Rating: 
Summary: The best straight werewolf movie ever made.
Review: "The Howling"Joe Dante's best film is a superb entry into the werewolf genre, arriving one year before An American Werewolf in London. While much debate has raged over the years about who really pioneered the 'airbag' make-up process used for the transformation sequences (was it Rob Bottin or Rick Baker?), it nevertheless remains that The Howling delivered it first and, arguably, with as much success as John Landis' film. The werewolves here are actually achieved by three different processes; mostly it is animatronic/puppet work, with a few sequences achieved with animation (the campfire scene) and stop-motion (the escape scene). More than a simple werewolf-on-the-loose, The Howling, based on Gary Brandner's inferior novel, deals with a whole (decidedly redneck) community of lycanthropes who are encountered by TV journalist Karen White. The werewolf colonists are presented with distinct personalities, particularly Elisabeth Brooks' intelligent and assuredly sexy Marsha and Robert Picardo's psychotic Eddie (sadly Brooks died of cancer in 1997), and the shock sequences involving them are executed with style. The two scenes where Belinda Balaski's character is attacked are truly superb, with some awesome make-up effects on display. Dante's three regulars are all here - Kevin McCarthy, Robert Picardo, and Dick Miller playing his 'Walter Paisley' role for the third of five times. This review is written before edition details of the DVD are available. I hope MGM do include something in the way of extras (beyond a trailer). Surely some material must exist of the make-up process that could be included.
Rating: 
Summary: The Paws That Refreshes
Review: The first of the Dynamic Duo of 1980s werewolf movies (the other being John Landis' American Werewolf In London), and probably the better of the two overall. T.V. newswoman Dee Wallace (Stone) helps police catch Eddie "The Mangler," a werewolf-obsessed serial killer who wishes to make her "like himself" but instead gets shot dead by the law. Eddie's corpse, for some reason, doesn't stay put in the morgue, and before long Wallace finds wolfish leavings about her cabin in The Colony, a therapeutic rest community run by pop-psychologist Patrick Macnee. Wallace's husband (played by then real-life husband Christopher Stone) soon finds himself the sex-prey of local leather-clad vamp Elisabeth Brooks, who turns out to be related to Eddie, and Wallace's friends back in the big city start putting two and two together and come to the rescue - surely they're up to defending the couple against a mere werewolf, or two? Unless there's more... A monster movie with lots of genuine chills and jumps, The Howling succeeds primarily due to its skillful balance of horror and humor. Director Joe Dante is careful never to mock the material, but also knows when (and how far) to stick tongue in cheek and welcome the audience to delight in the story's cliches. The entire cast is splendid, featuring numerous famous genre character actors including Slim Pickens, John Carradine and Dick Miller, and cameo appearances from the likes of low-budget director Roger Corman. Numerous references to key figures in werewolf films are evident for long-time fans to enjoy, subtly enough placed that those with no particular interest in the horror genre won't even notice. Pino Donaggio provides one of his more atmospheric scores, enhancing the suspense scenes. The film is gorgeously shot, and the color composition rich. The famous "air bladder" transformation effects were state-of-the-art at the time, and are still pretty impressive, though a bit overused.
Rating: 
Summary: man is this film bad
Review: ok i didn't know anything about the movie when i bought the dvd so i guess it's my fault. horrible b-movie, but then again that's what it was meant to be. there are a couple of good scenes here, especially the one of the werefolf attacking what's-her-name while she's on the phone, so it's not a complete waste of time. i guess it was more scary at the time and then again with such a small budget it's amazing anything was produced at all. meanwhile i give this dvd an extra star becase of the commentary track featuring hilarious director joe dante with robert picardo, dee wallace and christopher stone along for the ride. dante's sense of humor is through the roof and he knows exactly what he's produced and he doesn't try to make it seem like shakespeare so kutos to him. the documentaries are a good lesson in how to make a movie for a couple hundred dollars and how to adapt a book into something completely and entirely different (the book plot was changed so much for the screenplay that it was reused again for the howling part iii apparently). finally the trailers are probably the best part of the entire production. this is a nice dvd-9 from mgm, i.e. a two-sided disc with the film on one side of the dvd and most of the extras on the other. yellow smiley face included.
Rating:
Summary: Better than An American Werewolf in London.
