Exhumation: (n) the act of digging something out of the ground (especially a corpse) where it has been buried.
This article was published 06/06 for GoreZone (U.K.) Issue #10
The Howling Continues…..
“Silver bullets or fire, that’s the only way to get rid of the damn things. They’re worse than cockroaches.”
Has there ever been a series that has both captivated and pissed us off more than The Howling franchise? While there were werewolf movies both before and after this series started, very few kept us drawn to the screen. While the series diminished over the long run of lackluster sequels and lack of funding, the fans always showed up to put their hard earned money to see where the infamous werewolf series was going to take us. Does the Howling stand up today as one of the premier horror franchises of all time? Are all of the films as bad as you have heard? Let’s take a look and see…..
The Howling (1981)
Directed by: Joe Dante
Little did anyone know at the time, but Joe Dante created an amazing piece of cinema with the help of groundbreaking effects work by Rick Baker and Rob Bottin. The story starts off a little slow, but the build up lends to the creepy and claustrophobic atmosphere. A cast of all stars that include Dee Wallace, Slim Pickens and John Carradine keep the movie going at a lively pace while the weirdness continues to ratchet up.
Two things really set this film apart from the rest of the series. The first is how well the story is set up. While I like to see the beast go to work right away, Dante was able to express horror and atmosphere in waves by teasing what was going on. This was important because it helped to amplify the fear when the werewolf finally made it to the screen.
The second thing goes hand in hand with that. The make up effects, in particular the changing scenes,set the tone for what every werewolf film should be. At a time when digital technology did not exist like it does today, we were able to see Baker and Bottin make one of the most historical make up sequences in film history. Some people argue that the film brings in too much humor, but I find everything to be in balance and rate it as one of horror’s finest moments.
The Howling 2: Your Sister Is A Werewolf (1985)
Directed By: Philippe Mora
Fans were rabid with anticipation to see a sequel to the highly successful and spine tingling The Howling. I am still not quite sure what we got. While the movie has a few high points, including Christopher Lee (!) and some decent make up, the story is sorely lacking. This film keeps the “pack” mentality, but skews off into what appears to be witchcraft and hirsute orgies. You can see Lee almost painfully trying to play it straight, and for the most part, he does well. But with helmeted goons with machine guns, terrible lingerie, hair in places it should not be and changing the conventional rules on how to deal with werewolves, he alone can’t save the film.
The thin link between the brother of Karen White (Dee Wallace in the original) teaming up with Lee to hunt werewolves is almost laughable, but the film should be seen for its own merit. The locations for filming are quite striking, the soundtrack to the film has its own appeal if you are from the 80’s and most of the make up is above average. The change sequences are not quite up to snuff with the original, but we see the werewolves in more of a hybrid wolf-man state. Maybe another title would have been better?
The Howling 3: The Marsupials (1987)
Directed By: Philippe Mora
Not quite sure where they were going with this one either. While there are some interesting sub plots to the movie like the possible link between the Tasmanian tiger and the evolution of werewolves, it is totally thrown out the window when a young member from a tribe of werewolves escapes to be in the normal world. How she winds up being a star in a horror film that is being made is still baffling, and the werewolf nuns are too funny to be remotely scary.
By this point, not only has the story de-evolved into a soupy mess, but the special effects started to take a hit as well. There are some scenes that generate shivers, such as the baby werewolf crawling into its mothers pouch, but the injection of humor really takes away any bite the film could have had. For those looking for a gore soaked run of grue, this film is not what you are looking for. I only wish that they had expanded more on the Tasmanian tiger theory. Watch with an open mind and dream of what could have been.
The Howling 4: The Original Nightmare (1988)
Directed By: John Hough
After two hit or miss entries into the series, part 4 takes us on a variation of the first story. A young and beautiful writer is suffering from horrible vision, and to get away from it all, she and her husband go away to the town of Drago to get away from it all. While some of the characters are wooden and clichéd, overall the acting is not bad. Once again, the werewolf is kept off screen until the pivotal moments of the film. We also have a nun is this one, but she is more of a spiritual guide/warning device. The town seems to have a secret to hide, and everyone in charge seems to be covering up all of the strangeness.
