Stephen King adapted his novella Cycle of the Werewolf for this story of a small town coming up against a serial killer that once a month tears apart its victim like an animal. You know where this is going, just like you know who is the werewolf the moment they show up, and yet this still has the pulp excitement of a supernatural thriller because you care for the people. Some of them, a lot of them are actually close-minded jerks who you can watch die without shedding a tear, but that just brings the danger closer to the family drama that’s given quite a bit of investment.
The film rose dramatically in the last year when it was discovered to be a favorite of Tarantino’s because he believed a number of characters you didn’t want to see die, might do exactly that. Especially Gary Busey as the alcoholic but caring Uncle Red. He’s seen as a loser, but he supports and encourages his nephew (Corey Haim) who gets around in a motorized wheelchair. It’s a very 80s movie, with some groaner lines and laughable moments, but the setting and the family dynamic gives it a different feel from other werewolf films.
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