Franchise Frights: The Howling

Most horror fans love, or at least respect, Joe Dante’s 1981 film, The Howling. It’s an undisputed genre classic. But its seven sequels? They are … not well-regarded. Only one of them has anything to do with the characters or events from the original, they’re all low-budget (sometimes very low-budget) affairs, and many of them are just silly or strange, which, to many, is an unwelcome turn of events after the straight-ahead horror focus of the first film. But I’m a sucker for franchises like this (Silent Night, Deadly Night is another that comes to mind), where each film — due to a unlikely coalescence of revolving filmmakers, circumstance, budget constraints, and low expectations — ends up as something inventive and odd, though probably not what most audiences anticipated or wanted. I wouldn’t dare say any of these movies are essential viewing for the average horror fan, but if you’re largely open-minded, a little bored, perhaps somewhat inebriated, and definitely kind of determined, there are rewards to be found in most of the entries in the Howling franchise due to their willingness to go way off script.

8. The Howling: Reborn (2011; dir: Joe Nimziki)

This is a competently made film with perhaps the highest production values since the original, but it’s obviously been influenced by then-recent-hit Twilight, in its softer focus on teen romance instead of werewolf menace. It’s the most boring film in a franchise that, while rarely very good, is generally invested in strange ideas. That type of commitment to oddity appeals to me; this movie does not.

7. The Howling IV: The Original Nightmare (1988; dir: John Hough)

The fourth entry, which has some of the best poster/box cover art in the franchise, is unfortunately just a dull, though apparently more faithful, rehash of the novel on which Joe Dante’s original film was based. While it follows many of the same story beats, this one is missing all of the fantastic atmosphere, werewolf action, and solid acting of the 1981 classic. There is one really grotesque and striking transformation scene that stands unique in werewolf film, and its primary werewolf design is among the best in the series, but I’m not sure the rest of it is worth trudging through for that.

6. The Howling VII: New Moon Rising (1995; dir: Clive Turner)

There’s a reason one of the only decent screen grabs that I could find from this movie is a biker in tie-dye: this funky movie is primarily small-town white folk sitting around in a bar, line dancing and drinking. Sure, there’s a mysterious Australian in town looking for a potential killer werewolf, but the movie is overwhelmingly filled by random tangents involving rural Caucasians doing the stuff they do. It’s sort of a charming watch, because it plays like a passionately but incompetently made local cable access movie, but its lack of actual werewolves hurts it. But I kind of love that this thing was the clear, deliberate vision of one person. Clive Turner is obviously a madman.

5. The Howling VI: The Freaks (1991; dir: Hope Perello)

Set in a carnival freakshow, this entry is more of a special effects extravaganza than most of the films in the franchise, but its werewolf design is really bad. The movie is plagued by a very mundane main character, overall dubious acting, and lifeless execution, though its story makes a valiant attempt at portraying its characters sympathetically. There are some alluring ideas that are sadly tamped down by a severe lack of technical prowess.

4. The Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf (1985; dir: Philippe Mora)

Part II has an outsized reputation for nuttiness that it doesn’t quite live up to. It’s a weird movie, yes, but it never gets as bizarre as you think it’s going to. Nevertheless, there’s a fascinating New Wave vibe to the film, and Sybil Danning and Christopher Lee are both down to get pretty strange here. This movie has some trouble focusing, but there’s plenty to sink your fangs into, from the variety of special effects gags to Danning’s general lack of clothing. Despite not going as bonkers as you’d love, this is one of the most unique entries in the series.

3. The Howling V: The Rebirth (1989; dir: Neal Sundstrom)

The Rebirth is barely a werewolf movie, but it’s interesting all the same. It’s set up as more of a murder mystery, with a large cast of characters that find themselves stuck in the same Hungarian castle as they’re killed off one by one. This entry leans heavily into gothic atmospherics and features a really killer score that I wish would get released in some form. The mystery is reasonably intriguing and pays off a bit for fans of the previous entries. The acting is some of the best of the Howling sequels and I love the poster/box art.

2. The Howling III: The Marsupials (1987; dir: Philippe Mora)

This is my favorite of the sequels, and features a strange concept, helped by some unusual if low-budget special effects work, good music, and a story that goes in like 10 different directions. It never drags and there’s generally always something head-scratching going on. Some of the werewolf suits are so awful, but they fit the overall aesthetic of this thing. The movie also has the strangest denouement ever. Overall, this entry is more of a weirdo dark fantasy than a horror movie, as there are very few scares to be found. Its PG-13 rating is a little to its detriment, but the general weirdness overcomes.

1. The Howling (1981; dir: Joe Dante)

Dante’s original film is my favorite werewolf movie of all time. I love the feral creature designs, the brutal transformations, and their insatiable bloodlust. I feel like this is how lycanthropes should be portrayed: they’re scary and they’re perfectly fine with being creatures of the night — it’s not a curse they’re trying to shed. Dee Wallace is great here, and Pino Donaggio’s music is just sublime, one of the best non-synth scores in horror film history. Horror films don’t get a whole better than The Howling. Like I said at the start: this is an inarguable horror classic.