The Howling (1981)

The moon is full, the neighbors are horny, and the therapy is clearly not working. This week, Sam and Sarah sink their teeth into The Howling—Joe Dante's 1981 cocktail of trauma, serial killers, and sexual tension. THE HOWLING Theatrical Release Date: April 10, 1981 (U.S.) Budget: Approx. $1 million USD Directed by Joe Dante, The Howling stars Dee Wallace as Karen White, a television news reporter who helps police track down serial killer Eddie Quist, played by Robert Picardo. The encounter leaves Karen traumatized and unable to remember exactly what happened, so her therapist, Dr. George Waggner (Patrick Macnee), sends her and her husband Bill (Christopher Stone) to his secluded retreat known as "The Colony." Unfortunately, the locals are a little less group therapy and a little more full moon. Based on the 1977 novel by Gary Brandner, The Howling was written for the screen by John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless. Michael Finnell and Jack Conrad produced, with Pino Donaggio composing the eerie score. Dante and Sayles had previously worked together on Piranha, and the movie is packed with the kind of dark humor, genre references, and familiar character actors that would become trademarks of Dante's work. Much of The Howling was filmed in Northern California around Mendocino, with the Mendocino Woodlands standing in for the Colony and Russian Gulch State Park. Additional filming took place around Los Angeles and Lake Sherwood. And those creature effects are a huge part of why The Howling became a horror classic. Rick Baker was originally attached to create the werewolves but left the production to work on another little 1981 werewolf movie called An American Werewolf in London. The job went to his young protégé Rob Bottin, who created the film's elaborate practical transformations using prosthetics, mechanical effects, and puppetry. The Howling and An American Werewolf in London arrived just months apart in 1981, each offering its own versions of what a werewolf movie should be. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, and also check out our Patreon for a bonus 20 minutes of Sam and Sarah discussing this wild movie. Links below. Sources: IMDb, AFI Catalog, The Numbers Show links: Oh, the Horror! Official Instagram Oh, the Horror! Official Patreon Sam Pancake's X (formerly Twitter) Sam Pancake's Instagram Get a custom Cameo video from Sam! Sarah Burns' Instagram Sarah Burns' Linktree Get a custom Cameo video from Sarah! Music & editing by Meika Grimm. Follow her on Instagram, or hire her for your audio/video/web needs. 😊