7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Severely shaken after a near-fatal encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.
Starring: Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone (I), Belinda BalaskiHorror | 100% |
Mystery | 10% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
After experiencing a breakthrough success with 1978’s “Piranha,” director Joe Dante remain committed to genre entertainment, determined to resurrect werewolf cinema with 1981’s “The Howling,” which joined “Wolfen” and “An American Werewolf in London” during a particularly busy year for wolf-based entertainment. Dante plays to his strengths in the feature, which gathers a colorful cast of B-movie regulars to articulate the dangers of a monstrous threat, but the picture isn’t explosive, with the screenplay by Dante and John Sayles aiming for a more deliberate tone of character and threat exploration, looking to milk the mystery of it all instead of simply pounding on viewers with violence. “The Howling” is superbly atmospheric at times, and it’s hard to beat such a bizarre collection of actors, but this isn’t Dante’s most energized offering, finding the story lacking in dramatic power, which doesn’t help the sluggish pace. Ghoulish highlights are present, but horror is limited as the production tries to figure out what kind of tale it wants to tell.
Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray release of "The Howling."
"The Howling" was originally released on Blu-ray in 2013, and Shout Factory returns to the title with a 4K release, with restoration efforts completed by
StudioCanal. Judging by screencaps, the UHD presentation appears to be a significant upgrade from the previous transfer, offering a more film-like
appearance with nicely resolved grain. Colors are rich and pronounced during the viewing experience, exploring the cooler blues of evening tours and
hotter reds found in lighting, especially during visits to lurid city establishments. Costuming brings out compelling primaries as well, and skintones,
natural and unnatural, register as intended. Delineation is also precise, with deep blacks handling shadowy encounters well. Detail reaches as far as the
softly shot endeavor allows, offering textured skin surfaces and fibrous costuming, which explores leather, sweaters, and eveningwear. Werewolf
sequences are ideally defined, examining grisly and fine hair transformations. Exteriors preserve depth, and interiors explore cabin and T.V. news
decoration and equipment. Highlights aren't unnaturally bright. Source is in excellent condition.
The new addition to "The Howling" UHD release is a 2.0 DTS-HD MA mono mix, which represents the original theatrical presentation. Clarity is outstanding throughout the listening experience, capturing nuanced dialogue exchanges and community bustle, and more emotional offerings are balanced, without distortive extremes. Scoring cues are crisp, with defined orchestral and organ offerings, comfortably balanced with performances. Sound effects are equally clear. Previous 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD MA home video mixes are included as well.
UHD
"The Howling" is best known for its werewolf transformation sequences, which helped to revolutionize special effects in the 1980s, bringing wonderfully macabre, elastic visuals to the screen. Dante loves them so much, he devotes plenty of time to studying such achievements (courtesy of Rob Bottin), often stopping the picture to do so. "The Howling" has it quirks and dark sense of humor (a Dante tradition), and there are times when it creates terrific movie magic on a limited budget, generating a sense of danger and the unknown. However, Dante often mistakes padding for suspense, with the investigative sequences of the endeavor often slowing things to a crawl as the production kills some time before displaying more monster mayhem. "The Howling" is a mixed bag, delivering inspired creative achievements and overseeing a kooky cast of actors (led by Dee Wallace, who's an unusual choice, but effective here), but it's not the pressurized viewing experience the first act promises. It remains interesting, but not consistently thrilling.
2002
1946
2019
2005
Late Phases
2014
2015
Restored Edition
1981
Creatures / Warner Archive Collection
1974
1981
Collector's Edition
1981
Collector's Edition
1988
Special Edition
1959
Limited Edition
1980
1982
1982
2019
Collector's Edition
1988
1982
1981
30th Anniversary Edition | Includes "Terror in the Aisles"
1981