The Howling (1981)

Director: Joe Dante

Starring: Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone, Belinda Balaski, Kevin McCarthy, John Carradine, Slim Pickens, Dick Miller

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Imagine your worst fear a reality

Plot: There is a serial killer on the loose, Karen White is the only reporter he communicates with. After a near fatal encounter with him at an adult video store, she is ordered to take a vacation. Eddie was killed by Police, but Karen doesn't want to let it go and discovers that he came from a tiny community in the woods and that's where she decides to vacation with husband Bill. Big mistake, because Eddie was an outcast of a pack of Werewolves who is trying to keep a low profile and doesn't want any interviews.

My rating: 7/10

Will I watch it again? Give it another 25 years.

#69 on Drive-In Delirium Volume 1 (part of the TRAILER TRASH PROJECT)

Man, I haven't seen this since the early-to-mid 80s. It's not as good as I remembered it but it's still got plenty of fun. Joe Dante's films tend to do that. It's a pretty good story with a different take on werewolves with tons of wolf references (my favorite is Slim Pickens eating Wolf brand chili) and it's not without some good suspense (the climactic battle at the barn is great). And don't forget about the coda back at the TV station. There's lots of famous faces in the cast. It's always fun seeing Dick Miller and Slim Pickens. Can't get enough of those guys and I loved Roger Corman's cameo which is an identical homage to William Castle's cameo in ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968). While it's not the home run I remembered as a kid, it's still a much better than average werewolf movie that's worth your time. It's not enough to get me to watch the 6 sequels it spawned but it's still a good time at the movies.