The Howling (1981) Movie Info
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Movie Name | The Howling (1981) |
| Original Title | The Howling |
| Director | Joe Dante |
| Screenplay Writer | John Sayles, Terence H. Winkless |
| Story By | Based on the novel by Gary Brandner |
| Based on Novel by | The Howling by Gary Brandner |
| Producer(s) | Jack Conrad |
| Executive Producer(s) | Daniel H. Blatt |
| Lead Actors | Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee |
| Cast | Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone |
| Genre | Horror |
| Subgenre | Werewolf Horror, Supernatural Horror |
| Release Date | March 13, 1981 (United States) |
| Runtime / Duration | 1h 31m (91 minutes) |
| Budget | ~$1.1 million |
| Box Office (Worldwide) | ~$17.9 million |
| Language | English |
| Country | United States |
| Production Company | International Film Investors |
| Distributor | AVCO Embassy Pictures |
| Filming Locations | California, USA |
| Music By | Pino Donaggio |
| Cinematography | John Hora |
| Edited By | Mark Goldblatt |
| Production Design | Cletus Anderson |
| Costume Design | Rosanna Norton |
| Special Effects | Groundbreaking practical werewolf transformation effects |
| Makeup Effects | Rob Bottin’s acclaimed prosthetic makeup |
| MPAA Rating | R |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.85:1 |
| Sound Mix | Dolby Stereo |
| Format | Color |
| Themes | Repression, trauma, primal instincts, media fear |
| Setting | California news station and isolated colony retreat |
| Notable Trivia | Famous for its revolutionary transformation scene competing with An American Werewolf in London |
| Critical Reception | Highly praised and regarded as a werewolf horror classic |
| Audience Reception | Strong cult following and horror fan acclaim |
| Awards / Nominations | Saturn Award nominations |
| Home Media | VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD |
| Streaming Availability | Frequently available on horror streaming services |
| Sequels / Franchise | Spawned multiple sequels throughout the 1980s and 1990s |
| Franchise Type | Werewolf horror franchise |
WATCH NOW
An anchorwoman gets a little freaked out when she confronts a serial killer and goes to a commune to relax. Werewolves interfere with said relaxation.
One of the most underrated horror movies out there, it’s easy to dismiss it as more of the cookie-cutter trash that filled the eighties. The truth is, The Howling is a truly great werewolf movie, one of the best. A werewolf as serial-killer? That’s good stuff.
The entire story is fresh, capturing the essence of a good werewolf story and filling it with sly comments on our society as a whole. Filled with discussions of “civilization” and how unnatural it is, superimposing it with images of violent pornography and murder, symbolism like vegetarianism, big chunks of grilling meat, furs and hunting for sport. The movie is about the conflict between being civilized and savage, and how we’re both and neither. We’re a species with a split personality, we see a little of both sides and new-age psychobabble trying in vain to make sense of a world that can’t make sense.
Of course, the main course of horror and social satire is served sprinkled with cheese and the main goal of the film is clearly to entertain. Orwell’s 1984 this isn’t.
Some sad attempts at acting from the supporting cast, some small issues with the storyline, which runs a little slow at times, the story still ends up much grimmer and of a higher caliber than expected. Also, any movie with Slim Pickens deserves a watch.
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