The Howling ”Trilogy”

[School of Movies 2023]

For our Halloween Spooktacular episodes we begin with a compilation of three After School Club shows, covering the first three of the eight instalments in the Howling franchise. However, despite two of them being from the same director (Philippe Mora) and two of them involving the writer of the original book (Gary Brandner) I struggle to think of three films that feel less like each other in a series. The incoherence and absence of any connective tissue or even thematic consistency almost seems intentional. And it might be a dismal and disjointed experience if it wasn't so hilarious!

The 1981 original, directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins, Matinee) is most definitely the nastiest, with the Mum from E.T. (Dee Wallace) being stalked by a werewolf, which then leads to a communal retreat that hosts the world's most obvious werewolf cult. But the 1985 second film "Your Sister is a Werewolf" then seems to yank us away to find out what's happening in the former Czech Republic (what's happening is softcore werewolf orgies and an unfortunate dwarf whose eyes explode!).

And then the 1987 third instalment, "The Marsupials" asks the question "What if werewolves... but also kangaroos?" as they drag us, kicking and screaming to Australia for some of the most nonsensical non sequiturs we have ever heard. All told, this is as loosely connected as Cannon's Ninja Trilogy and ultimately just as rewarding to uncover. 

Next week; grab your stockings and pumpkins because it's high time for the Nightmare before Christmas!