Das Tier

This classic werewolf movie is not as good as "An American Werewolf in London", however it is a pretty good horror movie in its own right. It is also one of the first (if not the first) to do an on screen transformation scene not using the old frame by frame technique. The story has a female reporter traumatized after she helps the police track down a serial killer. A friend psychiatrist sends her to a retreat known as "the colony" to help her unwind and get to the root of her problem. Well lets just say her first impulse was right as she really seems to think her and her husband are out of place in this retreat. I would agree, I do believe I would have left after seeing the first little beach party where the guy about to throw himself in the fire seemed the most sane. For the most part this movie has a bit of a slow setup, but once it gets going near the last 20 or thirty minutes it really gets going. The werewolves look rather good, there are a couple of scenes where they appear to be nothing more than cartoons or something, but for the most part they look like working models. There is a bit at the end which puzzles me as it seems to add humor into what was otherwise a movie that wasn't trying to garner laughs. However, for the most part you get a rather nice horror movie with lots of stars, something of a rarity this day and age.

Following news reporter Karen White's (Dee Wallace) cooperation with the police in taking down stalker and serial killer Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo), Karen is still reeling from the events with the trauma affecting both her career and relationship with her husband Bill Neill (Christopher Stone). On the advice of Dr. Waggner (Patrick Macnee), the two travel out to a secluded wellness hideaway known as The Colony in an effort to allow Karen a space to heal, in spite of mysterious howling in the surrounding woods. Meanwhile back in L. A., Karen's friends Chris (Dennis Dugan) and Terry's (Belinda Balaski) investigation into Eddie Quist reveals he may have been a more literal type of monster.

The Howling is a 1981 horror film loosely based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Gary Brandner. The film was brought into existence by theater chain owner Steven A. Lane who had wanted to get into film production and being an avid horror fan took an interest in the howling after seeing a blurb from Stephen King on its cover. Pursuing the rights to current holder Jack Conrad, the two set the film up at Avco Embassy Pictures. After creative clashes between Conrad and Avco Embassy both Conrad and Lane stepped back into an executive producing capacity with then Avco Embassy President Robert Rehme hiring Joe Dante and John Sayles as writer and director respectively having had a positive working experience with the duo at New World Pictures on Piranha in 1978. The Howling not only proved a hit with audiences earning $18 million against its $1.5 million budget, but also from critics many of whom appreciated the update on werewolf tropes with a healthy does of dark humor and social satire. The Howling is undeniably a welcome addition to the werewolf canon even if there's a few rough spots courtesy of its low budget.

As The Howling opens, you can feel the modern influence of urban cinema on its approach as the gothic structures and foggy moors have been replaced with the kind of sleazy corridors of urban rot that characterized many films of the 70s and 80s in various crime films. Dee Wallace is really good as Karen White who helps take down her stalker with the help of the police, but even after her nightmare is seemingly over it still lingers with her. The chemistry between Wallace and her real life husband Christopher Stone is well done and you do care about them as characters and become unsettled by the building tension over the course of their time at the Colony. The movie features a rich level of satire from the "wellness retreat" like atmosphere of the Colony that gradually becomes more sinister to the "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality of the TV news, to even commenting on the rise of pop psychology in the form of Dr. Waggner played by Patrick Macnee. If there's one thing I feel could've been revised a little I think it would be in the characters of Chris and Terry who initially feel very detached from the main plot for much of the running time and don't become as integral as they should until about the 50 minute mark or so. There is a bit of a feeling of budget based story compression going on as the audience is really thrown into the whole Eddie Quist setup pretty quickly which didn't allow me to get my bearings as quickly as I would've liked.

The Howling sees Joe Dante continue to refine his style of dark comedy with B-movie thrills in a entertaining and often intelligent modern re-dress of werewolves. While it has clear signs of rougher edges due to a low budget and tight turnaround time, it puts its limited resources to good use to make something that walks the line between funny and thrilling.

A very long build up to the first scare, and even then it's not at all scary by today's standards. But there are still some enjoyable aspects. The storyline is well developed, the acting is pretty good, and the gags work well. The werewolf transformation is first rate, especially for the 80s. A pretty good movie in the end.

I never understood why joe dante's movies are so unfairly rated here. Not even a 7? Most of his movies are great, they show how passionate he is about cinema, how he wants the viewer to be engaged and fascinated about what he's seeing. The special effects are great in general, and we're talking about 1981. It starts slowly, not in a boring way but a bit slowly, and it builds the atmosphere throughout the first hour. The last half an hour it's just pure fun that you see with a smile in your eyes, laughing and being scared at the same time.

It's just that type of movie where you get what you're waiting for, and your expectations are in place. Joe Dante knows how to build an amosphere, how to make the characters scary but not terrifying and mostly what i really love about it is how he's committed to the amusement of the audience. I liked this one as much as an american werewolf in london. It's not my favourite joe dante movie (i think matinee still wins) but it's cinema gold. Go and check it, it does deserve it. Dante is one of the most underrated directors ever,

Yes! For a change in the horror genre this film does deserve all of the praise, hype, cult following and respect it receives, even from the critics. I would go so far as to even admit that I find this Joe (Gremlins, Innerspace, The 'burbs, Matinee, Small soldiers) Dante flick one of his best crafted works, followed by PIRANHA.

It's always been a toss up between THE HOWLING and AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON for the most effective lycanthropy picture of postmodern horror cinema (anything since Psycho). Where John Landis used comedy more blatantly, the humour in THE HOWLING is far more satirical and subversive. Undoubtedly, Rob Bottin's effects steal the show as well as they did for John Carpenter's THE THING. The transformation of Eddie Quist, especially on the revamped DVD is something to behold.

For anyone with a passing interest in the horror genre this is a film to include on that 'TO SEE' list. For fans of werewolf movies this should go on that 'MUST SEE' list.