Stars: Dee Wallace, Christopher Stone
Director: Joe Dante
Slasher films were not the only horror films produced in 1981. This year saw two classic werewolf films produced (Wolfen is better left alone). I want to discuss An American Werewolf in Londen before I get into The Howling. Both films are classics with groundbreaking special effects but I have a little more love for the underdog. John Landis’ film is great, with a wry sense of humor and a great soundtrack. Rick Baker’s special effects in American Werewolf are better than Rob Bottin’s in The Howling however Bottin will get his own moment to shine next year in The Thing.
So why am I doing a review on The Howling? Simply put, this is the one I have watched more often. Dante’s sense of humor and style are more appealing to me and I appreciate the way the script handles the lore of the werewolf. I watched both again to make sure my opinion didn’t change and it hasn’t. While I would recommend watching both films, The Howling has gotten pushed aside for far too long and deserves its moment in the spotlight, even if only on my little site.
Brief synopsis:
Karen White is an investigative reporter who has caught the eye of serial killer Eddie Quist. Working with the police to trap him, she ends up in a shoot out that seemingly ends the killer’s life and leaves her with PTSD-induced amnesia. Unable to move on and deal with what happened to her, a psychiatrist recommends that she recover at his retreat called The Colony. But this place is not what it seems…
Spoilers below (you have been warned):
Turns out that The Colony is a home for werewolves and they want Karen and her husband Bill to be a part of them. Not only that but the serial killer Eddie is also a werewolf and was not killed in the shoot out because the cops were not using silver bullets. Female werewolf Marsha turns Bill into a werewolf. The group then rebels against the psychiatrist, refusing to hide their true natures anymore.
Meanwhile, the couples’ friends Terry and Chris try to figure out what is going on at The Colony. Terry figures out too late that Eddie is still alive and a werewolf. He kills her in a violent attack. Terry gathers up some silver bullets and goes to rescue Karen. They shoot their way out and trap the creatures in a barn before setting it on fire. A few of the wolves escape and Bill in wolf form bites his wife before she kills him. Realizing she is doomed, Karen vows to make people believe that werewolves are real.
She goes on the news to give a special report and turns on screen into a werewolf that honestly looks more like a Pomeranian puppy. Terry kills her with a silver bullet. We go to various locales where people are watching the report, convinced that it was a publicity stunt and not real. The last person we see is Marsha at a bar, ordering a raw hamburger.
My thoughts (with spoilers):
If you are familiar with Joe Dante’s work, you understand exactly what you are getting into with this film. He has a dry and fun sense of humor, willing to poke fun at conventions and movie history. The Howling is rife with these touches. The first thing Dante does is do away with the werewolf lore as the audience knows it. Thanks to a visit with Dante regular Dick Miller, we quickly find out that most of what the movies say about werewolves is wrong. These creatures do not need the moon or even darkness to change. They can change anytime they want. The only things that still ring true is that their bite can create another werewolf and silver bullets and/or fire is the only way to kill them. This movie also shows that a scratch can turn a person into a werewolf, something that is not commonly used in werewolf lore. Think of how many werewolves would be created with just a scratch which is why a bite is usually what is needed. Dante also loves to throw in little bits of film history that comments on the story he is telling. We see clips from the original Wolfman with Lon Chaney Jr. and the cartoon Big Bad Wolf and an appearance from Forrest Ackerman, creator of the magazine Famous Monsters of Filmland.
The story is also intriguing as we get to see what happens when the wrong person is given almost unlimited power. Patrick Macnee’s therapist Waggner is a werewolf trying to help other werewolves fit into society by repressing who they are, repressing their powers. Eddie is a werewolf who only sees the power he holds and his ability to play God, choose who lives or dies. Eddie’s obsession over Karen, his desire to bring her into his world, starts off the story. He is a serial killer who knows he cannot be killed, even if he is shot by the cops. He thrives on this knowledge, reckless and determined to do what he wants whenever he wants. Waggner wants everyone to get along, Eddie wants to dominate those he deems lower than him.
Dante gets the most out of his cast. Dee Wallace would find mainstream fame the next year as Elliott’s mom in E.T. but she is vulnerable and curious as Karen. The newswoman not only wants the story, she wants to do the right thing and help the police and pays a horrible price for that decision. Her real life husband, Christopher Stone, took on the role of her film husband. Bill Neill is a modern guy, a vegetarian who is seemingly not offended by his wife’s decision to keep her maiden name. Bill’s change is the most dramatic. After he is scratched, he goes from sensitive man to a meat eating brute who cheats on his wife and hits her at one point. Was he always this man and the scratch just brought it to the surface? We may never know but it is telling that he is the one to bite Karen and attempt to bring her into the pack. Even after everything that has happened, he still wants his wife with him
The Howling has been overshadowed by American Werewolf in London for too long. There is room for two great werewolf movies from 1981. Yes, you should definitely check out American Werewolf but The Howling also deserves a chance.
More films from 1981 to check out:
The Burning – Camp slasher flick with special effects by Tom Savini and early film appearances by Holly Hunter and Jason Alexander. The raft scene is a classic.
Outland – Sci-fi western with Sean Connery as the sheriff of a mining colony on Jupiter’s moon. Still remember the decompression death to this day.
Dead & Buried – Potters Bluff is a great place to live because once you cross town lines, you will never leave again. Fans of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory will never look at Grandpa Joe (Jack Albertson) the same way again.