Review #52: The Howling (1981)

Here's a personal favorite of mine from back in the day...

Cast/Notable Credits:
Joe Dante (Director): Piranha (1978), Twilight Zone the Movie (1983), Gremlins 1 & 2 (1990), Explorers (1985), Innerspace (1987), Small Soldiers (1998), Masters of Horror series

Dee Wallace (Karen): The Hills Have Eyes (1977), E.T. (1982), Cujo (1983), Critters, Alligator 2 (1991), Boo (2005), Halloween

Patrick Macnee (Dr. Waggner): Waxwork 1 & 2, A View to a Kill (1985), Battlestar Galatica (1978)

Robert Picardo(Eddie): Star Trek Voyager & others, Explores, Munchies (1987), Innerspace, 976-EVIL (1989), Total Recall (1990), Gremlins 2

Christopher Stone (Bill Neill): Battlestar Galatica 1980, Cujo

Belinda Balaski (Terry) : Small Soldiers, Gremlins 2, Explorers, Piranha

Kevin McCarthy (Fred):Death of a Salesman (1951), Piranha, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 & 1978 version), Innerspace, Ghoulies 3 (1991)

John Carradine(Erle): Ice Pirates (1984), Scarecrow (1982), Boogeyman (1980), Frankenstein Island (1981) and many, many old horror movies

Dick Miller(Walter): Corvette Summer (1978), Piranha, V: the Final Battle (1984), Terminator (1984), Explorers, Chopping Mall (1986), Amazing Stories (1986), Innerspace, Gremlins 1 & 2, Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995), Small Soldiers

Also had cameo appearances: Lon Chaney Jr.(Original wolfman see picture on right, and Roger Corman(Director)

Trailer:

A news reporter, Karen (Dee Wallace), has a near death experience with a serial killer in an adult book store. The serial killer, who usually rapes and kills women, has lured Karen to the store to set up her demise.

Unfortunately for him, the police interrupt the confrontation between the two and ends up shooting the serial killer. Karen is left traumatized by the event and takes a leave of absence from her work. The troubled Karen checks herself into a remote rehabilitation colony in the woods.

The colony is kind of like a remote exclusive adult summer camp. Something similar to what famous celebrities now a days go to as rehab centers to recover from their drug and alcohol addictions. Sorry Lindsey, Paris and Brittany.

Little does Karen know, that she the rehab colony she checked herself into is actually a community of werewolves looking for a new member to join their tribe. Karen struggles with her past encounter and reoccurring nightmares about werewolves while rehabbing at the clinic. She eventually learns the secret of the community as tries to survive as they close in on their new prey.

Villain:

There were multiple villains in this movie obviously, it’s tale about a werewolf community. The werewolves were creepy looking and the special effects on the transformations were pretty good...for an early 80's movie.

Cast:

The movie had a strong supporting cast attached to it as you can see from the list above. The mom in E.T. & Cujo is the main character and delivers a good performance. Other supporting cast members do a pretty descent job.

SFX/Gore:

There was not much for dead bodies in The Howling. Why? Probably because “once you’re bitten by a werewolf you’ll turn into one”; therefore hardly anyone dies. But there was one death at least. On the special effects front, considering it was an early 80's movie, the effects were good. There were several transformation sequences in the movie. Mostly humans to werewolves.

TNA:

The Howling gave us three hot chicks (Shark Factor), two sets of boobies, and a sex act. Thanks to the chick doing the ceremonial sex act for supplying us with the majority of the goods. I appreciate that...and I'm sure others did too.

T.Gun's Take:

The Howling is a good werewolf flick in my opinion. It had multiple jump factors in the film providing a good scare or two. The atmosphere was good because it was dark, and cold. The end of the film provided a nice little twist ending setting up a couple of sequels.

This was one of my favorite childhood horror movies. It actually scared the crap out of me when I was five. What was I doing watching this when I was five? Don't ask, but that was the typical movie I was into at the time. Looking at the cast of the film, I was amazed on how many films they had done...and they were not the "cheap low budget" films but some goodies.

Misc. Movie Trivia:
- Film opened April 10, 1981 and made $17.97 million at the box office
- 10 characters from the movie were named after other werewolf movie directors