‘The Howling’: Why the Only Truly Scary Werewolf Movie Was Made 43 Years Ago

There are various subgenres of horror films, such as slasher, zombie, and vampire movies, but the werewolf movie is one of the most neglected. Werewolf films are uncommon and frequently fall short of expectations, despite the notable exceptions of masterpieces like ‘The Wolfman’ (1941) and ‘An American Werewolf in London’ (1981). Nevertheless, ‘The Howling’ by Joe Dante, which was also released in 1981, is regarded as the most terrifying werewolf film to date. ‘The Howling’ is an unrelenting horror experience, in contrast to the comedy-leaning ‘An American Werewolf in London’ by John Landis.

Other werewolf movies, such as ‘Ginger Snaps’ (2000) and ‘Silver Bullet’ (1985), have their strengths, but they fall short in terms of dread. ‘The Howling’ is unique in that its protagonist is a human who has never been bitten, rather than someone who has been cursed by lycanthropy. Dee Wallace portrays Karen White, a reporter who is encircled by a pack of werewolves after escaping a serial killer’s attack. The spectator is left praying that she will survive, which heightens the drama.

Image Courtesy: Collider

The Howling’s remarkable monster effects are another factor in its success. Rob Bottin’s werewolf transformations in ‘The Howling’ are just as amazing as the famous transformation scene in ‘An American Werewolf in London’. Bottin’s method, which revealed the beast’s internal development, was both unsettling and novel.

‘The Howling’ is a slow-burning horror movie that uses mood and ominous imagery to create tension in addition to gore. Deeper topics like repression and sexual assault are also covered. In this movie, the werewolf change serves as a metaphor for physical invasion, emphasizing how brutal and intrusive the curse and the movie’s themes are. The unexpected conclusion adds a level of terror that goes beyond what is usually seen in werewolf movies.

–Farheen Ali