What the film lacks in plot it makes up in special effects, bizarre metamorphoses and the sort of gory shocks that the contemporary juvenile audience is said to demand.

It's a superior entertainment -- as creepy, witty, and suggestive as its disreputable genre would warrant.

Director Joe Dante has handled these horrible horror without a qualm.

One of the rare films that could actually benefit from a longer runtime, The Howling nevertheless impresses with incredible practical effects and a raw performance from Dee Wallace.