The Howling

The Howling (1981)

Runtime: 91 minutes

Directed by: Joe Dante

Starring: Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone, Belinda Balaski

From: AVCO Embassy Pictures

Would you believe this was a first time watch for me? It's true. I explain it all in my Letterboxd review below:

Would people believe that I had seen two Howling sequels before I had seen the original film? It's true. They were two of the most infamous movies in the entire genre, The Howling II (which is one star in terms of quality but five stars in terms of entertainment) and The Howling: New Moon Rising, which is a half star movie in terms of quality and probably negative stars in terms of entertainment. When I do those reviews anew later in the year I'll give a better take on how I feel about each one. I'll also see some of the sequels I hadn't seen before.

Anyhow, with this film (based upon a novel by Gary Brander that I have never read) I am sure that most are familiar with the plot of how Dee Wallace is a news reporter and she is traumatized after an incident with a serial killer so she and her husband go to a rural retreat but you know, werewolves... it can be said that there are meandering moments and some uneven bits. However, I can still say this is pretty good. The cast is nice and does well. Besides Wallace there's the likes of Patrick Macnee, John Carradine and in a small role Dick Miller; Carradine's wacky role was the most memorable to me.

There are moments of dark comedy for sure (and nice in-jokes such as props from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre appearing or how there are many character last names that are taken from the surnames of people that had directed werewolf movies before) but once the story is set up and you see the werewolves, it is effective as a horror film. I agree with others that say the aspect of a woman being traumatized by a menacing bad guy is terrifying too... it's just scary in a different way. Both Rob Bottin and Rick Baker did the special effects so it should go without saying that the transformation scenes are effective, and the costumes are nice too. The score from Pino Donaggio is pretty rad, especially the great end credits tune. And what a memorable-not to mention melancholy-ending.

I know from personal experience and hearsay, what a bizarre variety of sequels this one movie produced. At least the one that started it all is a horror movie still worth seeing 35 years after the fact.