MovieChat Forums > The Howling (1981) Discussion > Loved the hamburger patty on the grill, ...

Loved the hamburger patty on the grill, ending credits

posted 16 years ago by jeffyoung1
16 replies | jump to latest

I like THE HOWLING as one of the better horror monster films produced in the past.

But one of my favorite scenes is the ending credits where an up-close scene shows a raw hamburger patty placed on a grill and cooking. Periodically a spatula enters the scene to turn the hamburger patty over. I always feel HUNGRY watching that hamburger patty frying on the griddle, especially as you watch it going from raw to semi-cooked while still showing pink meat inside.

Yes, it's completely incongruous, especially with the jazzy, 1970s made-for-television drama movies music in the background. But I think that's what made the scene so memorable, as opposed to the typical black screen with white lettering. The film's director had a sense of black humor in showing meat cooking on the grill. If his intent was to shock and titillate, it succeeded. If his intent was to make us viewers hungry, he succeeded. The ending credits scene of the cooking hamburger is so full of obvious symbolism.

[–] omoxus 10 years ago

That really want the ending. There's a lil blurb after the end credits. A black and white TV program pops up and a lady says (paraphrasing) to guy in a suit. I'm going away now and leaves.

I am the Alpha and the Omoxus. The Omoxus and the Omega

[–] Reblioso 10 years ago

Very humourous and cool ending. Credit to Joe Dante for going against convention.

[–] classics_guy 9 years ago

loved the ending as the credits rolled.
But whoever cooked that patty OVER-COOKED it and it kinda fell apart.

add a slice of American or Cheddar cheese and a pickle on the side.

Toast that bun lightly and I am there!

[–] KingCobra686 8 years ago

Yeah I really liked that credits scene too, although im not sure why.

Silence of the Lambs did a similarish end scene. The end shows Hannibal Lector in a different country following the hospital warden to presumably eat him, and it rolls the credits over footage of a random street and people just walking around. It was much spookier than the standard black credits screen.