The Howling [Blu-ray]

Description

Severely traumatized by a near-fatal encounter with a
serial killer, TV newscaster Karen White (Dee Wallace) takes time off at a
secluded retreat called the Colony. But when, after nights of being tormented
by bestial, bloodcurdling cries, Karen ventures into the woods seeking
answers, she makes a terrifying discovery. Now she must fight not only for her
life but for her soul! Set Contains: Shout Factory’s Blu-ray/DVD presentation
of The Howling is a fan-pleasing combination of original supplemental features
produced exclusively for the two-disc set and extras ported over from previous
DVD releases. The new material includes a commentary track with author Gary
Brandner, who penned the 1977 novel on which the film is based, and Blu-ray
producer Michael Felsher. Since the picture bears little resemblance to
Brandner’s source material, the track focuses largely on Brandner’s prolific
career as a horror novelist, with only occasional discussion of Joe Dante’s
movie. There are also recently recorded interviews with executive producer
Steven Lane, editor Mark Goldblatt, and screenwriter Terrence Winkless, whose
script was later reworked by John Sayles. All three are informative, with
Goldblatt offering the most interesting anecdotes on his work with both Dante
and Roger Corman, as well as his appreciation of the horror genre. The last
new extra is a breezy tour of the film’s locations in Hollywood and Mendocino,
California, with Horror Hound magazine’s Sean Clark, who provides some amusing
production stories for each stop. The rest of the supplemental material is
culled from the MGM Special Edition DVD from 2003 and New Line’s Laserdisc
version from 1995. The latter provides a commentary track with Dante and
actors Dee Wallace, her late husband Christopher Stone, and longtime
collaborator Robert Picardo, who offer warm and frequently funny recollections
about their famous costars and the film’s breakneck production schedule, as
well as a collection of deleted scenes with optional commentary by Dante and a
seven-minute blooper reel. Content from the MGM disc includes the excellent
making-of documentary Unleashing the Beast–The Making of The Howling, which
includes input from Sayles and producer Mike Finnell. The red-band theatrical
trailer and a gallery of promotional and production stills round out the disc
content, while the reversible cover gives purchasers the option of viewing the
original poster or eye-popping new artwork. –Paul Gaita

Features:

Product Details:

• Genre: Horror/Things That Go Bump/Monsters
• Format: Blu-ray, Multiple Formats, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC, Anamorphic
• Contributor: Joe Dante, Belinda Belaski, Dennis Dugan, Kevin McCarthy, Christopher Stone, Dee Wallace Stone, Patrick Macnee See more
• Language: English
• Runtime: 1 hour and 32 minutes
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ R (Restricted)
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 3.2 Ounces
• Director ‏ : ‎ Joe Dante
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Blu-ray, Multiple Formats, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC, Anamorphic
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 32 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ June 18, 2013
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Dee Wallace Stone, Patrick Macnee, Dennis Dugan, Christopher Stone, Belinda Belaski
• Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
• Studio ‏ : ‎ Shout Factory