What a Disappointment - The Howling (1981) Discussion

[–] jimdo84 15 years ago

In terms of werewolf movies, this is one of the best ones ever made, bar none. Those that are into such things (i.e. werewolf movies) will tell you just this.
If you truly think that what you said is actually true you are a stone cold idiot child.
Go back to watching "the young and the talentless" and leave us to our GOOD (if not GREAT) movies.

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[–] fulci_fan2000 15 years ago

Yeah, how can someone not like THE HOWLING??? Go watch TWILIGHT with the rest of your teeny bopper morons and leave the great horror flicks to us.

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[–] CreatedBySin 15 years ago

I forgot I'm an idiot for having an opinion on a movie.

The Howling is a terrible movie in my opinion. I just wondered why everyone loves it so much.

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[–] harvestmoonwitch1031 15 years ago

Well, to the new generation, movies like Alien, The Thing and The Howling are considered stupid. But to us old school people, their cool because it was what scared us back when we were your age....nuff said.

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[–] JRuined 15 years ago

I have to disagree with that statement. I love Alien, The Thing, and American Werewolf in London. The Howling I find less enjoyable, I love moments of it and don't find it useless as the OP, but I definately see it being lost in the shuffle as the years go on. It feels date compared to the other three I mentioned.

I feel like it's more enjoyable if you lived through the 60s and 70s and dealt with the 80s, with all of the excess and fear those decades imparted. It deals with the umbridling of passions(freelove blah blah) and the backlash of that freedom from selfcontrol(AIDS yaddayadda). I think the Howling has lost a lot of it's impact as the years have progressed. Most of us who grew up after the fact aren't as affected by the shock value of these issues. We grew up in, or are growing in an environment where the 60s look ridiculous, the 70s look like a car crash, and the 80s were just a thin layer of make up trying to make American society look like it hadn't just been beaten by an abusive partner.

I totally understand where the OP is coming from, although I think that it's much better than he or she give credence to it.

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[–] YankeeDood 11 years ago

Yup, America is much better off in 2014 alright *eye roll*

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

So says someone who did not grow up in the 60s, 70s or 80s. Don't talk about something you know nothing about. I was born in the 50s and was a part of those great decades.

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[–] R_Kane (15828) 4 years ago

“Lost in the shuffle as years go on,” and yet, here we are, still on the topic.

You lose.

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[–] Strazdamonas 13 years ago

wait did you just compared the howling to alien or the thing? while comparing it to the original thing may be ok (the remake is superior in my opinion) its as far away from alien as a poop is from a candy.

--------------------------------------------------
If you want horror - tune in the news channel.

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[–] aidanmck92 13 years ago

hey hey hey. calm down there. i believe you are talking about my generation who are widely regarded as the twilight generation due to the small minority that adore it. I am in fact a huge fan of horror classics, even the hammer movies are brilliant. although i do agree this guy is arogant to not realise how good this movie actually is

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[–] krasnegar 8 years ago

Well, to the new generation, movies like Alien, The Thing and The Howling are considered stupid. But to us old school people, their cool because it was what scared us back when we were your age....nuff said.

I thought this film was not-so-great when it was new; my main problem was with the Rob Bottin makeup effects, really; Bottin had worked for Rick Baker (who was supposed to do this film) and stepped in when Baker left to do "American Werewolf in London" (one of the BEST werewolf films EVER).

Rick baker has more talent in his left big toe than Bottin has in his whole career, and it shows, especially if you compare the two films.

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[–] mitzibishi (1837) 4 years ago

>Alien, The Thing are considered stupid.

No they are not.

The Howling is not to be held in the same breath as Alien or the Thing. Let alone American Werewolf in London.

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[–] witster18 12 years ago

I love it for a few reasons....

The music.... awesome
The first half hour is very creepy stuff....
the werewolf transformation scene is perhaps even better than Amercian Werewolf in London's...perhaps the best ever...
love the final scene as well when she wolfs-out on camera...

