The Howling (film)
| The Howling | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Joe Dante |
| Produced by |
Michael Finnell Jack Conrad |
| Screenplay by |
John Sayles Terence H. Winkless |
| Based on |
The Howling by Gary Brandner |
| Starring |
Dee Wallace Patrick Macnee Dennis Dugan Christopher Stone Belinda Balaski |
| Music by | Pino Donaggio |
| Cinematography | John Hora |
| Edited by |
Mark Goldblatt Joe Dante |
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Production
company |
International Film Investors
Wescom Productions |
| Distributed by | Avco Embassy Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.5 million |
| Box office | $17.9 million |
The Howling is a 1981 American horror film directed by Joe Dante, and starring Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, and Robert Picardo. Based on the novel of the same name by Gary Brandner, the film follows a television newswoman sent to a remote mountain resort after a fatal incident with a serial killer, unaware that the inhabiting residents are werewolves.
The film was released on April 10, 1981 and became a moderate success, grossing $17.9 million at the box office. It received generally positive reviews, with praise for the makeup special effects by Rob Bottin. The film won the 1980 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film while still in development, and was one of the three high-profile wolf-themed horror films released in 1981, alongside An American Werewolf in London and Wolfen. Over the years, The Howling has accumulated a cult following. Its financial success aided Joe Dante's career, and prompted Warner Bros. to hire Dante (as director) and Michael Finnell (as producer) for Gremlins. A franchise consisting of seven sequels arose from the film's success.
Karen White is a Los Angeles television news anchor who is being stalked by a serial murderer named Eddie Quist. In cooperation with the police, she takes part in a scheme to capture Eddie by agreeing to meet him in a sleazy porno theater. Eddie forces Karen to watch a video of a young woman being raped, and when Karen turns around to see Eddie she screams. The police enter and shoot Eddie, and although Karen is safe, she suffers amnesia. Her therapist, Dr. George Waggner, decides to send her and her husband, Bill Neill, to the "Colony", a secluded resort in the countryside where he sends patients for treatment.
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Wikipedia