature film.

Total Sci-Fi caught up with writer/director Paul Williams and composer/producer Paul Terry after the screening at the Science Museum. So what do they think marks The Furred Man out from the thousands of other shorts out there? “It isn't your typical short film,” says Terry. “It's strange that shorts are often considered to be a medium where static, quiet, downbeat drama should dominate. Who’s to say that you can't make a 15-minute film that blends mystery, action, comedy and horror, complete with a full score?"

Not us, that’s for sure. Especially as they’re accompanied by a guy dressed in an unnervingly convincing werewolf costume, who proceeds to encircle us.

The duo (and probably the werewolf too) seem pleased with the response to the film so far. “The reaction has been nothing short of amazing,” Williams enthuses. “We’ve been working on The Furred Man for nearly two years now, from script to finished film, and to see our hard work out there in festivals all over America, Europe and at home is very rewarding.”

The Furred Man is currently touring film festivals, and you can view the trailer below. For more info visit: http://www.evilhypnotist.co.uk/films/furred.html

Words: Matt McAllister