5. The Howling - Transformation
There are two phenomenal werewolf movies, that came out at the dawn of the 80s, and which showcased groundbreaking transformation scenes by cutting edge effects artists. One was An American Werewolf in London, the other is The Howling, and both have split fans for decades as to which transformation is best. The Howling gets my vote. And its stunning execution is why its in this list. An American Werewolfs transformation was done under bright lights (which made it harder to make latex and prosthetics look realistic) but apart from the face distortion sequence, it doesnt compare to that of The Howling. Rob Bottins transformation - a year before Rick Bakers American Werewolf - featured bubbling skin, claws bursting out of fingernails eyes changing colour, hair growing, ears extending and - best of all - an extended nose elongation sequence. We truly see a man turn into a wolf. We see the clothes rip and shred, the chest suddenly shift from fast and heavy breathing to slow and controlled, and, most of all, the face turn from human into wolf. Talk about a mindbender! Its a longer and more detailed transformation than An American Werewolf and it truly inspired awe and wonder. I was literally watching a man transform into an animal! Plus it was topped off by having the coolest looking werewolves ever. Not a dog-like creature but 7 foot tall bi-pedal creatures from hell:
Now that's badass!