The Howling is a 1981 horror film directed by Joe Dante. Based on the novel by Gary Brandner, the film is written by John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless. The original music score is composed by Pino Donaggio Joe Dante (born November 28, 1946 in Morristown , New Jersey) is an American film director and producer, who is noted for his vision in twisted humor. ... Photo of John Sayles by Robert Birnbaum John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950 in Schenectady, New York) is a fiercely independent American film director and writer who frequently takes a small part in his own and other indie films. ... Dee Wallace-Stone (born Deanna Bowers on December 14, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri) is an U.S. motion picture and television actress who is best remembered for her role as Elliots divorced mother in the Steven Spielberg film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and as Karen White... Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg on the cover of a 1994 reprint of an Avengers novel co-written by Macnee. ... Dennis Dugan (born September 5, 1946 in Wheaton, Illinois) is an American actor and film director. ... Belinda Balaski (born December 8, 1947 in Inglewood, California) is an American actress. ... Christopher Stone (October 4, 1942—October 20, 1995) was an American actor. ... Pino Donaggio (Composer Born 24 October 1941, Burano, Italy. ... Joe Dante (born November 28, 1946 in Morristown , New Jersey) is an American film director and producer, who is noted for his vision in twisted humor. ... Embassy Pictures Corporation (aka Embassy Film Associates) was an independent studio and distributor responsible for such films as The Graduate and The Lion in Winter. ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. ... DVD cover showing horror characters as depicted by Universal Studios. ... Joe Dante (born November 28, 1946 in Morristown , New Jersey) is an American film director and producer, who is noted for his vision in twisted humor. ... Photo of John Sayles by Robert Birnbaum John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950 in Schenectady, New York) is a fiercely independent American film director and writer who frequently takes a small part in his own and other indie films. ... Pino Donaggio (Composer Born 24 October 1941, Burano, Italy. ...

Tagline: Imagine your worst fear a reality.

Plot summary

Television reporter/anchor Karen White is taking part in a dangerous police operation intended to trap psychopath Eddie Quist. When confronted by Eddie face-to-face, she witnesses something horrifying enough to trigger selective amnesia.

Plagued by a series of violent nightmates, Karen decides to admit herself to a posh recovery resort known as "the Colony", run by her eccentric New Age therapist Dr. George Waggner, and bring along her husband R. William "Bill" Neill for support. The night after they arrive, Karen and Bill are unnerved by eerie howling in the woods. Back in Los Angeles, Chris Dugan and Terry Fisher 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 decides to consult with Walter Paisley, 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. Waggner 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 Quist 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 finds 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. Waggner; are assembling to decide her fate.

Main cast

• Dee Wallace-Stone - Karen White
• Patrick Macnee - Dr. George Waggner
• Dennis Dugan - Chris Dugan
• Belinda Balaski - Terry Fisher
• Christopher Stone - R. William "Bill" Neill
• Kevin McCarthy - Fred Francis
• John Carradine - Erle Kenton
• Slim Pickens - Sam Newfield
• Robert Picardo - Eddie Quist
• Dick Miller - Walter Paisley
• Elisabeth Brooks - Marsha Quist
• Noble Willingham - Charlie Barton
• Kenneth Tobey - Older Cop
• Jim McKrell - Lew Landers

Dee Wallace-Stone (born Deanna Bowers on December 14, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri) is an U.S. motion picture and television actress who is best remembered for her role as Elliots divorced mother in the Steven Spielberg film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and as Karen White... Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg on the cover of a 1994 reprint of an Avengers novel co-written by Macnee. ... Dennis Dugan (born September 5, 1946 in Wheaton, Illinois) is an American actor and film director. ... Belinda Balaski (born December 8, 1947 in Inglewood, California) is an American actress. ... Christopher Stone (October 4, 1942—October 20, 1995) was an American actor. ... Actor Kevin McCarthy in the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers Kevin McCarthy (February 15, 1914 in Seattle, Washington) is an American actor. ... Carradine (center) in Stagecoach (1939) John Carradine (February 5, 1906 - November 27, 1988) was an American actor. ... Slim Pickens riding the bomb in the movie Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb Louis Bert Lindley, Jr. ... Robert Picardo as The Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager Robert Picardo (born October 27, 1953 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American actor. ... Richard Dick Miller (born December 25, 1928, Brooklyn, New York) is a character actor who has appeared in many films, particularly those produced by Roger Corman, and later in films of directors who started their careers with Corman, including Joe Dante and James Cameron. ... Elisabeth Brooks (July 2, 1951 — September 7, 1997) was a Canadian actress. ... Noble Willingham (August 31, 1931 in Mineola, Texas — January 17, 2004 in Palm Springs, California) was an American television and film actor. ... Kenneth Tobey (Born March 23, 1917—December 22, 2002) was an American television and film actor. ...

Background information

• The film was followed by six sequels. The last was in 1995.
• The film won the 1980 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film.
• Robert Picardo, Dick Miller, Noble Willingham and Kenneth Tobey all later appeared in the Star Trek spin-offs.
• Though the film was applauded for its witty screenplay, it began life as a rather mundane 1977 novel by Gary Brandner. After drafts by Jack Conrad (the original director who left following difficulties with the studio) and Terence H. Winkless proved unsatisfactory, director Joe Dante hired John Sayles to completely rewrite the script.
• It was the first werewolf movie ever to show the transformation from man to wolf without the use of camera dissolve.

1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Horror Film: ... Robert Picardo as The Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager Robert Picardo (born October 27, 1953 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American actor. ... Richard Dick Miller (born December 25, 1928, Brooklyn, New York) is a character actor who has appeared in many films, particularly those produced by Roger Corman, and later in films of directors who started their careers with Corman, including Joe Dante and James Cameron. ... Noble Willingham (August 31, 1931 in Mineola, Texas — January 17, 2004 in Palm Springs, California) was an American television and film actor. ... Kenneth Tobey (Born March 23, 1917—December 22, 2002) was an American television and film actor. ... Star Trek collectively refers to a science-fiction franchise spanning six unique television series, 726 episodes and ten feature films in addition to hundreds of novels, computer and video games, fan stories and other works of fiction all set within the same fictional universe created by Gene Roddenberry in the... A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... Joe Dante (born November 28, 1946 in Morristown , New Jersey) is an American film director and producer, who is noted for his vision in twisted humor. ... Photo of John Sayles by Robert Birnbaum John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950 in Schenectady, New York) is a fiercely independent American film director and writer who frequently takes a small part in his own and other indie films. ...

Sequels

• Howling II: Stirba - Werewolf Bitch
• Howling III
• Howling IV: The Original Nightmare
• Howling V: The Rebirth
• Howling VI: The Freaks
• Howling: New Moon Rising

Howling III: The Marsupials is the third movie of the seven Howling Films. It was directed by Australian artist Philippe Mora in 1987. ...

External links

• The Howling at The Internet Movie Database
• The Howling at Rotten Tomatoes
• The unofficial site