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Even as it keeps one paw planted firmly in the horror-comedy tradition of Young Frankenstein, An American Werewolf in London deftly manages to jolt the viewer with scenes of genuine terror -- this feat was unique in 1981, when the film was released, though it eventually became the hot horror trend of the late '90s. The film opens with two college chums, David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), embarking on a backpacking trip across Europe. They wind up in a quaint town where the tendency toward tight-lipped English reserve is in stark contrast to the local legend: werewolves that howl and bite. Sure enough, a wolf attacks the boys, and once David is bitten, his lycanthropic destiny begins to get the better of him. Complicating matters is Alex (Jenny Agutter), David's accommodating nurse, who finds David fetching until the unnatural blood lust takes over his body and mind. Director John Landis, fresh off his comedy hits Animal House and The Blues Brothers, goes for slightly more subtle laughs here; employing multiple versions of the haunting "Blue Moon," for instance, most notably in David's first man-wolf transformation. Broader bits, such as Dunne's bone-dry zombie turn, help lay the foundation for the self-referential shockers to come (like the Scream trilogy). Rick Baker earned the first-ever Academy Award for makeup for his remarkable work on An American Werewolf in London; and he teamed up again with Landis in '84 to create monster makeup for Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video. Patricia Kim O'Cone

All Movie Guide

While wandering the English moors on vacation, college yanks David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) happen upon a quaint pub with a mysterious patronage who warn them not to leave the road when walking after dark. Irreverent of such advice as characters in horror films always are, the two decide to find a short cut....David wakes up in the hospital with a nasty bite wound to his shoulder; the freshly deceased, and rapidly decomposing, Jack arrives soon after to deliver the grim news that, unless he commits suicide, David will become a werewolf when the moon is full. David dismisses the encounter as a hallucination, but all indicators point to lycanthrope; evenings of barking and bloodletting follow closely behind. While the story is thin and much of the tongue-in-cheek humor is overdone, there are plenty of genuine jolts thanks to makeup guru Rick Baker's eye-popping special effects. The werewolf, resembling a cross between a bear and a wolverine, appears frighteningly real, and, given the fantastic premise, the gore is most convincing (although surprisingly and refreshingly scant). The hospital dream sequences are creative, and the scenes in which the werewolf runs rampant through downtown London are particularly good. In all, An American Werewolf in London is an original, atmospheric film that manages both to scare and amuse. While dismissed by most American critics upon its release, the film managed to secure a place in the annals of American cinema when Baker won an Academy Award for his amazing effects and creature designs. Jeremy Beday

Product Details

• UPC: 025195053648
• Source: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Special Edition, Subtitled, Dubbed
• Time: 1:00:00
• Sales Rank: 24,527

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