The Howling [VHS] [1980]

Needing to recover from her ordeal, she goes with her husband (Christopher Stone) to an idyllic rural retreat, called "The Colony", on the advice of a celebrity therapist(Patrick MacNee). There, she meets an odd assortment of characters, including the beautiful and sexy Marsha (Elizabeth Brooks), an obvious seductress who makes no bones about desiring Karen's husband. Venturing into the forest one night, he has a memorable encounter with the feral Marsha, an encounter that the viewer will also not forget. From then on, things do not look good for Karen, as her world seems to close in on her. Tormented by the unearthly shrieks and howls that emanate from the forest at night, Karen is a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown. When a fellow reporter and friend (Belinda Balaski) discovers that there is a connection between Eddie Quist and "The Colony", Karen is left to put all the pieces together. What she discovers will keep the viewer riveted to the screen. Look for a surprising ending.

This is a highly entertaining horror film with a number of scenes that are sure to unnerve the viewer. There are also some campy and laughable scenes, as well, but these do not detract from the overall impact of the film. It remains one of the best werewolf movies around. The special effects are very good and the film is well paced with enough action to go around. The scene in which Karen's friend discovers the real nature of "The Colony" is absolutely terrifying. The ending of the film is surprising and unique. It is a horror film not easily forgotten.

It's hard for me to view this film withut making direct comparisons to AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (which, for me, is the superior film). Both films have great makeup artists. Personally, I prefer Rob Bottin to Rick Baker, as Rob Bottin has created the greatest effects ever in a horror film (and that film ladies and gentlemen is THE THING), and his talent certainly shines through in THE HOWLING. People have raved about the transformation scene in the doctor's room, and it IS something to rave about. Considering that the film was made in the early 1980's when cheap effects seemed to be the in thing, the effects in this film match up to today's effects easily, and certainly outshine anything that CGI can currently do. Again, I didn't think the transformation scene in this movie matched up to that of Rick Baker's in AMERICAN WEREWOLF, but that's just my opinion.

The film wasn't really that scary, and werewolves standing on two legs seemed less realistic to me (ok, how do I know what's realistic or not when werewolves are concerned?). Sometime the low budget limitations showed, but can easily be overlooked when you are enjoying such a horror treat.

The storyline is surprisingly good, and intelligent as well. Comparisons can be made to RETURN TO SALEM'S LOT (a personal favourite of mine) as both films contain a colony of neverworldly creatures. In this film the colony is a believable portrayal, and is all the more threatening because the people seem so nice.

Anyway, this film is an essential purchase for the true horror fan. Not on par with AMERICAN WEREWOLF, but definetly a film that can be watched several times, and the effects will blow you away!