MovieFreak.com - "The Howling" Special Edition DVD Review by Dennis Landmann

DVD REVIEW

Howling, The - Special Edition (1981)

Starring: Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan

Director: Joe Dante

Rating: R

Distributor: MGM Home Entertainment

Release Date: August 26, 2003
Review posted: September 15, 2003

Spoilers: None

Reviewed by John Teves

Synopsis

Severely shaken after a near-fatal encounter with a serial killer, TV newscaster Karen White (Dee Wallace, E.T.) takes some much-needed time off. Hoping to conquer her inner demons, she heads for "the Colony," a secluded retreat where her new neighbors are just a tad too eager to make her feel at home. Also, there seems to be a bizarre link between her would-be attacker and this supposedly safe haven. And when, after nights of being tormented by savage shrieks and unearthly cries, Karen ventures into the forest to find answers, she makes a terrifying discovery. Now she must fight not only for her life but for her very soul!

The Video

THE HOWLING appears in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1; the widescreen image has been enhanced for 16X9 televisions. Sharpness always looked great. No signs of softness emerged at any time. I thought the picture looked crisp and detailed. Jagged edges presented no issues, and I also detected no signs of edge enhancement. As for print concerns, I saw a mark or two, but otherwise it looked clean. The film displayed a varied and lively palette. The colors consistently looked excellent, and they often really leapt off the screen. The tones were vivid and distinctive and were super. Black levels also seemed deep and tight, while shadow detail was clean and suitably dense. Overall, THE HOWLING looked absolutely terrific for its age.

The Audio

THE HOWLING is presented in a Dolby Digital 5.1 track. The mix always portrayed a good sense of atmosphere, as it created a fine sense of environment that placed elements appropriately and accurately. The track displayed a general focus on the forward channels, but it spread well across all five speakers. Audio quality was solid. Speech appeared natural and distinct, and I noticed no issues related to edginess. Effects sounded clean and accurate. They presented no signs of distortion and added good bass response when appropriate. Taken as a whole, the Dolby Digital track was absolutely remarkable and a great improvement from the latter release.

The Extras

Commentary by director and cast
"Unleashing the Beast": all-new documentary
"Making a Monster Movie: Inside The Howling" featurette
Deleted scenes
Outtakes and more
Full-screen and widescreen anamorphic formats

Overall

THE HOWLING is a wonderful combination of horror, laughs, and state of the art special effect from director Joe Dante. The transformation scenes are incredible. Dante fills the film with hysterical cameos, and demonstrates a subtle wit and a flair for horror. This Special Edition DVD is what fans of the film were waiting for. THE HOWLING is a cult classic in its own right. Essentially, it’s a must see for true fans of werewolf horror genre. Bona fide fans of the film will be rather pleased with the DVD presentation and may want to include it in their DVD collection.

John Teves rates the film 3 out of 4.

Review originally appeared on DVDFreak.net

VERDICT: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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