The Howling was one of the first and many werewolf movies released during the 80s. Along with An American Werewolf in London, it is recognized as one of the greatest and innovative horror films of the decade. Its special effects by Rob Bottin and his crew (while overseen by Rick Baker) revolutionized practical effects and set a new standard that other films are still attempting to achieve in CGI. The movie is also noted for its compelling and chilling performances from the likes of Dee Wallace as Karen, Robert Picardo as Eddie and Belinda Balaski as Terry.
The film had its 39th anniversary this past March. It still stands the test of time and is deservedly a horror classic that any fan of the genre should watch.
10 No Shirt. No Scene.
One of the biggest pushes from the studio was to feature more nudity. Wallace had it in her contract that there would be no additional nudity (with there already being a sex scene). Needless to say, Wallace was not thrilled when she came to film the barn scene and saw a clad of naked women on the rafters. Wallace refused to shoot the scene, as apart from the breach of contract, she felt it look ridiculous.
Producer Mike Fennell was called to ease the situation. He arrived on the set fuming and stormed in. Yet after one look at the women, he said, "She's right. It's stupid. Put some clothes on."
9 Joe Dante Vs Gary Brander
Based on the 1977 novel of the same name by Gary Brander, the film made some significant changes to the source material, including its characters and plot. Director Joe Dante was blunt about his unfavorable opinions of the book and felt the movie was better.
While appearing on a panel, a guest asked Dante if he did not like the book, which Dante confirmed. The guest revealed himself to be Brander, to Dante's sheepishness.
8 Steven Spielberg
Director Steven Spielberg was enthralled by the film and particularly impressed by Dee Wallace and Joe Dante. Wallace's performance influenced Spielberg to cast her as the mother in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which went on to be one of her most prestigious roles.
Meanwhile, Spielberg was searching for a director for Gremlins when he saw The Howling and was won over by Dante's directing. He was hired and would also direct the sequel, Gremlins II: The New Batch.
7 Robert Picardo's Casting And Performance
Picardo was called in to audition after Dante saw him perform in a play with Jack Lemon (The Odd Couple). He recalled creeping out casting director Susan Arnold, which he felt nabbed him the part.
His co-star Dee Wallace was also unsettled by his portrayal. While she advocated his genuine sincerity and kindness, in their scenes together, Picardo enveloped his character to which she remarked, "I don't remember Robert. I remember Eddie."
6 Ends In An Office
Due to budget constraints, some parts of the final scene where Karen transforms into a werewolf were shot in Joe Dante's office. It was the last day of filming and having little to no resources, Dante offered his office for the scene.
It was all worth it when The Howling went on to be a hit and ranked number one critically in its first week. Its U.S. and Canada box office gross rounded near $17.9 million against its $1.5 million budget.
5 Iconic Scream
Before turning into a werewolf, Karen belted an unearthly and shrilling scream. It was one of the most memorable scenes and screams in the movie and horror cinema history.
However, it almost was not to be. Wallace found out they intended to dub her scream with a sound effect. She was determined to give it a go and managed to knock their socks off. The scream heard onscreen is Wallace's, of which she is proud of.
4 References
The Howling is littered with references pertaining to wolves, including one of the characters eating Wolf Brand chili, reading a book by Thomas Wolfe, and some of the characters being named after directors and actors from past werewolf features.
Director Joe Dante was responsible for incorporating the copious amount of references, partially as a gag and also to pay tribute to those in the industry.
3 Dick Miller's Favorite Role
Before his part in The Howling, Miller started his acting career in the 50s (having previously been a writer) and first collaborated with Joe Dante in Piranha. Dante enjoyed working with Miller and likewise and the latter would arguably be Dante's most principal actor throughout his career.
Miller was initially dismayed to be cast as Walter Paisley, as it was only one day's work. However, Paisley would grow on him as the character knew everything there was to know about werewolves and had a unique role.
2 Real-Life Couple
After Wallace was cast as Karen, they were still auditioning actors to portray her spouse. Wallace knew they would not read her then-fiance (later husband) if they knew they were together, so she mentioned knowing an actor named Christopher Stone (Cujo) and left out their exact relationship.
They auditioned him and later cast him for the part. One of the producers called to informed Stone when Wallace picked up. The producer apologized claiming he must have misdialed but she confirmed it was correct. A long pause occurred and everything started clicking, to which the producer was in disbelief.
1 Elizabeth Brooks Misled
Elizabeth Brooks (Days of Our Lives) who portrayed the evil werewolf Marsha Quist was mortified to see herself completely bare onscreen. Brooks was promised her body would be smoked-screen by the bonfire and thus she would not be exposed.
The actress had objected to past nude work in magazines due to her beliefs and was flabbergasted by how much they ended up showing. To make matters worse, Playboy included the footage in its annual "Sex in Cinema" series.
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