Review: This is the original Howling movie. Do not waste your timewith any of the sequels - THIS IS THE ONE TO GET. This is simply oneof the best modern werewolf movies ever made. A lot of people like American Werewolf in London, but The Howling far exceeds that one in terms of the film's entirety. An American Werewolf in London seems "choppy", doesn't flow very well, and the acting is played down, relying mostly on werewolf transformation sequences and dark humor. The Howling, on the other hand, really delivers in terms of completeness. More ethereal and atmospheric than American Werewolf, The Howling is classic horror that makes a lot of connections from the beginning of the film and onward to the ending. Even the cliches throughout the movie are necessary elements, which truly give it a firm place in the history of werewolf horror. Long-haired Eddie, played by Robert Picardo of Star Trek Voyager, is a known serial killer who mutilates his victims. Dee Wallace plays the news reporter who meets up with him in the beginning of the film in an adult store. She is monitored by her news crew for safety reasons, and their objective is to provide enough coverage to bring Eddie in to the police.... Along with a strong story, the sounds and effects work extremely well, and their integration into the film gives it a stronger sense of realism than American Werewolf in London. The transformation sequences (effects by Rob Bottin - The Thing [1980], Robocop [1989]), in particular, are highly effective with their slow, subtle changes that erupt into one of the most memorable werewolf creations in the genre. The echoed, ethereal sounding "howling" effects even add to The Howling's overall mood, giving it a richness that is unsurpassed by American Werewolf. With a good cast of actors, including Slim Pickens as the sheriff (Blazing Saddles, Dr. Strangelove), and good direction by Joe Dante, The Howling stands out as one of the gems of 1980's horror. This film is also the best frame of reference for those of you who are familiar with the White Wolf role-playing game, Werewolf: The Apocolypse.
Rating: 
Summary: Joe Dante rocks.
Review: The Howling (Joe Dante, 1980) Joe Dante has done some amazing work in his time. He's also done some godawful things for which he should be ashamed. The Howling falls dead in the center of those two. It's creepy, atmospheric, and effective, due in no small part to the incredible talent assembled behind the scenes (John Sayles adapted Gary Brandner's novel; Bottin produced; Dante directed). Unfortunately, it also shows exactly why Dee Wallace never made it past B movies, with the argualble exception of E.T., and disease-of-the-week TV flicks. I mean, she's just bad. The rest of the cast makes it work, though, including "holographic doctor" Robert Picardo in his big-screen debut as the serial killer obsessed with Dee. His line "I'm going to give you a piece of my mind," and the action that follows it, are some of the finest moments in horror film. As a sidelight, this was also the only major film in which the late Elisabeth Brooks appeared (as Marsha, the seductress who goes after Dee Wallace's husband). Brooks is worth seeking out in just about anything, but this is the only flick you're likely to find on rental-house shelves. (She actually made four; the other three were all late-eighties products that have unfortunately faded into obscurity.) If you didn't see this when it came out, you'll probably find it somewhat on the cheesy side. Well, okay, it is, but remember that in 1980 this was groundbreaking stuff by anyone's standards. For those of us who did catch this one back in the day, it makes for a great nostalgia trip. Makes a great double bill with its contemporary Wolfen (1981).
Rating:
Summary: The best straight werewolf movie ever made.
Review: "The Howling" Joe Dante's best film is a superb entry into the werewolf genre, arriving one year before An American Werewolf in London. While much debate has raged over the years about who really pioneered the 'airbag' make-up process used for the transformation sequences (was it Rob Bottin or Rick Baker?), it nevertheless remains that The Howling delivered it first and, arguably, with as much success as John Landis' film. The werewolves here are actually achieved by three different processes; mostly it is animatronic/puppet work, with a few sequences achieved with animation (the campfire scene) and stop-motion (the escape scene). More than a simple werewolf-on-the-loose, The Howling, based on Gary Brandner's inferior novel, deals with a whole (decidedly redneck) community of lycanthropes who are encountered by TV journalist Karen White. The werewolf colonists are presented with distinct personalities, particularly Elisabeth Brooks' intelligent and assuredly sexy Marsha and Robert Picardo's psychotic Eddie (sadly Brooks died of cancer in 1997), and the shock sequences involving them are executed with style. The two scenes where Belinda Balaski's character is attacked are truly superb, with some awesome make-up effects on display. Dante's three regulars are all here - Kevin McCarthy, Robert Picardo, and Dick Miller playing his 'Walter Paisley' role for the third of five times. This review is written before edition details of the DVD are available. I hope MGM do include something in the way of extras (beyond a trailer). Surely some material must exist of the make-up process that could be included.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome movie about werewolves.
