American Werewolf vs The Howling

[The Walking Dude]

1981 transformed the lycanthrope in front of our very eyes.It was Rick Baker vs Rob Bottin,John Landis vs Joe Dante.In short -AWIL vs The Howling.
They both featured groundbreaking transformation effects,had a macabre sense of humour that heralded the birth of self referentialism in the horror genre.
But most importantly they were both scary.
So which tree are you howling up?

[HNT]

Personally, it is all about The Howling for me. I just think it is the far better and more fun film. I admit that at least part of this is because I was very young when I first saw it and it scared the shit out of me, and that is something that can't really be quantified or accounted for in a review. In any case, I just like it better, but both are good enough that I cant really point to a problem with American Werewolf in London, except perhaps for the pacing, which I felt was a bit slow in places

[GL]

The Howling shits all over AAWIL that this is not even a contest or debatable in my opinion. Beats it out handily in just every single category.

[Jen]

I like The Howling, but never have been a huge fan, there are several werewolf films I like better. I just don't like the story, the special effects, the characters or the humor nearly as much as An American Werewolf in London. There are only certain scenes in The Howling I absolutely love and make it a stand out to me (the ending mostly), I love just about every single minute of An American Werewolf in London.

[GL]

I'd probably feel a lot closer to AAWIL if only it didn't feature the reluctant-werewolf angle. That alone just utterly kills it for me, and along with the non-existent humor (which is also in big supply in Howling so that washes out the other) this one just falls down the list. Then there's a better-looking beast, a better transformation, more suspense and a better story in Howling and there's even more ways it comes out on top.

[abraxas]

I Iove both film equally. Technically speaking AWIL was better, it showed a lot more of the transformation, it was done before your eyes, perhaps even more then The Howling.

Now as afar as which looked cooler The Howling has it hands down, no contest, AWIL was more about the transformation, while Howling was about how cool the werewolf looked.

[CT]

Sorry I haven't voted Matt, but in both your polls so far I haven't seen 1 of the choices!

[The Walking Dude]

Really? You should rectify that immediately - they are all great flicks.

I voted AWIL here - late last year I watched them back to back and although I did enjoy The Howling again,AWIL is just more pleasing to me in every way - and maybe it's the England factor - I love so many british films - they just seem ... classier

[GL]

Apr 6, 2010 11:52:38 GMT -5 @abraxas said:

Now as afar as which looked cooler The Howling has it hands down, no contest, AWIL was more about the transformation, while Howling was about how cool the werewolf looked.

That is a huge factor to me, much more so than the transformation. The end product to me is a lot better than how you get there.

Even though, to say that the transformation in Howling wasn't in-your-face is complete bullshit. Eddie transforms mere inches away from the screen, he's the primary factor of his shots and we hardly see anything else while he's doing it. The only time AAWIL gets up close is the hand stretching, which looks ridiculous that, after it stretches it stays that way without finishing or having the other one go into transformation-mode itself. Beyond that, the rest of the time we're a good couple feet away, as we see him interacting with the furniture in the room or are noticeable of it while he's doing it. I'd say it's a lot more detached than what you think.

[abraxas]

I believe I used the phrase before your eyes, I wasn't referring to how close to the camera it was taken place, and whose to say exactly how you turn into a werewolf, maybe you can have one hand normal and the other werewolfie

[CT]

Apr 7, 2010 2:38:31 GMT -5 The Walking Dude said:

Really? You should rectify that immediately - they are all great flicks.

I voted AWIL here - late last year I watched them back to back and although I did enjoy The Howling again,AWIL is just more pleasing to me in every way - and maybe it's the England factor - I love so many british films - they just seem ... classier

No, what I mean is I haven't seen half of each poll. I HAVE seen AWIL but not The Howling. And the previous poll I had only seen 1 of the choices too lol. So I can't decide if Ive only seen one of the choices, but I do love AWIL.

[GL]

Apr 7, 2010 14:04:01 GMT -5 @abraxas said:

I believe I used the phrase before your eyes, I wasn't referring to how close to the camera it was taken place, and whose to say exactly how you turn into a werewolf, maybe you can have one hand normal and the other werewolfie

Granted, you did, but the point is still there: you're a lot further away while he's going through it in Werewolf in London. Howling, you're right up on it and it's a lot more effect to me that way.