I think terrible is a strong word.. and this film is so far from terrible it just tells me that I can discount every other opinion of yours on this site..

you could have said average and I would have a different opinion... but to call "The Howling" terrible is a travesty... especially in a genre so hungry for quality today... this is the type of film we have to fall back on when all else is wrong in the horror world.

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[–] vestdennis 12 years ago

I never got the notion that this was considered "A" material. It's just a horror flick. I liked the movie UNTIL the goofy ending with Karen turning into a cute, lovable, "can I pet you" werewolf.

I doubt women turn into cute, sweet-looking, pet store werewolves & men become vicious, mad-dog killer wolves. That part killed it for me. Otherwise it was slightly above average horror movie with some genuine scary & creepy moments.

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[–] psychocosmic-1 12 years ago

It was Dee Wallace´s fault. She refused to be like the wolfmonsters we seen earlier. Why? We dont know! Ask Dee!

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[–] patl1973 12 years ago

While it's played straight, The Howling has a wicked dark sense of humour throughout. Many of the complaints listed in this thread, like the fluffy female werewolf, are jokes that went over your head. It's one of my all time favourites and is aging like fine wine. Especially the special effects.

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[–] vestdennis 12 years ago

And what exactly is the "joke that goes over our head"? There is no joke or humor. They just played it that way to supposedly let people know of the dangers out there, etc.

Yes, I enjoy & have it on DVD, I just don't like the cuddly cute werewolf part. Everything else is pretty creepy & above average. And I certainly put it ahead of An American Werewolf in London (which I also have on DVD). It does lend more to the humorous side but has some scary moments.

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[–] YankeeDood 11 years ago

Because the horror is genuine in it. If you're not a fan of real horror, then get lost.

"Yes..if you don't mind."

- The Veteran (Naked Massacre)

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[–] mitzibishi (1837) 4 years ago

The horror doesnt start until 45+ minutes in. We are not confirmed that its a werewolf film until her boyfriend is attacked then after that a werewolf on werewolf sex scene.

The first 45 minutes is a reporter having a mental breakdown after a botched investigative report on a serial killer, then she see's a shrink who advises her to go to his swanky, hipster retreat which you assume would be for the elite. When she gets there its full of hobos and red necks.

Then we get the whole thread of the cultured city folk being stuck with the dumb country folk. In betwixt that her friends investigate werewolves at a bookstore to bump into friend of the director Dick Miller (Gremlins, Innerspace, Explorers, The Burbs, Terminator) and head to her location at the camp for the showdown with the knowledge that silver bullets may kill werewolves like the legends tell. Then after all of that we are confirmed that, yes, this is now a werewolf film let the games begin and the rest is pretty good.

It suffers from not having one or two werewolf scenes spread out in the first 45 minutes. Just add a smoky, shadowy kill scene where you are not quite sure if it was man or beast, somebody cornered and killed by a heavy breather and you see the silhouette of a man/beast. A transformation in the shadows where you don't see anything. Please something that would let us know we are watching a horror film and not a romantic comedy about fish out of water city folk at an up north holiday camp.

Not half as good as Werewolf in London on any level. With London the story telling is much more focused and we have an A to Z plot with stakes and timelines of stakes introduced very early on and we have intersection of horror, werewolf parts in between via the dream sequences and the dead friend making an appearence. Both of which make us aware of the impending doom of the main character and give us a ticking clock to when the shit hits the fan.

Joe Dante did a good enough job to make it look good, nice lighting and cinematography, SFX and monster design pretty good. Its just that the Landis film had a way better story and was handled way better by Landis.

The SFX team won out also. Even though I loved the werewolves in this.

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[–] ketamineman 10 years ago

you are not an idiot for having an opinion. you are an idiot because you meet all the requirements from low IQ to not understanding what words mean. go watch sesame street and work your way up to real people movies. now back to the kids table.

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[–] jangoq 9 years ago

You're a troll.

