An American Werewolf in London-1981

Director John Landis

Starring David Naughton, Griffin Dunne

Scott’s Review #253

Reviewed July 2, 2015

Grade: B

A melding of British-American horror and comedy, An American Werewolf in London (1981) provides entertainment while also being a campy and silly.

While two American buddies, Jack and David, traverse the English countryside with backpacks in tow on a spring break jaunt of sorts, one is viciously attacked and killed by a strange werewolf, setting off a series of strange occurrences that play out over the remainder of the film.

From this point, the film is told from the perspective of one of the males, as the other appears to him in visions, warning him of his inevitable transformation into a werewolf.

An American Werewolf in London does not intend to mock the horror genre, but it is certainly campy and over-the-top.

Despite the cult-classic accolades thrust upon the film, which I respect, it is not among my favorites.

I would have preferred it to tilt more towards the horror classification rather than the comedy, because it comes across as some spoof, with the main characters overacting.

The film has a silly quality. It is light fare instead of dark or morbid, and even the kills are meant to be fun, not horrific. In a way, it is almost cheesy, and that is not a compliment.

This is not to say that the film is completely subpar. It is decent, but not very believable, and I think that is a distraction and a missed opportunity.

However, my favorite characteristics of this film are the makeup/special effects and the musical score, which features such fitting treats as “Moondance”, “Bad Moon Rising”, and “Blue Moon”.

Sense an intelligent theme? The makeup, especially during the reanimation sequences, is creative and still impressive today, considering the film was made in 1981.

Besides, the best scene of the film is undoubtedly the “Slaughtered Lamb” scene when Jack and David stumble upon the aptly named pub filled with interesting, blue-collar-looking locals.

When one of the tourists inquires about a mysterious five-pointed star on the wall, the pub dwellers grow angry and cold, leaving the young men confused and intrigued.

This scene is full of interest, and I only wish the pub characters had more of a chance to shine, as they seem benevolent and have potential backstory.

I would have enjoyed learning more about the history of these folks.

Sadly, the focus is by and large on Jack and David and a poorly constructed love interest- Nurse Alex Price, who is not to be taken at all seriously and played for one-dimensional laughs.

A lighthearted, sort-of fun late-night flick, An American Werewolf in London is a cult film, though I would not agree with the “cult classic” distinction.

Oscar Nominations: 1 win-Best Makeup (won)