Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan

After a bizarre and near fatal encounter with a serial killer, a newswoman is sent to a rehabilitation center whose inhabitants may not be what they seem.

Flixster Users

63% liked it

26,374 ratings

Critics

60% liked it

25 critics

R, 91 min.

Directed by: Joe Dante

Release Date: March 13, 1981

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DVD Release Date: August 28, 2001

Stats: 946 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (946)


  • September 29, 2009
    It was cutting edge horror when it came out. Now the SFX seem a bit dated but it does not matter, other horror films of the same time like the evil dead are scarier and other werewolf films like American werewolf in London have better effects but this matters not either. This is ...( read more)a classic horror film that is imposable to dislike because it does no wrong! Give me these special effects over CGI any day!
  • January 16, 2009
    A TV news anchorwoman helps to trap a serial killer and retires to a new age colony to recuperate, only to find it is stalked by werewolves. This film came out at around the same time as An American Werewolf In London, and both were lauded over for their ground breaking SFX, but ...( read more)this is definitely a case of the passage of time separating the wheat from the chaff. American Werewolf's FX may have been the headline grabbers, but the wit and intelligence of the script and likable, characterful performances have made it stand the test of time admirably. Unfortunately, The Howling has fared a lot worse. I've never rated Dante as a director, and his clod-hopping approach is as evident here as ever, filling the screen with dry ice and clumsy dream montages, lit like a Spinal Tap concert. The constant visual references to wolves in pop culture are scattershot and witless, the clip of The Wolfman in particular served only to make me wish I was watching that instead. And he was obviously so proud of the effects that the camera lingers on them making the transformation scenes last an age, which serves only to make you see how rubbish they look by today's standards. Add bad soap opera level performances from a cast of has-beens and never weres and the whole thing is really best forgotten.
  • January 7, 2009
    Great special effects that were state of the art for 1980. *Dee Wallace as a werewolf looks like a Pomeranian on steroids.
  • December 4, 2008
    After a traumatizing encounter with what she believes to be a serial killer in a peep-show booth, a female investigative reporter goes to a strange resort to recuperate, where things get even worse. Suspenseful horror movie with an atmosphere of oddly erotic evil and transformat...( read more)ion scenes that still stand up today.
  • September 6, 2008
    One of the better werewolf films in the series with some jumpy scenes.
  • November 18, 2009
    It's ridiculously 80s, but that's one of the best elements. It has a lot to do with pop culture dealing with urban legends, which was pretty original. I loved the glossy look of the movie and the effects (just bizarre). You gotta love Dee Wallace and the crazy bunch of werewolves...( read more) terrorizing her. While it's a little outdated, it's still a fun movie.
  • November 14, 2009
    undoubtedly the worst werewolf film that I've seen.....poor acting & corny dialogues.

    & I dont think anybody would waste their time watching such a crappy film!

    skip this one..there are better films than this.
  • November 8, 2009
    80s werewolf movie involving the animalistic nature of man. Serial killing, mauling, raping. Man taking power of woman. It really wasn't very fun. And while there was a really cool, impressive werewolf transormation scene, it lasted for 10 minutes and the girl totally could h...( read more)ave been running away...
  • November 2, 2009
    Joe dante is a genuis
  • October 28, 2009
    A pretty good werewolf tale with lots of in-jokes and interesting cameo appearances.

Critic Reviews


November 6, 2005
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness

A perverse, satirical contribution to the oft-maligned werewolf genre. full review

View more The Howling reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • tobedeleted
    May 8, 2007
    i love this movie!i like where wolves anyway,but two thumbs up!i watch it everytime it comes on tv!

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