Plot: What’s it about?
I’ve been reviewing movies for this site for over two decades. And in that time I’ve seen countless films, though even before then I was a “movie buff.” Case in point, there are films I’ve seen that no one has ever heard of and there are some mainstream movies that, for whatever reason, have eluded me. As I’m sure anyone can guess, An American Werewolf in London is one of the latter. I’ve always heard good things, namely about the Oscar-winning work for Best Makeup by Rick Baker who has collected no less than seven Academy Awards for his work in films like this one as well as Men in Black and The Nutty Professor. Nearly as impressive as Baker’s award-winning makeup is the fact that John Landis, who directed this film sandwiched in between Animal House and Trading Places, was the director. Generally a director finds a genre and sticks with it. That’s not the case here. Nevertheless, my wait is over and I’m happy to report that I’m no longer a member of that club that hasn’t seen this film.
The plot of the film revolves around college students David Kessler (David Naughton) and Jack Goodman (Griffin Dunne.) As they backpack through the hillsides of England, Jack talks to David about how much he would prefer to be in Italy. After being dropped off the back of a truck full of sheep, they walk their way through the English countryside. They come upon a pub called The Slaughtered Lamb and meet some of the strange town folk. The townspeople become quiet when they enter, immediately giving the sense that they are not welcome. The pub has no food and the only hot drink it features is tea. After a lively discussion of the Alamo in the pub, Jack asks the pub denizens about the five pointed star on the tavern wall. This causes a gasping silence and a man throwing darts misses the board. Jack and David are asked to leave. One man warns them to stick to the roads and avoid the moors. When they fail to follow this advice, they encounter an unknown beast – a werewolf. Jack Goodman is killed by the werewolf and David is attacked. The werewolf is shot and transforms into a naked human being. David awakes in a hospital in London. He is attended to by a beautiful nurse named Ms. Price (Jenny Agutter) and Dr. Hirsch. The news report says that Jack Goodman was killed by an escaped lunatic. David finds out that he had been unconscious for three weeks and his wounds had been attended before he arrived at the hospital. David begins to have nightmares and dreams where he is running through forests. His dead friend Jack comes back to let him know that the werewolf’s curse will not be lifted until the werewolf’s bloodline is severed. Jack informs David that he needs to kill himself for the protection of others. Until David kills himself, Jack will be forced into a form of limbo amongst the undead. David will becomes a monster at the first full moon. Fearing that Jack may be correct, or that he is losing his sanity, he convinces the nurse to let him stay with her. As their romance blossoms, the full moon draws closer.
It’s often difficult to watch a movie that’s been so heralded for countless years. The bar has been set pretty high, so to speak. So when watching the film I was expecting to be blown away. I wasn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but watching a film that’s over 40 years old for the first time – it’s got to be something pretty special to have an impact that much later. I watched The Goonies with my wife recently. She’d never seen it and I remember seeing it in the theater, was surprised that she was like “Meh.” I wasn’t sure what to make of the film with it being a comedy or a horror movie or a bit of both (it’s a bit of both, by the way). Hearing CCR’s “Bad Moon Rising” as a man transforms into a werewolf isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when watching a film about a man killing innocent people. But, here we are. Regardless, I do have to say that I enjoyed it. Now I guess I need to see An American Werewolf in Paris, eh?
Video: How’s it look?
Universal’s new 4K presentation of An American Werewolf in London is a significant upgrade over the previous Blu-ray, giving this 1981 classic a clean, film-like presentation that retains the natural grain structure while delivering a noticeable boost in fine detail and overall clarity. The moors, London streets and interiors all exhibit considerably more texture, and Rick Baker’s Oscar-winning makeup effects benefit tremendously from the increased resolution, with facial details, prosthetics and gore looking especially impressive. Colors are generally natural and appropriately muted, though reds and greens have a bit more punch thanks to the HDR grading, while black levels are deeper and shadow detail remains nicely visible without crushing the darker sequences. There are a few shots where the inherent softness and heavier grain of the original photography are still apparent, but that’s hardly a knock against the transfer—it simply reflects the source material.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The new Dolby Atmos track for An American Werewolf in London delivers a strong, immersive upgrade while still maintaining the character of the original mix. Dialogue remains clean and well-balanced, with the film’s memorable score and sound effects receiving a welcome boost in clarity and presence. The expanded soundstage gives the atmospheric elements more room to breathe, particularly during the scenes on the moors and throughout the increasingly chaotic transformation and werewolf sequences. Surrounds are generally reserved for moments that call for it, but when the action kicks in, the track opens up nicely and creates a convincing sense of space. It’s a well-balanced, enveloping presentation that adds plenty of punch and atmosphere without sacrificing the character of the original soundtrack.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Universal’s disc ports over many, though not all, of the features found on Shout’s disc.
- Audio Commentary – Featuring cast members David Naughton and Griffin Dunne.
- Beware the Moon – Paul Davis’ acclaimed feature-length documentary on the making of the film. This is an absolutely wonderful documentary that features in-depth interviews with Landis, Naughton, Baker, Dunne, and many more. It discusses at length how Baker created the stunning practical effects in the film and gives some wonderful background on how Landis scripted the film.
- I Walked with a Werewolf Another archival interview Rick baker about his affection for Universal horror and the Wolfman films. This looks to be filmed for his work on The Wolfman.
- Behind-the-Scenes & Featurettes – Several, more technically-oriented features focus on the makeup, special effects and casting.
- Making An American Werewolf in London – A short archival featurette on the film’s production.
- An Interview with John Landis – An archival interview with the director about the film.
- Makeup Artist Rick Baker on An American Werewolf in London – In this archival interview, the make-up artist discusses his work on the film. This was shot for the Paul Davis documentary.
- Casting of the Hand – Archival footage from Rick Baker’s workshop as they cast David Naughton’s hand.
- Outtakes
- Storyboards
- A photograph montage
- Monster by Moonlight (hosted by John Landis) – This looks at “classic werewolf cinema” (evidently there’s enough films made where this is a thing) that focuses on Universal’s 1941 film The Wolf Man.
The Bottom Line
It’s odd how some movies slip through the cracks and sometimes it takes decades for someone to see “every” must see film. I can now cross An American Werewolf in London off my list. I’m sure, at the time, this was a lot more talked about though it does seem a bit tame by comparison. Still, John Landis had a hat trick with National Lampoon’s Animal House, this and Trading Places in the late 70’s – early 80’s. While not sporting as many features as Shout’s 2019 disc, this one should suffice.