Review: I think that the Howling is a great classic horror film, in werewolf's movies. This movie is not the same as other ones(the Wolf Man), and it has really great special effects, when I bought it I saw it like 20 times, I've got really obsessed, cause a my dad recomended it to me, you're gonna love it.
Rating:
Summary: The Howling
Review: One of the best werewolf movies made.The characters are great.The dialogue isn't all that good.The plot is extremely likeable though.A woman is attacked by a phsyco and her doctor orders her to stay at a retreat camp.She starts to notice that the people are a little strange to say the least.The werewolfs in this movie are awesome.There transformations are so interesting.I got the crap scared out of me.I really enjoyed the way they wrapped the movie up though.The Howling is definetly a classic in my book.Make sure to check this one out.(7/10)
Rating:
Summary: The Best Werewolf Film...EVER!
Review: A city is under a reign of terror of a man only identified as Eddie. He is in contact with a TV anchorwoman, and after a terrifying encounter with him, she is advised to take a couple weeks off and go to a retreat that is run by the station's psychologist, Dr. George Waggner. Once there, she realizes the truth about Eddie Quist, and of the rest of the people that are staying at this retreat. This is far and away my favorite werewolf movie, even edging out "An American Werewolf in London", which is another classic. The design for the werewolves is the best I've seen. The special effects are awesome, and the acting is tremendous by the entire cast. I don't really know what else to say. If you are looking to watch one of the best horror movies made, or *the* best werewolf movie, go pick up The Howling.
Rating:
Summary: "You can't tame what's meant to be wild, doc..."
Review: Released back in the early 80's, The Howling (1981), directed by Joe Dante (a Roger Corman alum), competed against An American Werewolf in London (1981), and Wolfen (1981), for your werewolf movie going dollars. In my opinion, An American Werewolf in London was/and is the one to beat, but that's not to say those other films weren't great fun. Where An American Werewolf in London focused on an individual suffering from lycanthropy, The Howling deals with the more sinister notion that these creatures not only exist, but live among us, and gather together creating a sort of secret society, one that deals with the problems of how to best fit in, and maybe, one day, assume control. Dee Wallace-Stone (then Dee Wallace) stars as Karen White, a TV newswoman who has formed a tenuous phone relationship with a man suspected of being a serial killer. After a meeting with the suspected serial killer, known simply as Eddie gone wrong, Karen and her husband leave for a weeklong stay at a retreat run by Dr. George Waggner (Patrick Magee), sort of a commune on the coast of California. While at the commune, strange things occur, and tensions between Karen and her husband escalate. Karen's friends back in the city investigate the character of Eddie, and learn he may not just be a regular man, but something of a werewolf, a creature that can shape shift, regenerate lost limbs, even come back from the dead. Some great supporting characters in the film include Slim Pickens, John Caradine, Kevin McCarthy, Dick Miller, and Robert Picardo. The violence is more implied within the film, but there are a few choice gory bits, especially when one character does a brainectomy on himself. Dante keeps things moving along nicely, even though the story is a bit on the light side. The creature effects are really amazing, and hold up well, even today. You could almost feel your skin crawl as the transformation took place. And the creatures were huge, really giving a sense of helplessness among those unlucky enough to encounter them. There are a slew of extras with this release, most on the flipside of the disc, of which are listed on the product page. One in particular I wanted to mention is a little Easter egg that, when activated (look for the smiley face) has a nice piece with Dick Miller relating how he got started in the movie business. Also, look for cameos by Roger Corman, the man who really gave Joe Dante his start in the business with Pirahna (1978), Forrest J. Ackerman, or Uncle Forry, the legendary creator of the magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland, writer/actor/director John Sayles, and Bill and Beverly Warren. The print here looks really wonderful, and the audio is very decent. It's really nice to see such treatment to these older horror films, especially ones that stood out among the pack. This film was followed up by the forgettable sequels The Howling II (1985), The Marsupials: The Howling III (1987), Howling IV: The Original Nightmare (1988), The Howling V: The Rebirth (1989), Howling VI: The Freaks (1991), and Howling: New Moon Rising (1995). If you enjoy werewolf movies, I would recommend the Lon Chaney Jr./Universal wolf man films along with the more current Dog Soldiers (2002). Cookieman108
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