When released in 1981 AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON created
quite a stir among horror fans. Not only was it an amazing horror film it was
one of two notable werewolf films released that year, the other being THE
HOWLING. Fans continue to argue to this day about which film had the most
unique transformation sequence but Oscar voters decided and awarded the best
special effects makeup that year to Rick Baker for his work on this film. But
the movie was more than just special effects.
The story opens with two American backpackers on holiday in
England. David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) are walking along the
road in the dark when they come upon a small village and a local pub, The
Slaughtered Lamb, still open. They step in to find an unwelcoming group of
townsfolk whose hospitality is sorely lacking. Knowing they’re not welcome they
decide to leave but not before they’re warned to stay out of the moors and on
the road. Once gone the group begins to talk about how they should have taken
them in.
Of course while walking they lose their way, end up in the
aforementioned moors and are attacked by what appears to be a giant wolf. Jack
is killed and the folks from the pub arrive in time to save David who’s been
bitten by the wolf. David wakes in a hospital where he’s being watched over by
Nurse Alex Price (Jenny Agutter). The police question him but he has few
answers.
While in the hospital David is visited by Jack, or at least
his ghost. Still carrying the mangled face he ended up with as a result of the
attack he tells David that he was killed by a werewolf. He also lets David know
that with the next full moon he too will transform into a wolf and that the
only way for him to rest in peace is for David to kill himself. Of course David
thinks he’s hallucinating.
While in the hospital and with no one else to turn to, David
begins a romance with his nurse. When released Alex takes him back to her
apartment to stay until he mends. While she’s at work Jack reappears once more,
this time a bit more decomposed, and warns David again. Still thinking he’s a
hallucination he ignores the warning. Until that night when he changes into a
wolf, goes out, kills several people and wakes the next morning to find himself
naked in the wolf area of the zoo.
David tries to get himself arrested in Trafalgar Square with
no luck. When Alex shows to help him all he wants to do is put distance between
them so he doesn’t do her harm. Popping into a porn theater David once more
sees Jack, not more rotted flesh than human as well as the other victims of his
rampage. They all attempt to talk him into killing himself but will he be able
to do so and will he do it in time?
While watching the film this time, the first in several years,
I was surprised at how straightforward the story was and how time passed
quickly while watching it. I’d always felt it was longer than the 97 minutes it
clocks in at and this time they went by sooner than I expected. I’d remembered
the film as entertaining but was again surprised at not just how solid a story
it was but how it was put together with perfection.
Director John Landis at this point in his career was known
mostly for comedies having directed THE KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, ANIMAL HOUSE and
THE BLUES BROTHERS. His move to horror suited him and he combined bits of humor
in the mix but not enough to take away from the real genre the film belongs in.
Landis would return to horror in several other films later in his career and
this one didn’t pigeonhole him as a genre director but it is an amazing first
attempt.
To discuss Rick Baker’s makeup effects here would be to be
only a chapter in the career he has established for himself. Baker has done so
many amazing effects before and after this film that there is little doubt he
will find himself in the hall of fame for those who create these images if one
ever exists. Not only are we able to watch the transformation on screen but we
can feel the pain involved as one would change from man to wolf here. To this
day people still discuss this transformation.
The acting on hand is also above par. Naughton, probably
known more for his work in a Dr. Pepper commercial than anything, showed that
he had a certain naïve charm to him in the role of David. Dunne has never been
better and has the funniest lines in the whole movie as the decomposing Jack.
Agutter looks lovely but has little to do other than be sympathetic. But all of
these combine to make an effective movie.
The film has been released before on blu-ray but that
doesn’t compare to the new edition being released by Arrow Video. The company
once more shows why they are the premiere company when it comes to releases
like this. To start with this release is a new 2019 restoration from the
original camera negative supervised by John Landis, giving a clarity unseen
before with the picture. And extras?
Arrow continues to supply extras enough to keep you busy for
some time. This time around they include a new audio commentary track by BEWARE
THE MOON filmmaker Paul Davis, an audio commentary track by Naughton and Dunne,
MARK OF THE BEAST: THE LEGACY OF THE UNIVERSAL WEREWOLF a newly produced
feature length documentary by filmmaker Daniel Griffith with interviews
including Landis, Naughton, Joe Dante and more, AN AMERICAN FILMMAKER IN LONDON
a newly filmed interview with Landis where he reflects on British cinema and
his time working in Britain, I THINK HE’S A JEW: THE WEREWOLF’S SECRET a new
video essay by filmmaker Jon Spira about how Landis’ film explores Jewish
identity, THE WEREWOLF’S CALL features Corin Hardy (director of THE HALLOW and
THE NUN) chatting with writer Simon Ward about their formative experiences with
Landis’ film, WARES OF THE WOLF a new featurette in which SFX artists Dan
Martin and Tim Lawes of Prop Store look at some of the original costumes and
special effects artefacts from the film, BEWARE THE MOON a feature length
exploration of Landis’ film by Paul Davis featuring interviews with the cast
and crew, MAKING AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON a short archival featurette on
the making of the film, AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHN LANDIS a lengthy archival
interview with the director about the film, makeup artists Rick Baker on the
film, I WALKED WITH A WEREWOLF is an archival interview with baker about Universal
horror and its legacy of Wolfman films, CASTING OF THE HAND features archival
footage from Baker’s workshop showing the casting of Naughton’s hand, outtakes,
storyboard featurette, original trailers, teasers and TV spots, an extensive
image gallery with over 200 stills, poster and other items and a reversible
sleeve featuring original poster art and artwork by Graham Humphreys. All in
all the extras will take you longer to watch than the film itself!
The movie itself is a solid investment for movie fans and
especially horror fans. Arrow Video makes it even more of a must have for those
same fans, providing the best looking version of the film available as well as
a wealth of extras that must be seen to be believed. This one is an item that
needs to find a place on your shelf.
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