Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Howling 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

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.

The Howling 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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 Howling 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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.

The Howling 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

UHD

• Commentary #1 features director Joe Dante and actors Dee Wallace, Christopher Stone, and Robert Picardo.

• Commentary #2 features "The Howling" author Gary Brandner.

• Commentary #1 features director Joe Dante and actors Dee Wallace, Christopher Stone, and Robert Picardo.

• Commentary #2 features "The Howling" author Gary Brandner.

• "Fun. Fur. Film." (17:58, HD) is an interview with actress Dee Wallace, who initially responded to the strange energy of "The Howling" script, agreeing to make the movie. She was joined by her fiancé, Christopher Stone, putting his name up for the part, and she explains the working relationship they enjoyed, including some qualms about a sex scene. Recalling a cold shoot with odd hours, Wallace also highlights the collaborative process, dealing with creative people. She also offers an anecdote about contractual restrictions on nudity and werewolf transformations.

• "Cut to Shreds" (11:20, HD) is an interview with editor Mark Goldblatt, who recalls his childhood moviemaking interests, learning about the labor and power of cutting film. Acquiring employment with Roger Corman, Goldblatt met Joe Dante, learning with work with a fellow editor before being hired for "The Howling." Dante loves to use humor in his work, pushing the interviewee to find the right tone for the werewolf picture, and time is spent on special effects, which required special timing to sell properly.

• "Howlings Eternal" (18:49, HD) is an interview with executive producer Steven A. Lane, who shares his initial encounter with "The Howling" book. The theater chain owner smelled a hit film in the making, working to create a deal for what would become the Joe Dante feature. Lane goes on to share anecdotes and BTS information on many of the sequels to "The Howling," keeping the brand name going for over a decade.

• "Unleashing the Beast: Making 'The Howling'" (48:33, SD) is a 2003 behind-the-scenes documentary, featuring interviews with director Joe Dante, producer Mike Finnell, cinematographer John Hora, screenwriter John Sayles, and actors Dee Wallace, Robert Picardo, Belinda Balaski, Patrick Macnee, and Dick Miller.

• Interview (12:32, SD) sits down with co-writer Terence H. Winkless, who recalls his early years in Hollywood, hunting for a chance to earn a credit on something and work his way up the ladder. The interviewee offers an assessment of director Joe Dante and the adaptation process, with the original book thrown out for an original take. Technical achievements are celebrated, with Winkless analyzing special effects, editing, and scoring achievements, which he feels made the movie into what people enjoy today.

• Interview (3:28, SD) is a short chat with actor Dick Miller, who shares some details about his early career.

• Interview (8:48, SD) is a conversation about technical achievements with stop-motion animator, David Allen.

• Gag Reel (7:03, SD) is a collection of flubbed lines, BTS activity, and laughing fits.

• "Making a Monster Movie: Inside 'The Howling'" (8:01, SD) is a 1981 promotional featurette featuring interviews with director Joe Dante, actor Patrick Macnee, and special makeup effects creator Rob Bottin (who looks a lot like a werewolf).

• "Trailers from Hell" (2:22, HD) presents Josh Olson, who briefly discusses the merits of "The Howling."

• "Horror's Hallowed Grounds" (12:15, HD) joins host Sean Clark as he visits various California locations used for "The Howling."

• Deleted Scenes (11:29, SD) are included, with optional commentary from director Joe Dante.

• Still Gallery (7:01) collects film stills, publicity shots, BTS snaps, lobby cards, and poster art.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:28, SD) is included.

The Howling 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"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.