Interesting combination of werewolf horror and police procedural. More slow-paced and idea-driven than I was expecting, but it does have some memorable scenes. Strange that this film, The Howling, and American Werewolf in London all came out within 4 months of each other in 1981. It must have seemed like there was a sudden glut of werewolf films.

I find it really interesting that this came out the same year as American Werewolf in London.
They have a lot in common. Both center on supernatural wolves on a rampage in a contemporary urban center. Both make heavy use of Steadicam shots to represent the beast's POV.
But they also oppose each other in interesting ways. One is told from the perspective of a normal human, only seeing bits and pieces of the creature's rampage and only barely understanding what he sees. The other is seen through the eyes of the beast itself.
In one film, the creature is dispatched by man, a relic of an older time handily silenced by the enforcers of the modern world. In the other, modern society's guardian humbles himself to be spared by the relic, who is stronger and fiercer than man.
The two compliment each other rather beautifully, and it's hard to imaging it was all just a coincidence.

It might be because I watched it during the Fall weather but this one really captures the vibe of the season with the changing leaves and a chilly wind that helps to sell the mood of Autumn in NYC. It's a slow moving supernatural whodunit with the appropriate amount of gore one would expect with this type of film. A great slice of nostalgic early 80's NYC, particularly the shots of the south Bronx which look something like post-war Germany.

Also, I'm 99% sure that Predator stole the quasi-infrared vision from this film. It even has that characteristic "whoosh" sound effect when they first use it.