Horror Movie Review: The Howling (1981)

A cult classic and often considered one of the best ‘werewolf’ related horrors ever made, The Howling is a film that stands the test of time. Not just because of its unique take on the werewolf, but because of its smart story-telling, strong acting, and satirical comedic edge. It is a great example of many talents coming together, believing in what they were creating, and working hard to make it remarkable.

Directed (and edited) by Joe Dante, written by John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless, and based on the novel of the same name by Gary Brandner, the star of the film is the (always) wonderful Dee Wallace. She plays Karen White, a news anchor in LA. We meet her as she is taking part in a police operation to capture a serial killer named Eddie, who is stalking her.

She is to meet Eddie in a porno theatre, but the plan goes wrong, and while he is killed, Karen sees something about him that terrifies her to the point where she ends up with amnesia. Unable to any of the events from the moments she went into the theatre. Her therapist (Patrick Macnee) comes up with the idea of Karen taking some time to relax with her husband, Bill (Christopher Stone) at a secluded resort in the countryside called the ‘Colony’.

It’s a good idea, and the people within in the isolated community seem nice, if not a little odd, so the hope is that Karen will heal and what she saw. Will she want too though?

It’s not exactly a spoiler to reveal that the Colony is a group made up of werewolves, that much is pretty obvious from the moment Karen and Bill arrive. No, the mystery parts of The Howling come from the how, why, when, and what of it all. So many questions in fact, that inevitably, many are left unanswered by the end. It doesn’t matter though, as the experience is still so satisfying. Especially because of its wonderful practical effects.

The Howling delivers thrills and chills from a classic monster movie perspective, but what really makes it stand out is how it infuses a fresh sense of sexiness to the werewolf genre. Sex plays a pivotal role in the story and how its characters interact, both from a reserved and primal angle. It can be quite explicit (the opening might have some people clutching their pearls alone), but there’s always a point to it. Simply put, The Howling makes the werewolf sexy, and not even An American Werewolf in London (the best werewolf movie ever) managed that.

Similar to An American Werewolf in London though, The Howling has a comedic tone, but it’s not as obviously funny. Instead, it takes a more satirical stab at things, in particular poking fun at the media, lifestyle gurus, and desensitisation of people in the face of TV violence. It’s hardly in your face, but it all plays perfectly into an ending that is quite iconic.

Of course, all of this matters because Joe Dante is an expert director and manages to make The Howling both ‘of a time’ and ‘timeless’. It looks and feels so 80s, but it’s as watchable now as it was back then. He also gets the best out of a strong cast overall, and you can tell everyone believed in what they were doing here, even if it probably seemed like nonsense at times.

It’s not just a great werewolf film; it’s a great film overall. Its flaws, which are few, are more than able in the face of such an exciting experience.