The conversation about physical media dying has been going on for almost a decade now as streaming and VOD has been the general audience’s main way of consuming their home media. However, in recent years, boutique companies likeScream Factoryhave been keeping physical media alive with their preservation of the horror genre. They are best known for releasing the entireFriday the 13thseries in all their uncut bloody glory last year in a beautiful box set and as recently as October they released the first fiveHalloweenfilms in 4K. Now they are bringing another classic horror film inJoe Dante’sThe Howlingto 4K early next year.
This 1981 werewolf film followed a news reporter after her near-deadly encounter with a serial killer that leads her to a remote mountain resort which just so happens to be full of lycan creatures. The film starredE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’sDee Wallace,Dennis Dugan,Elisabeth Brooks,Belinda Balaski,Christopher Stone, andPatrick Macnee.
From its great special effects work to its dark themes that were ahead of its time to an ending that is still haunting to this day,The Howlingis one of the best werewolf films of all time and one of the finest examples of the horror genre in the 80s. While it gets overshadowed by the masterpieceThe Wolf Manand modern classics likeGinger SnapsorAn American Werewolf in Londonwhich came out the same year, this film deserves more love and this 4K restoration is the perfect way to revisit this classic.
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Like theHalloween4Ks, this film had a previous Blu-ray release from Scream Factory in 2013 and there are no new special features that were not on the previous release, but both the 4K Blu-Ray and standard Blu-Ray that this release comes with has new 4K restorations by Studio Canal. Each of these transfers are approved by Dante himself. 4K restorations have been popular of late, especially for the horror genre, and famous directors are jumping into the ring likePeter Jacksonwho recently announced that his horror comedy cult classic filmDead Aliveis getting released on the format soon.
Here’s the rundown of what’s included on the 4K release ofThe Howling:
DISC 1: (UHD)
DISC 2: (Blu-Ray)
2021 has been a very busy year for Scream factory and this announcement teases that 2022 will be no different. The label’s next release is the 4K version of the 2015 Christmas horror comedyKrampuswhich comes out next week on December 7 andThe Howling4K will make some noise in physical media lovers' hearts when it releases on June 07, 2025. For all the latest horror movie news, stick with Collider.
