The Howling 1981

When middle-class wife Karyn Beatty suffers a brutal attack and rape in her Los Angeles home, she endures not only a miscarriage but also a profound nervous breakdown. Seeking solace, she and her husband, Roy, abandon the city life for the tranquil, secluded mountain village of Drago in California, hoping this peaceful environment will aid in Karyn’s recovery. Despite the friendly locals and serene lifestyle, Karyn is unsettled by the mysterious howling that echoes from the woods outside their new residence at night. This unsettling phenomenon strains their marriage, with Roy dismissing Karyn’s concerns about the presence in the woods, believing she is spiraling into instability.

As tensions heighten between the couple, Roy evolves his discontent into a physical affair with one of the local shopkeepers, Marcia Lura. However, fate takes a dire turn when Roy is viciously attacked by a large black wolf during his return home to Karyn. Though he only sustains a bite, Roy falls gravely ill for several days, unbeknownst to him that he has become infected by a werewolf bite, leading him to transform into one himself.

As Karyn’s suspicions grow, she uncovers the harrowing truth that the entire population of Drago comprises werewolves, plunging her into a fight for her survival. In a desperate bid for help, she reaches out to Chris Halloran, her husband’s best friend, who rushes from Los Angeles equipped with silver bullets she insisted he bring.

The night unfolds with a fierce clash as Karyn and Chris battle against a pack of werewolves—revealing her husband, Roy, among them. In a frantic moment, Karyn is compelled to shoot the black werewolf, discovering it to be Marcia Lura. As chaos erupts, a fire ignites in Karyn’s woodland home, rapidly consuming the forest and engulfing the town of Drago in flames. Amidst the turmoil, Karyn and Chris manage to escape from the town’s cursed inhabitants, but even as they flee, the haunting howls from the woods continue to echo in the distance.