Imagine your worst fear a reality.
After a bizarre and near fatal encounter with a serial killer, a newswoman is sent to a rehabilitation center whose inhabitants may not be what they seem.
The Howling (1981) is a horror film directed by Joe Dante, released on January 21, 1981 with a runtime of 1h 31m. It stars Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan and Christopher Stone. Viewers rate it 6.6 out of 10 across 927 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The Howling before you stream it.
Official trailers, teasers, clips and featurettes for The Howling.
Trailer
Trailer
Featurette
Featurette
Dee Wallace
as Karen White
Patrick Macnee
as Dr. George Waggner
Dennis Dugan
as Chris
Christopher Stone
as R. William 'Bill' Neill
Belinda Balaski
as Terry Fisher
Kevin McCarthy
as Fred Francis
John Carradine
as Erle Kenton
Slim Pickens
as Sam Newfield
Elisabeth Brooks
as Marsha Quist
Robert Picardo
as Eddie Quist
Margie Impert
as Donna
Noble Willingham
as Charlie Barton
Directed by Joe Dante, written by John Sayles, Terence H. Winkless and Gary Brandner, produced by Jack Conrad and Michael Finnell.
Average viewer score of 6.6/10 from 927 ratings.
A secret society exists, and is living among all of us. They are neither people nor animals, but something in-between. In the name of good television, newswoman Karen White (Dee Wallace) forms a bond with serial killer Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo). But when the meeting of the two arrives, it nearly proves fatal and damages Karen psychologically. Her psychologist recommends that she spend some time with her husband…
Reviewed on November 2, 2015
"Karen" (Dee Wallace) is an investigative reporter with a local television channel who is focussed on a local serial killer. When the police corner and kill this man, it has a curiously profound effect on the woman and she loses her memory. Needing a change of scenery, she heads to the remote "Colony" where rest and recuperation are the order of the day. Initially welcoming her, though, she soon becomes suspicious…
Reviewed on November 9, 2022
**The Howling was groundbreaking for its time but isn’t the timeless classic I hoped it would be.** The Howling is a definitive werewolf horror film that introduced new ideas to the genre and broke new ground for special effects. The hidden secret werewolf community with opposing ideologies and opinions on how to either hunt or hide from humanity brought more to werewolf lore than a simple crazed monster. The…
Reviewed on January 2, 2023
**_The first time cinema audiences saw werewolves like this!_** After a news anchor in Los Angeles (Dee Wallace) has a traumatic experience on the sleazy side of town, her therapist (Patrick Macnee) sends her and her hubby (Christopher Stone) to his secluded resort near the coast for treatment. When frightening things happen at the sylvan colony, she contacts her friend to come out (Belinda Balaski), not to mention…
Reviewed on August 17, 2025
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The Howling (1981) is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, BFI Player Amazon Channel, MovieSphere+ Amazon Channel and Howdy Amazon Channel. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The Howling (1981) includes Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone and Belinda Balaski. The film was directed by Joe Dante. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The Howling was released on January 21, 1981 and runs for 1h 31m.
The Howling (1981) holds an average rating of 6.6 out of 10 from 927 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy horror films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The Howling trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
