An American Werewolf in London
1981 · Directed by John Landis
Original language: English
- comedy
- horror
- fantasy
The story
American tourists David and Jack are savagely attacked by an unidentified animal while hiking on the Yorkshire Moors. After retiring to the home of a beautiful nurse to recuperate, David soon begins experiencing disturbing changes to his body and mind.
What it’s like
Warm pub lamplight gives way to cold, wet moorland and then to grimy London streets after dark, and the film moves between the two with a deliberate jolt. Its look is mostly practical and tactile: rubbery prosthetic bodies, bright red blood, and a famous, long transformation sequence shot with a patient camera that refuses to cut away. The soundtrack leans on pop standards and a 1970s rock hit that turns each full moon into an event, while the quieter moments rest on the hush of hospital corridors and empty night streets. The vibe is sardonic and jittery, a comedy about dread that keeps undercutting itself with a grim joke. Pacing is brisk in the first half and mournful in the second, as a young man's mounting panic meets a grief that refuses to stay in the background. It is violent and gory, with a savage opening attack, bloody mauling, and gruesome decay imagery, plus a little nudity and some frank sexual content, but it stays more shocking than cruel. It suits a Halloween rewatch or a late-night viewing with friends, and it is for people who like horror that laughs at itself without losing its bite.
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