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[–] Jackeblu 15 years ago

Honestly I agree with the OP. I thought this movie rocked back in the day. Hadn't seen it since probably about 1984/5. I just watched it again recently and it has not aged well at all. Everything about it was so cheesy, which I think might have somewhat been the point. Best part? When the girl is watching the news and yells "hey mom the news lady is turning into a werewolf!" But not scary at all and Dee Wallace looks stoned through the whole thing.

On the other hand, American Werewolf in London which I thought was OK back then has now become the only werewolf movie worth while. I think soley because it never takes itself too seriously.

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[–] TheBeardedWonder 15 years ago

Same here. Tracked down a few old Werewolf movies and liked them. The best being silver bullet or London so far. So I watched this having heard it's one of the best of it's genre, only to be bored to tears.

The plot, which it jumps right into with no development, is weak. She's attacked and goes to somewhere else to escape for a while. She finds out they're werewolves and sticks around anyway.

Terrible acting. There's Z grade troma movies that have better acting than this. The huge gaps of time with NOTHING happening. No wolves, no character elaboration, so plot movement, just tedious time passing. You never care about any of the characters because you hardly know them.

What's the big deal behind this movie? I just don't get it... but oh well. To each their own. We still have Bullet, London, and Dog Soldiers...

No fear. No distractions. The ability to let that which does not matter truly slide.-Tyler Durden

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[–] JRuined 14 years ago

You just named the holy trinity for werewolf flicks as far as I'm concerned.

I don't care if this message is a year old, I have to stand on the mountain and sing Hallelujah!!!

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[–] davedeefam 15 years ago

Well, I can respect anyone's choice to like or dislike a movie. But your reasons suggest you either didn't get the movie, or you didn't pay attention, or something. She goes to the isolated coloney on doctor's orders because she's afraid she is going nuts. It's a place for people with problems. She expects that. Since that's its purpose.

I can't account for the porno parts - that was popular in the early 80s. Link anything to a sex scene.

What talking Werewolves?

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[–] GreenGoblinsOckVenom86 9 years ago

When her rapist Eddie comes back and turns into a werewolf he talks.

Green Goblin is great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1L4ZuaVvaw

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[–] ELOrocks17 15 years ago

I agree--this movie was crap, especially the werewolf attack in the middle of the day at the cabin. There are plenty of werewolf movies that were far more competently executed:

American Werewolf in London
Dog Soldiers
Wolfen
Silver Bullet
Bad Moon

Hell, even "Big bad Wolf" was more entertaining than this aged hippy flick.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] JRuined 15 years ago

Dog Soldiers was a lot of fun. I made my wife sit through it. I totally forgot about Silver Bullet. I just wish Silver Bullet had the same impact visually as the Wrightson illustrations from the novella.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] FrankensteinsDaughter 10 years ago

I actually liked The Howling more than every werewolf movie on your list and don't feel like any of your examples are more competently executed than this one. Silver Bullet and Bad Moon are just bland and mediocre. Wolfen and American Werewolf are both good but I prefer The Howling to both.

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[–] generalzod7575 15 years ago

at what point do the werewolves talk genius you must have the extra special edition.I just watched this movie for like the millionth time it is awesome there is the scene where the husband has sex with the chick who is at the bar at the end
you must not watch to many pornos. tell you what please stick to teen wolf little kid

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[–] billy51482 15 years ago

"I forgot I'm an idiot for having an opinion on a movie."

No, you must have been an idiot way before that.

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[–] SlickySlixta 11 years ago

I assume he is talking about the part at the beginning were Eddie talks as he is transforming in the booth, but as far as I can remember none of the werewolves talk after full transformation.

One of the guys at the end says "silver bullets my ass", but that is still in his early stages of transformation.

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[–] mitzibishi (1837) 4 years ago

You are completely right mister 2009 man.

I was negative about this film because I haven't seen many porno films.

