The Howling
A traumatized television reporter seeks refuge at a remote retreat only to uncover a predatory werewolf community hiding in plain sight.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- eerie
- paranoid
- darkly humorous
- halloween night
- late night horror marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly find the film an entertaining, brisk werewolf horror movie whose dark humor and impressive creature effects distinguish its conventional scares.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film mixes lycanthropic carnage with humor and references to classic werewolf cinema.
The Colony is revealed as a secluded community of werewolves with differing approaches to humanity.
The film is especially noted for its impressive werewolf transformation sequence and creature effects.
Karen travels to the Colony for recovery, but its welcoming atmosphere conceals threatening nocturnal activity.
Films like The Howling, and why
An American Werewolf in London
shared werewolf horror, dark humor, practical creature effects, and isolated rural dread
The Evil Dead
shared 1980s horror energy, creature transformation effects, black comedy, and genre self-awareness
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
shared paranoia horror, secret monstrous communities, and escalating distrust in seemingly safe surroundings
The Fly
shared pulp horror, body transformation, predatory sexuality, and claustrophobic suspense
Movie Details
- Director
- Joe Dante
- Release Date
- 1981-01-21
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (932)
Cast
- Dee Wallace
- Patrick Macnee
- Dennis Dugan
- Christopher Stone
- Belinda Balaski
- Kevin McCarthy
- John Carradine
- Slim Pickens
- Elisabeth Brooks
- Robert Picardo
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, BFI Player Amazon Channel, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Howling about?
- A traumatized television reporter seeks refuge at a remote retreat only to uncover a predatory werewolf community hiding in plain sight.
- What is The Howling like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Howling as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Howling violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Howling as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Howling?
- Critics broadly find the film an entertaining, brisk werewolf horror movie whose dark humor and impressive creature effects distinguish its conventional scares.
- Which films are like The Howling?
- Films with a similar feel include An American Werewolf in London, The Evil Dead, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Fly.
- How long is The Howling?
- The Howling runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Howling?
- In United States, The Howling streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, BFI Player Amazon Channel, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel.