While this is a good retread of what we saw in the first, it does little to really break any new ground. We do get to see an interesting selection of make up and effects. Throat rips, shoulder bites and more flash by us on the screen, and we get to see not only the man wolf, but the full change into a wolf! Check this one out as a little more modern version of the classic.
The Howling 5: The Rebirth (1989)
Directed By: Neal Sundstrom
This one showed a little bit more promise than the previous installments. This one fits in well with both the first and second film in terms of attitude. The castle backdrop is fantastic as well as keeping the nasties off screen until the end. Who the werewolf is and how everyone is connected to one another can be sniffed out if one pays attention, and the film does have something about it that makes you keep looking.
Another nice addition to the series is seeing the beasts in a winter environment. I wish they had used that a bit more in the film, the secret tunnels and claustrophobic atmosphere lends to the films credit. The make up, while not the standards of the first, still are enough to keep things interesting. The fact that they kept most of the in jokes light as possible also helps the tone of the film. Many may think that they are watching a slasher flick in the opening minutes of the film due to some of the camera angles and chase scenes, but rest assured that the beast makes it appearance worth the wait. One of the better sequels in the series
The Howling 6: The Freaks (1991)
Directed By: Hope Perello
There are a few things to like and a few things to hate about this film. On the good side, the film has above average production values. The film does look very crisp and belts along at a good pace. We also get a new look at the werewolf as a being. Not only is the physical appearance different, but there also seems to be more of an emotional and rational side to the werewolf. That is the start of the downfall of this film.
Unlike the rest of the series, this is a lone werewolf story. The other thing that makes this one stand out in a negative light is a return to other supernatural entities. Vampires. The idea of a singular man on the run from his affliction was a promising idea, but when the traveling circus of freaks headed by a vampire comes into town and enslaves him in to freak show, the story becomes more of a sappy love story. The werewolf effects are ok, but the vampire make up leaves a lot to be desired. With more of a glossy look than the rest of films, it does not improve or make up for a subpar story.
The Howling: New Moon Rising (1995)
Directed By: Clive Turner
Was anyone paying attention when this one was made? It just seems to take clips from previous films in the series and tries to string them together to make all the loose ends tie up. This almost seems to be more of a hillbilly redneck line dancing movie than it does a werewolf film. In all actuality, we get to see a werewolf for a grand total of 20 seconds!! With most of the cast being townsfolk and not paid actors, there really is nothing new here to see. The location is terrible, as well as the film in general. All of the sequels that preceded this one were classics in comparison. Poor dialogue, poor make up and poor ability to tell a story makes this (thankfully!) the last in The Howling movie series.
As a whole, the Howling series should be looked at as an anomaly. We get the ultimate cult classic with the first, and then we get some decent sequels. As the series led on, someone along the way forgot about what made the first such a cult classic. The ability to scare without diving in head first to the guts and gore helped to establish an atmosphere of dread and fear. While we did get a stellar cast for the first, I think that it only helped to establish but not dictate the story. The make up effects have always been a staple to the genre, and with the exception of 3 and 7, the series certainly delivered in those departments. While there is always room for improvement in any long standing genre, the Howling managed for the most part to keep its roots close to the front and has endeared itself to countless genre fans.
Is this series legendary as a whole? I would say yes. The one thing that The Howling series always had going for it was the fact that it kept it changing effects as practical make up. Would they have gone the digital route today if the films were being made? I would hope not. Part of the fear that the series instilled was the fact that the changing sequences were so life-like. Will we ever see another Howling movie? I think we stand a better chance of seeing a remake of the original before we see any more sequels to this long forgotten series. While not all the films hold up as well as the first, this series of films should take its rightful place in the horror genre as one of the greatest and long standing werewolf series of all time! Thank you to Joe Dante and others for continuing to bring us more on one of the most misunderstood creatures in genre history!
