While *The Howling* was certainly innovative when it came out, it didn't quite live up to my expectations of becoming a truly enduring film. It’s considered a key werewolf horror movie because it brought fresh concepts to the genre and advanced special effects technology. The idea of a secret society of werewolves with differing views on how to interact with humans—whether to hunt or remain concealed—added depth to werewolf mythology beyond just a mindless beast. It also marked the first English-language film to feature female werewolves. Director Joe Dante’s work on this project helped pave his way toward directing *Gremlins*, but *The Howling* feels old-fashioned now and isn't particularly frightening. The movie suffers from gratuitous nudity, some weak performances, and a sluggish tempo that prevents it from reaching the level of a horror film I would consider essential viewing.

Source on TMDB