Released in 1987 and written/directed by Philippe Mora, "Howling III: The Marsupials" chronicles events in Sydney, Australia, when a tribe of werewolves is discovered in the Outback with links to the thylacine (THAHY-la-sahyn), the so-called Tasmanian tiger. A young female (Imogen Annesley) escapes the abuse of the pack and flees to Sidney where she meets a guy (Leigh Biolos) who assists in getting her a part in a horror film that's being shot in the city and directed by a Hitchcock wannabe (Frank Thring). Meanwhile, an anthropologist (Barry Otto) and a professor (Ralph Cotterill) encounter a Russian ballerina (Dasha Blahova) who leads them to Flow in the Outback, where the werewolves live, led by an odd-looking hulk (Max Fairchild). Then a government task force attacks the pack (DUN dun dun).
This is an extremely offbeat movie, even by werewolf flick standards, and even considering Mora's previous eccentric work with the franchise, 1985's "Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf." Mora was disappointed with what the studio did to his previous movie so he took full control with this one. Both of these sequels are unworthy low-budget successors to the excellent "The Howling" (1981); and yet they have their points of amusement & interest and I enjoy viewing them from time to time. "The Howling II" is worthwhile in a so-bad-it's-almost-good way whereas "Howling III" is more of the same, but switches the location from Transylvania to Australia and is more ambitious. Both movies mix goofy camp with seriousness for an odd mix, with "Howling III" in particular trying for more gravity.
While I'm giving this a relatively low rating, there are some endearing elements in addition to its already noted eccentricities: Blahova is formidable as the ballerina with an impressive set of teeth (you'll see what I mean); there's a brief horror movie parody sequence; the footage of the supposedly extinct thylacine is very interesting; there's a love story that's actually kind of touching (and I'm not tawkin' bout Jerboa & Donny); you can't help but start to sympathize with the werewolves by the second half; and the climax nicely ties into the first film. Despite these positives, the movie's too strange and questionably put together to be compelling.
The film runs 98 minutes and was shot in Sydney & New South Wales, Australia.
GRADE: C-
This is an extremely offbeat movie, even by werewolf flick standards, and even considering Mora's previous eccentric work with the franchise, 1985's "Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf." Mora was disappointed with what the studio did to his previous movie so he took full control with this one. Both of these sequels are unworthy low-budget successors to the excellent "The Howling" (1981); and yet they have their points of amusement & interest and I enjoy viewing them from time to time. "The Howling II" is worthwhile in a so-bad-it's-almost-good way whereas "Howling III" is more of the same, but switches the location from Transylvania to Australia and is more ambitious. Both movies mix goofy camp with seriousness for an odd mix, with "Howling III" in particular trying for more gravity.
While I'm giving this a relatively low rating, there are some endearing elements in addition to its already noted eccentricities: Blahova is formidable as the ballerina with an impressive set of teeth (you'll see what I mean); there's a brief horror movie parody sequence; the footage of the supposedly extinct thylacine is very interesting; there's a love story that's actually kind of touching (and I'm not tawkin' bout Jerboa & Donny); you can't help but start to sympathize with the werewolves by the second half; and the climax nicely ties into the first film. Despite these positives, the movie's too strange and questionably put together to be compelling.
The film runs 98 minutes and was shot in Sydney & New South Wales, Australia.
GRADE: C-