BY TIM GREAVES
Titling a film is no
trivial matter, especially from a marketing perspective. As history has proven,
there have been numerous films made which have little more to offer than a cracking
title. A really sharp one can help sell the poorest product, conversely a
stellar piece of movie-making can be undermined by something uninspired. When
you're trying to make your movie stand out in a marketplace awash with
alternatives, an attention-grabbing title is a crucial consideration and you'll
probably be aiming for something that harbours intrigue, allure, and is capable
of fostering curiosity and anticipation. When it was first unleashed
theatrically in 1985, Howling II: Stirba –
Werewolf Bitch was certainly an attention-grabber. Whether the film itself
turned out to be good, bad or indifferent, as enticing titles go the suffix Stirba – Werewolf Bitch sure did the
job, sending out a premium come and see me
you know you want to invitation with the promise of a no-nonsense serving
of lycanthropic flesh-munching and raunchy bodice-ripping, elements on which it
most certainly delivered. So, given that said title was suitably
efficacious, one has to wonder why someone later thought it was a good idea to
alter it to Your Sister is a Werewolf,
a moniker conveying more than a whiff of lightweight teen comedy – perhaps
something akin to the same year's Michael J Fox headliner Teen Wolf – as opposed to that of spicy horror movie. C'est la vie.
Following the funeral of
his sister Karen, Ben White (Reb Brown) is approached by occult scholar Steffan
Crosscoe (Christopher Lee), who informs him that his sibling was a werewolf and
submitted herself willingly to death. Dismissing these claims as balderdash,
White's scepticism is quashed when he witnesses a werewolf attack first hand.
Crosscoe subsequently tells White that the 10th Millennium of lycanthrope queen
Stirba (Sybil Danning) is imminent and on that night, beneath the glow of a
full moon, all werewolves will reveal themselves. To avert this catastrophe
Stirba must die. White and journalist Jenny Templeton (Annie McEnroe) set off
with Crosscoe to Transylvania to seek out the location of Stirba's coven and
destroy her. However, Crosscoe is withholding a personal reason for wanting the
werewolf queen dead.
Any sequel to Joe Dante's
1981 epic The Howling was going to be
facing an uphill struggle in terms of emulating its verve and director Philippe
Mora's Howling II: Your Sister is a
Werewolf certainly lives up to expectation on that account. Which isn't to
imply for one moment that it isn't entertaining; there's a lot of fun to be
had here, even if much of it is of the so-bad-it's-good variety. The draw
here for many viewers will be the significant participation of Christopher Lee.
For such an erudite man, Lee made some curious film choices throughout his long
and varied career; one supposes that in such a competitive profession – and one
burdened by rife unemployment – regardless of how demeaning it might be work
was work. Howling II wasn't among Lee’s
more questionable judgment calls but neither is it up there among the myriad of
cherries populating his CV. Regardless, consummate professional that he was, he
never gave less than 100% and with Howling
II he brings a degree of gravitas and worth to a film whose biggest crime
is not so much being bad as being rather unremarkable. Given what Lee brings to
the show, it's a shame that co-stars Reb Brown and Annie McEnroe prove so
unengaging. It would be easy to blame the slightly hackneyed dialogue – the
script was a collaborative effort between Gary Brandner (who also authored a
number of “Howling†novels) and Robert Sarno – but when you consider that
Lee managed to work his lines into something halfway decent that's not really a
valid excuse. The odd thing is that both Brown and McEnroe are competent enough
performers, as can be witnessed in some of their other films, so quite why
they’re so ineffectual here is frankly baffling. Regardless, any shortcomings are
compensated for by fine turns from the striking Sybil Danning in the titular
Stirba/sister role, Judd Omen as her swarthy aide Vlad and a sizzling Marsha A
Hunt (who's hotter than a jalapeño both in and out of her clothing). Brief but
noteworthy input too from Jimmy Nail and Ferdy Mayne, although the latter's
transformation into beast of the night is memorable for the wrong reason, his freaky
but unthreatening make-up and the fact he's wearing a flat cap combining to provoke
inadvertent chuckles.
Mora keeps things moving at a reasonable lick and there's plenty of production value in the attractive Czech locations, whilst the postproduction employ of an array of wipes to transition between scenes makes for appealing visual embroidery. With a plenteous infusion of superfluous nudity and (at one point quite literally) eye-popping bloodletting, those seeking gratuitous thrills are liberally catered to. It's worth the entry fee alone to witness the leather-clad Danning perched regally on a throne, dispassionately observing the writhing heap of copulating bodies at her feet, as well as the least erotic ménage-a-trois imaginable which finds Danning, Omen and Hunt – naked but for a covering of fluffy were-fur – snarling, whining and, yes, howling as they playfully claw at each other; it must have been quite a challenge for them to maintain straight faces. Oh, and I can't pass up mention of the moment when Danning rips open the front of her gown to reveal her ample bosom, not particularly remarkable in and of itself, however Mora was evidently so delighted with the fleeting shot that he saw fit to reprise it during the end credits roll... 17 times! (I counted. Twice. Just to be sure I hadn't mis-tallied, you understand). Two years later the director made The Marsupials: Howling III, forgettable but for the fact it makes Howling II look classy by comparison.
The fresh dual format Blu-Ray/DVD release of Howling II from Arrow delivers a brand new hi-def digital transfer of the movie and, as one has come to expect from this company, supporting bonus materials are prodigious. A choice of two feature commentaries head up the package, one from director Philippe Mora, the other from composer Steve Parsons and editor Charles Bornstein. Also included are interviews with Mora, actors Sybil Danning and Reb Brown, plus make-up artists Steve Johnson and Scott Wheeler, along with some behind-the-scenes footage (with glimpses of Mora larking around during a night-time shoot), lengthy alternative edits of the opening and closing sequences, an impressively extensive gallery of production stills and the original theatrical trailer. Reversible sleeve artwork and an illustrated collector's booklet sprinkle sugar on the deal.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER FROM AMAZON UK