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That is part of the words being shared by Dr. George Waggner (Patrick Macnee) during a TV show. Seemingly inoffensive psycho-babble against the repression of impulses. But there's something darker and more savage behind those words, and maybe behind the doctor himself as news anchor Karen White (Dee Wallace) is about to find out.
The Howling follows White, as she recovers from a dangerous encounter with a serial killer. As part of her recovery, Dr. Waggner sends her and her husband to the "Colony", a country resort where he treats his patients. But things are not what they seem with most of the patients or with the "Colony" overall.
This is a film I must have seen a couple of times when I was a kid. I remember it being on TV often and I remember the transformation scenes quite well. However, for some reason, I hadn't seen it since the late 80s, and I barely remembered anything at all. That's part of the reason why I wanted to revisit it when I chose this category for my monthly challenge.
For the most part, The Howling manages to build an effective atmosphere of dread and uneasiness surrounding this resort and its assorted array of patients, and Wallace does a pretty good job as she transmits the trauma she's trying to recover from, the uncertainty of what's going on, and the fear of what she's about to find out.
However, the transition from the serial killer/rapist subplot to the whole werewolf cult thing feels a bit awkward. In addition, a couple of relevant characters feel a bit underserved, and the overall motivations of the antagonists doesn't feel as clear as I would've wished. On the other hand, the makeup and special effects of the werewolves are pretty amazing, especially for the time being, and they contribute to build that creepy and scary ambience.
Watching this as an adult now, I certainly wish there was a bit more meat to it, along with a tighter story that could've stuck the landing better. But going back to the times when I was a kid, and I enjoyed this on a superficial level of "werewolves are scary and cool!", I can't deny the "beast"; or in this case, how fun it is to see a couple of "beasts" wreaking havoc all around.
Grade:
THE HOWLING
(1981, Dante)
A film from Joe Dante
(1981, Dante)
A film from Joe Dante
"We should never try to deny the beast - the animal within us."
That is part of the words being shared by Dr. George Waggner (Patrick Macnee) during a TV show. Seemingly inoffensive psycho-babble against the repression of impulses. But there's something darker and more savage behind those words, and maybe behind the doctor himself as news anchor Karen White (Dee Wallace) is about to find out.
The Howling follows White, as she recovers from a dangerous encounter with a serial killer. As part of her recovery, Dr. Waggner sends her and her husband to the "Colony", a country resort where he treats his patients. But things are not what they seem with most of the patients or with the "Colony" overall.
This is a film I must have seen a couple of times when I was a kid. I remember it being on TV often and I remember the transformation scenes quite well. However, for some reason, I hadn't seen it since the late 80s, and I barely remembered anything at all. That's part of the reason why I wanted to revisit it when I chose this category for my monthly challenge.
For the most part, The Howling manages to build an effective atmosphere of dread and uneasiness surrounding this resort and its assorted array of patients, and Wallace does a pretty good job as she transmits the trauma she's trying to recover from, the uncertainty of what's going on, and the fear of what she's about to find out.
However, the transition from the serial killer/rapist subplot to the whole werewolf cult thing feels a bit awkward. In addition, a couple of relevant characters feel a bit underserved, and the overall motivations of the antagonists doesn't feel as clear as I would've wished. On the other hand, the makeup and special effects of the werewolves are pretty amazing, especially for the time being, and they contribute to build that creepy and scary ambience.
Watching this as an adult now, I certainly wish there was a bit more meat to it, along with a tighter story that could've stuck the landing better. But going back to the times when I was a kid, and I enjoyed this on a superficial level of "werewolves are scary and cool!", I can't deny the "beast"; or in this case, how fun it is to see a couple of "beasts" wreaking havoc all around.
Grade: