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An American Werewolf in London or The Howling

After going through the thread I'll have to say "silver bullet" is my fav werewolf film.
 
American Werewolf in London by a mile.
 
American Werewolf, by far. FAR.

FARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
 
Drytoast said:
Not seeing the wolf was better then seeing them in the howling.

It allows your brain to fill in the gaps and makes things more fun/imaginative for the viewer. Think "Jaws". We see just enough of the werewolf in AWIL to know what it looks like, but seeing things from the werewolf's perspective, or the aftermath trumps ACTUALLY SEEING THE WEREWOLF any day of the week.

On top of that the effects were radical for that era, and the backdrop was amazing. I still feel that if I go visit London, I might just happen upon the Slaughtered Lamb.

Howling was a cheap b rated horror flick with very little substance. Along the same lines as a Friday the 13, or Nightmare on Elm Street. Not bad movies, but not on the level of AWIL.
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ok, now i will argue this

they show the transformation in much brighter light and greater detail in AWIL

They show the full wolfman in both.

now, what is the big deal about AWIL besides the transformation? what substance does it have over NOES?

i do like the little nazi monster dream

AWIL - 2 friends go to pub and get kicked out then 1 gets killed by werewolf while other gets bit. guy sits in hospital, bangs out a nurse, has a dream where he kills (but it is not a dream), then friend meets up with dead people who tell him to kill self. basically does suicide by cop at end.

There is no message or meaning to this. it is a fun little ride.

as far as creativity, NOES destroys AWIL. they should not be said in the same breath.

now, the howling has a reporter tracking a serial killer who happens to be a werewolf. meets him in a porn theater on with a rape movie showing. so she forgets and listens to this Dr Phil guy and goes on a retreat. the retreat is a colony of werewolves who are trying to fit in with humans and not eat them which is against what they are. you have crazy eddie with his sick fetishes and perviness. you have the werewolves who are too stupid to understand the one guy has silver bullets. then you have the hero of the movie self sacrificing herself on air to warn the public

sorry, but storywise/deepness, the howling destroys AWIL. yes, it was cheaply made but it was an overachiever.

AWIL is another over hyped movie. i saw that transformation scene on Aisles of Terror 40 times before i saw the movie.
 
Nice completely objective breakdown.
 
I've been wanting a good werewolf movie to come out for awhile now...probably going to be waiting awhile.
 
Gates of Janus said:
ok, now i will argue this

they show the transformation in much brighter light and greater detail in AWIL

They show the full wolfman in both.

now, what is the big deal about AWIL besides the transformation? what substance does it have over NOES?

i do like the little nazi monster dream

AWIL - 2 friends go to pub and get kicked out then 1 gets killed by werewolf while other gets bit. guy sits in hospital, bangs out a nurse, has a dream where he kills (but it is not a dream), then friend meets up with dead people who tell him to kill self. basically does suicide by cop at end.

There is no message or meaning to this. it is a fun little ride.

as far as creativity, NOES destroys AWIL. they should not be said in the same breath.

now, the howling has a reporter tracking a serial killer who happens to be a werewolf. meets him in a porn theater on with a rape movie showing. so she forgets and listens to this Dr Phil guy and goes on a retreat. the retreat is a colony of werewolves who are trying to fit in with humans and not eat them which is against what they are. you have crazy eddie with his sick fetishes and perviness. you have the werewolves who are too stupid to understand the one guy has silver bullets. then you have the hero of the movie self sacrificing herself on air to warn the public

sorry, but storywise/deepness, the howling destroys AWIL. yes, it was cheaply made but it was an overachiever.

AWIL is another over hyped movie. i saw that transformation scene on Aisles of Terror 40 times before i saw the movie.
Click to expand...

Lul wut?

I don't agree with any of this at all. I'm sorry...
 
Linkuei said:
American Werewolf in London by a mile.
Click to expand...

It's not even comparable to be honest. American Werewolf in London is a influential classic which a plethora of amazing scenes. His mental transformation into the Wolf was equally as entertaining and frightening as the physical transformation that happens later.

I love that scene in his home when the door bell rings....So fucking classic and contextually powerful if you really think about what's happening.
 
Gates of Janus said:
ok, now i will argue this

they show the transformation in much brighter light and greater detail in AWIL

They show the full wolfman in both.

now, what is the big deal about AWIL besides the transformation? what substance does it have over NOES?

i do like the little nazi monster dream

AWIL - 2 friends go to pub and get kicked out then 1 gets killed by werewolf while other gets bit. guy sits in hospital, bangs out a nurse, has a dream where he kills (but it is not a dream), then friend meets up with dead people who tell him to kill self. basically does suicide by cop at end.

There is no message or meaning to this. it is a fun little ride.

as far as creativity, NOES destroys AWIL. they should not be said in the same breath.

now, the howling has a reporter tracking a serial killer who happens to be a werewolf. meets him in a porn theater on with a rape movie showing. so she forgets and listens to this Dr Phil guy and goes on a retreat. the retreat is a colony of werewolves who are trying to fit in with humans and not eat them which is against what they are. you have crazy eddie with his sick fetishes and perviness. you have the werewolves who are too stupid to understand the one guy has silver bullets. then you have the hero of the movie self sacrificing herself on air to warn the public

sorry, but storywise/deepness, the howling destroys AWIL. yes, it was cheaply made but it was an overachiever.

AWIL is another over hyped movie. i saw that transformation scene on Aisles of Terror 40 times before i saw the movie.
Click to expand...

I can't believe we are arguing over the depth of two werewolf movies...

It comes down to delivery I guess. The contrast of softly playing "blue moon" during that horrific transformation sequence was brilliant. The Howling lacks anything close to that level of cinematography.

Add to that, better acting, better backdrop, better cinematography/lighting/effects, soundtrack A much better pace to the movie. The attack sequences don't show much and are not drawn out into cheeseville.

Add weird moments like the demon nazi dream sequence, seeing himself hunting a deer, as he slowly descends into madness...the signature wolf howl. Keeping the wolf on all 4's so it could relate to real life animals and fears as opposed to a two legged fairy tale style creature. His slowly rotting friend visiting him periodically throughout the movie...

Maybe the howling was trying to be the shawshank redemption of werewolf movies, but it failed miserably on delivery.

That scene you linked that was awesome? really? Why would I even remotely be scared of a werewolf when it can't even quickly kill a helpess woman who's trapped in a small room with it??? Remember, I am watching these movies to be scared...not for some deep meaningful story to be told here.

If that situation was in AWIL she would have been shredded apart, and we would most likely see little of the action. And that's how it should be. Werewolfs are scary, you don't want to be locked in a room with one...but in the howling, meh...doesn't matter so much, you'll be fine with a flash light because their eyes are super sensitive to light.

And this is just my breakdown of what the werewolf does. That scene cutting back to the phone conversation with the policechief? Completely breaks any tension that the werewolf scene was trying to create. It actually starts treading on the realm of comedy...but not the good comedy kind...more the "this movie is a cheesy joke" kind of comedy.


AWIL all day every day, and most posters in this thread agree with me.
 
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Gates of Janus said:
look, i have watched these movies a lot. i mean, i seen both of these movies with and without commentary a shitload.
I would say over the last 3 months, i have seen the howling 10 times and american werewolf 5 times. no shit.

the howling is by far the better movie. it is fucking awesome. it is under appreciated. there is more going on that just some horror movie. it is kind of trying to say a bit about our animal instincts without being too on the nose about it.


american werewolf is great too. it is fun. but i would put the Howling as one of THE best horror movies of the 80s. i mean, it is just fucking awesome. the wrewolves and transformations are good in both.
but the werewolves in the howling are sometimes pervy creepy or hot or ... lol

i don't want to spoil it for you. but just go into the movie and have fun.

even if you decide to watch american werewolf first, go back and watch the howling. just great movie.

edit: i see you saw them.
Click to expand...

This guy knows what he's talking about. AW is a great movie, but The Howling is the finest werewolf movie ever produced. Horror is my favorite genre, and werewolf movies have always been my niche. For my money nothing beats The Howling in that category.
 
for my money,american werewolf hands down.the howling is 5th in my list of these movies.
 
neither. Underworld all the way.

kate-beckinsale-underworld-image-5.jpg
 
Linkuei said:
Lul wut?

I don't agree with any of this at all. I'm sorry...
Click to expand...

they don't both show the full werewolf?

AWIL does not show the transformation in a very well lit set?

the things i said about the general parts of both movies are not right?

have you seen either of these movies?
 
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