I will go away and watch porno, then finally, I will be sexed up enough to understand the metaphors, subtext, symbolism and true meaning of The Howling.

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[–] nufsaid16 (685) 3 years ago

Just have fun watching it, lol.

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[–] keenu 15 years ago

I agree with the OP. I mostly watched The Howling because Joe Dante directed it but I couldn't even tell it was a Dante film aside from Dick Miller and Robert Picardo being in it. I thought the movie would be a lot funnier and have an enchanted quality like most of Dante's films, but that wasn't the case. If there IS humor in this film it must be so subtle that I didn't even pick up on it, and I'm usually pretty good at noticing understated humor. IDK, maybe if I watched it again I'd appreciate it more. There's been lots of movies I liked better on second viewing.

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[–] freudified_n_funkified 15 years ago

"I mostly watched The Howling because Joe Dante directed it but I couldn't even tell it was a Dante film aside from Dick Miller and Robert Picardo being in it."

Really? Because this is one of Dante's signature flicks, and it's loaded to the rafters with his directorial personality. The lighting, the camera angles, the in-jokes, sight gags and references, the B/genre movie legends, the rhythms of the horror set pieces -- it's all there. Not to mention there's also stalwart Dante stock players Kevin McCarthy and Belinda Balaski and a walk-on from Roger Corman. I'm surprised Paul Bartel didn't turn up.

But while not as overtly humorous as some/most of Dante's other efforts, this one isn't a horror comedy - it's a go at an honest to God monster movie, though tongue is in cheek most of the time. Both Dante and Sayles were still firmly entrenched in the Corman school of exploitative subversion, where the creative team is quite a bit smarter than the conceit and uses it to throw around a lot of ideas about sexual repression, the sexual revolution and sexual violence while simultaneously exploiting and satirizing them - as well as reference and pay homage to as many movies as humanly possible. So there are as many layers and as much characterization as they can squeeze into a low budget werewolf movie from Avco Embassy alongside the requisite blood and boos quotient. I'd say give it another whirl now that the expectations are levelled out, you might find more to your liking.

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[–] Durham_christine 8 years ago

IDK, maybe if I watched it again I'd appreciate it more. There's been lots of movies I liked better on second viewing.

Relax. I hated it first time. Watched it second time and found it a bit better. Third time I loved it. I recommend watching it more. It grows on you.

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[–] stunts001 15 years ago

tbh mate i agree with you, som people here are just being silly for condemming your opinion i mean,i loved have american werewolf,alien,the thing all them and more on special edition dvd and i loved them.

but i have to be honest i thaught the howling was awfull,it was essentially just porn really. and the werewolf transformations were dumb i mean all it did was pan away so the characthers were shadows and then in a very amusing way they actually drew the transformations as cartoons, im sorry but i thaught this movie was funny as hell,not at all scary i really couldnt take it seriously

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[–] nufsaid16 (685) 3 years ago

Porn? It has only one actual sex scene. I mean, come on---it's not even remotely that.

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[–] keenu 15 years ago

"i thaught this movie was funny as hell"

The parts with Dick Miller were kind of funny and the part when Bill and Marsha have sex, but other than that I didn't laugh at all. I actually thought the special effects were good, considering it was made in 1980.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] efs2 15 years ago

I agree. I think a better way of saying what the poster above said is that the special effects are good because it was filmed in 1980, before CGI.

please insert signature here

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[–] haroldbishoplives 15 years ago

i totally agree. i have never liked this movie. the effects are *beep* the story is laughable and there is barely any coherance to it at all. and something else thats bugged me about it for years is during the "BIG" transformation sequence near the end, why does she stand there for during the whole thing watching him change?!! stupid woman, stupid movie

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[–] highschoolkiller 15 years ago

i wasn't impressed with this movie. it was ok. nothing more, nothing less. It's not something i would buy on dvd.
Yeah i agree with poster above about her standing there during the transformation lol.

You can't swing a dead cat in hollywood without hitting someone with a vampire script

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