The Howling

1981
R
1h 31m

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

41K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:35

Werewolf Horror Horror

After a bizarre and near deadly encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.After a bizarre and near deadly encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.After a bizarre and near deadly encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.5/10

41K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,727

487

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 3 nominations

Videos5

Watch The Howling - Rialto Pictures Trailer

Clip 3:21

Watch The Howling

Clip 2:56

Watch The Howling: Horror (UK)

Photos186

+ 180

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Howling II: ... Your Sister Is a Werewolf

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Howling IV: The Original Nightmare

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Demons

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Rick Baker was originally doing the special effects for this movie, but he left to do An American Werewolf in London (1981), leaving the effects job for this movie in the hands of assistant Rob Bottin. Both this movie and "American Werewolf" were released the same year and both received praise for their makeup work.

Goofs
Slim Pickens is shot twice with the shots coming almost on top of each other in quick succession. However, he is shot with a manual bolt-action rifle making that impossible.

Quotes
Boy watching TV: Wow!
Mother's voice (offscreen): What are you kids watching?
Girl watching TV: The newslady's turned into a werewolf!

Crazy credits
At the very end of the credits, there is a brief clip from The Wolf Man (1941).

Alternate versions
In the French video version (TF1) The scene where "Eddie" rips a bullet out of his forehead just before turning into a werewolf is missing. The theater version was uncut though.

Connections
Featured in Sneak Previews: Hardly Working/The Howling/'Breaker' Morant/Mon Oncle D'Amerique/Caveman (1981)

Soundtracks
Howling Chicken
Written by Rick Fienhage and Joyce Fienhage

User reviews293

Review

Featured review

A Howling Good Time

Joe Dante is a great fan of the horror genre, and most of his films are dedicated to that passion directly, as in his film creations, and indirectly, with his use of inside jokes and references and his use of beloved figures from the genre itself in small roles. It is this passion and love that makes his films special, and The Howling is no different. It is a boost for the relatively weak sub-genre of lycanthropy. It has marvellous special effects which are still quite good by today's standards, some good humour, well-choreographed chase scenes, and some good acting. The script is weak and laden with cliches, but remember it is a parody in ways. Dante names characters using the names of great horror directors(his idols I imagine) such as Terry Fisher, Freddie Francis, and Erle Kenton. Forrest J. Ackerman, Roger Corman, John Sayles, Dick Miller, John Carradine, Kenneth Tobey, and Kevin McCarthy make appearances. Patrick Macnee is quite good in his role, and Dee Wallace is excellent in her screaming way. Overall a fine film!