Ep 147 - THE HOWLING & AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON - The Lycanthrope Classics That Changed It All

THE HOWLING (1981) d. Joe Dante (USA) AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981) d. John Landis (UK/USA) In the spring and summer of 1981, werewolf cinema underwent a radical transformation—not through one film, but two. Released just months apart, The Howling and An American Werewolf in London didn't just revive a fading subgenre—they redefined what cinematic horror could look and feel like. Directed by Joe Dante and co-written by John Sayles and Terence H. Winkless, The Howling blends satire, psychological horror, and media critique. Its cast includes Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, and Dennis Dugan, who ground the film's increasingly surreal descent into lupine terror. The groundbreaking transformation sequences were brought to life by effects artist Rob Bottin, whose work pushed the limits of prosthetics and animatronics, delivering visceral, tactile horror that audiences had never seen before. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, John Landis wrote and directed An American Werewolf in London, a film that boldly fused outright comedy with genuine dread. Starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, and Jenny Agutter, the film follows two young Americans whose backpacking trip turns nightmarish after a brutal attack on the moors. The iconic, and agonizing, on-screen transformation—was crafted by legendary makeup artist Rick Baker. His revolutionary efforts earned the very first official Academy Award for Best Makeup, legitimizing special effects artistry as a cornerstone of cinematic achievement. Together, these films reshaped horror in profound ways. They elevated practical effects to an art form, influenced generations of filmmakers, and proved that horror could evoke both screams and belly laughs. Whether through Dante's subversive Hollywood satire or Landis's genre-blending bravado, The Howling and An American Werewolf in London remain towering achievements—twin pillars of lycanthrope cinema whose combined legacy still howls through the genre today. Join AC and his monstrous panel of guests (Craig J. Clark, Julia Marchese, Vanessa Morgan, Chris Scales, Jill Van Voorst) as we celebrate THE WEREWOLVES OF 1981!!  -------------------------------------- CRAIG J. CLARK watches a lot of movies. He started watching them in New Jersey, where he was born and raised, and continues to watch them in Indiana. He is a frequent contributor to Crooked Marquee (https://crookedmarquee.com/author/craig-j-clark/) and writes the monthly Full Moon Features column for Werewolf News (https://werewolf-news.com/category/full-moon-features/). He is not a werewolf himself (or so he says)  JULIA MARCHESE is a podcaster (Horror Movie Survival Guide, The Losers' Club, JodoWOWsky), filmmaker, actor, film programmer, writer and cinephile living in Hollywood; California. https://linktr.ee/juliacmarchese VANESSA MORGAN is the author of several movie reference guides (When Animals Attack, Strange blood, Evil Seeds & Meow!), all available from Amazon https://amzn.to/3Hzm0wN. She's also the creator of the websites https://cat-movies.com and https://traveling-cats.com. CHRIS SCALES is a lifelong horror fan, aspiring horror screenwriter, and horror panelist. JILL VAN VOORST has been a horror lover since childhood! From showing scary films at her sleepovers as a kid, to running LIX (with her husband Gregg)-a large booth vending horror hoodies, tanks, tees and clothing for all at the best horror cons- you're likely to see Jill adorning or doing something scary at almost any time. http://www.lixonline.com She is also a chocolatier and brings her scary style to the world of chocolate. https://delixcious.com/ -------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!