Stars: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine

Director: John Landis

Summary: Two American students on vacation are confronted with an ancient terror as they walk along the moors on a moonlit night.

In John Landis' (THE BLUES BROTHERS, ANIMAL HOUSE) dripping black comedy, two American students (David Naughton and Griffin Dunne) on a European vacation wander into a creepy local pub in Northern England and are quickly thrown out. Stranded and alone in the dark countryside, the pair get lost in their search for warm lodging. Little do they know that they are about to be changed forever by an ancient terror as they walk along the moors on a moonlit night. Only one of the students survives a deadly attack by a supernatural beast--at least he thinks he survived, until the next full moon rolls around. Terrific makeup effects (by Oscar winner Rick Baker), clever editing, and raunchy tongue-in-cheek humor made this suspenseful and thrilling horror effort an instant classic.

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Reviewed by: philreyn
Posted on October 18, 2005 1:55 PM

I remember being very impressed with this movie back in the eighties. The John Landis metamorphoses from man to Werewolf were legend (he also did Michael Jacksons Thriller effects!). These effects are a little dated by todays standards, but still very good. The film has just the right blend of humour and horror, to have you laughing behind the sofa. I liked the idea of his victims coming back as ghosts to haunt him (David Naughton that is). Watch out for an early cameo appearance from Rik Mayall. At todays budget price, this is still very much worth a look.

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With an ingenious script, engaging characters, nerve-shredding suspense, genuinely frightening set-pieces and laugh-out-loud funny bits An American Werewolf in Londonis a prime candidate for the finest horror-comedy ever made. Americans David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) are backpacking in northern England when Jack is killed by a wild beast and David is bitten. Back in London David finds himself falling in love with a nurse, Alex (played with winning charm by Jenny Agutter), and turning into a werewolf. Adding to his problems, an increasingly decomposed Jack keeps coming back from the dead, and he is not a happy corpse. The Oscar winning make-up and transformation scenes still look good and rather than send itself up Werewolfplays its horror seriously, the laughs coming naturally from the surreal situation. Naughton is engagingly confused and disbelieving, desperately coping with the ever more nightmarish world, while Landis delivers one absolutely stunning dream sequence, an unbearably tense hunt on the London Underground and a breathtaking finale. Gory, erotic, shocking and romantic, this unforgettable horror classic has it all. Tom Holland's Fright Night(1985) remixed the formula with vampires, as did Landis himself in Innocent Blood(1992). A disappointing sequel, An American Werewolf in Paris, followed in 1997. --Gary S Dalkin

Aspect Ratio:	16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Actors Commentary, Behind The Scenes, Outtakes, Interview With John Landis, Interview With Rick Baker, Focus On Technical Effects, Storyboard To Film Comparison, Stills Gallery, 4 Page Booklet With Production Notes
Year:	1981
Release Date:	October 10, 2005
Runtime:	93 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	078 674 2
Keywords:	London, American, Werewolf, Comedy, Horror, Occult
Genre:	Horror/Occult