An American Werewolf in London (1981)
directed by John Landis
Rated R for gore, cussin, and nudity
For fans of buddy comedies, werewolves, and practical effects. This one is a little more comedy than horror, but still remains one of the definitive werewolf films.
My rating: Classic– Alongside Werewolf of London and The Wolfman (1941), this movie is part of the bedrock of werewolf films. I considered putting this in my rating Worth the Hype, because it absolutely is, but I really do think this film informs so many other werewolf depictions and its transformation scene is still one of the most definitive in cinema history.
Some thoughts: This movie is nuts. See that guy up there? That’s a scene from this movie, the one I just told you was clearly about a werewolf. The story follows David and Jack, two young fellas backpacking across Britain, who stumble upon an ominous pub with patrons who warn the Americans to “stay off the moors”. And you get what happens next: one of them dies, one of them becomes a werewolf. The dead friend visits the infected protagonist throughout the film, cursed to appear in continuing states of decay so long as the werewolf lives.
I already mentioned the incredible transformation scene, but the special effects throughout the film are some of the best in cinema history. Plenty of blood but also just really sick creature work (that scene I mentioned above) and the friend’s decomposition is incredible, both as a story element and as a visual effect. I also appreciate the incredible cinematography, the tight, focused story, and the very effective use of humor woven throughout. Like most werewolf stories, this is a story of a curse, but boy is this one a fun tragedy to experience.