Search - The Howling [Special Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1981 DVD Release: 08/26/2003 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan - Closed Captioned Edition: Special Collection Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 31 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 2 Genres: Horror, Creature Film See Also: The Howling

This groundbreaking, darkly-comic horror film from director Joe Dante changed the look and feel of werewolf movies in ways light-years distant from Universal's horror classic The Wolf Man. The story begins with television reporter/anchor Karen White (Dee Wallace) taking part in a dangerous police operation intended to trap psychopath Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo). When confronted by Eddie face-to-face, she witnesses something horrifying enough to trigger selective amnesia. Plagued by a series of violent nightmares, Karen decides to admit herself to a posh recovery resort known only as "The Colony," run by her eccentric New Age therapist Dr. Wagner (Patrick MacNee), and brings along her husband Bill (Christopher Stone) for support. The night after they arrive, Karen and Bill are unnerved by eerie howling in the woods. Back in the city, Karen's coworkers Chris (Dennis Dugan) and Terry (Belinda Balaski) have been investigating Eddie's background after discovering that his body has disappeared from the morgue. Sifting through Eddie's possessions, they find a strange collection of artwork depicting wolf-like creatures, and decide to consult with Walter Paisley (Dick Miller, of course), the owner of an occult bookshop, on werewolf lore. Though he claims not to believe in the stuff he's selling, Paisley nevertheless convinces Chris to purchase a handful of silver bullets... just in case. Back at the colony, Dr. Wagner has organized a hunting party after hearing Karen's account of the nocturnal howling, but the men find nothing but a rabbit, which Bill is told to bring to the cabin of the sultry Marsha (Elisabeth Brooks) to prepare for dinner. After resisting Marsha's less-than-subtle sexual overtures, Bill is attacked by a wolf while returning to his cabin. The following moonlit night, the sleepless Bill wanders outside to find Marsha waiting and the two make love by the campfire, their bodies undergoing a frightening transformation. Just as Karen is beginning to suspect that her husband is hiding a secret far more threatening than marital infidelity, Chris and Terry have come to realize -- too late, in Terry's case -- that Eddie Quist is not only still alive, but not quite human... and he knows he's being followed. Chris arrives at the colony too late to save Terry, but manages to find Karen just as the colony's residents -- all of whom are werewolves, including Dr. Wagner -- are assembling to decide her fate. Dante fills his film with heartfelt homages to The Wolf Man and other classic horror movies, as well as a few clever visual puns and in-jokes from his tenure with Roger Corman, but never strays from the path to genuine horror, particularly when Rob Bottin's chilling monsters are onscreen. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Dee Wallace - Karen White
Patrick Macnee - Dr. George Waggner
Dennis Dugan - Chris
Christopher Stone - R. William "Bill" Neill
Belinda Balaski - Terry Fisher

Lycanthropes rejoice! Joe Dante's groundbreaking werewolf effort has finally received the special-edition treatment with this extensive MGM/UA release. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, MGM/UA has done a commendable job in presenting the film. The transfer offers well-balanced colors, accurate skin tones, and, in frequent nighttime scenes, solid blacks with little to no digital artifacting. Likewise, a newly mastered, closed-captioned English Dolby Digital audio track brings the film to life as never before heard on home theater systems. Offering dynamic sound that will have nervous viewers peering over their shoulders in terror, the ominous howling of the colony's mysterious residents sounds as if it may be coming from somewhere a little to close for comfort outside viewer's windows.

With as much work as MGM/UA has put into presenting a pristine image, it's the extras (located on the flip side of the disc) that will truly have longtime fans venturing into the light of the full moon to seek out this particular release. A commentary track featuring director Dante and stars Dee Wallace Stone, Christopher Stone, and Robert Picardo is lively and affectionately reminiscent, and in addition to humorous anecdotes, offers insight into the creative process and the manner in which the film was streamlined during the editing process. "Unleashing the Beast: The Making of The Howling" is broken up into numerous segments, and offers everything from revealing interviews with screenwriter John Sayles (discussing the film's departure from the novel and the psychology of werewolves) to the story of how director Dante came to be involved to study the origins of the werewolf mythos. The title of its companion piece, "Making a Monster Movie: Inside The Howling" may seem a bit misleading given that not very much making-of info is present, though interviews with Dante and star Patrick Macnee do offer some interesting meditations on the components of a truly effective horror film. An interview with make-up effects artist Rob Bottin is surprisingly brief considering the film's groundbreaking visual effects. Deleted scenes are mostly incidental with the exceptions of some group therapy scenes that would have lent the film a decidedly more psychological angle, and outtakes offer the usual cut-ups and flubbed lines in addition to some hilarious bladder-bursting makeup mishaps. A pair of nightmarish theatrical trailers are well-presented in widescreen format, and galleries of production and publicity photos offer an enticing glimpse behind the scenes and a close-up look at Bottin's impressive creations. A fun, fact-filled insert rounds out the disc nicely with some interesting trivia concerning the film. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide