An American Werewolf in London

Starring:Jenny Agutter, Sean Baker, Joe Belcher, Michele Brisigotti, Anne-Marie Davies, Griffin Dunne, Colin Fernandes, Mark Fisher, Brian Glover, Lila Kaye, Paul Kember, Rik Mayall, Don McKillop, Albert Moses (II), David Naughton, Frank Oz, Paddy Ryan, David Schofield, John Woodvine
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Remember back in the early 1980s when special-effects makeup artists were tripping over themselves to create the next big effect? The Howling boasted a fantastic werewolf transformation scene courtesy of makeup wizard Rob Bottin. Then along came Bottin's mentor, Rick Baker, with his own spectacular effects in this popular horror comedy directed by John Landis. An American Werewolf in London is more of a makeup showcase than a truly satisfying movie, but the film is effectively moody when David Naughton discovers that a wolf attack has turned him into a bloodthirsty lycanthrope. Jenny Agutter plays his love interest (watch out, he bites!), and who can forget Griffin Dunne as Naughton's best friend, an undead corpse who progressively rots away as the plot unfolds? All things considered, it's easy to see why An American Werewolf in London became a modern horror favorite. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

The best Werewolf.......2007-05-13

For a longtime this was my favourite film of all time, its not anymore, but it is still a genuine classic film, that deserves a place amongst the greatest horror films ever made.

The reasons for this are threefold:
Firstly the special effects by Rick Baker are amazing. Remember this was made 25 years ago, there was no digital effects then, what you see on the screen was either done with make-up or animatronic puppets. Rick Baker won an Oscar for his work on this film in 1982.

Secondly the blend of horror and comedy. If you watch the extras you will hear the director Jon Landis state that the film is not a comedy, although he admits it is funny. Some of the scenes are very funny and this comedy, sometimes black comedy works really well against the horror in the rest of the film. The horror in this film is brilliantly done with the double nightmare sequence being a particular favourite of mine.

Thirdly of course its a love story. The ending to the film is ultimately all about the love story, but once again John Landis confuses our emotions by immediately playing The Marcels great version of Blue Moon over the end credits.

The scene in the Slaughtered Lamb is a direct reference to the multitude of classic Hammer Films that featured a Pub that went silent went our hero entered it. You will spot quite a few well known faces in the Slaughtered Lamb including a fresh-faced looking Rik Mayall.

The extras on this edition are pretty good, with both Rick Baker and Jon Landis having some interesting things to say. Perhaps the most surprising was that Jon Landis wrote the script for this film in 1969. There's also some fascinating stuff on how Rick Baker created the amazing special effects.

Beware of the moon.

Excellent film, and not just for special effects.......2007-03-24

When people talk about this film, many speak of the classic transformation scene. Yes, it was an amazing achievement of special effects. Don't let that distract you, however, from the fact that this was a highly intelligent take on the werewolf genre. David Naughton is excellent as the american student come werewolf, and Griffin Dunne almost steals the movie as the gradually decomposing, but generally pleasant, corpse who continually reappears to his friend. There are classic campy jokes (e.g., when David tries to get arrested as a form of protecting others from his werewolf alter ego) as well as real drama, and an excellent supporting cast. Stay off the moors!

Darkly funny; you'll howl with laughter *wince*.......2007-03-11

OK, I couldn't resist that pun . . .

That said, I have loved this movie for years. Two American boys are hiking across England when they end up at a mysterious inn on a full moon night. Despite warnings, they decide to keep going and get lost on the moors. One is horribly killed (this is a gory, gruesome movie - not for the faint-hearted!) and the other . . . survives. Once he awakens from his coma, he moves in with his sexy nurse and begins to see the badly decomposing corpse of his friend following him around, telling him to kill himself before it is too late. As the bodies pile up, the corpses following him around become quite a group (this is the darkly funny part - I love the dead people - yeah, I'm a sick ******)

Like all traditional werewolf movies, this one ends badly (as in sadly); I always feel SO sorry for werewolves - they have a terrible lot in life. But it is a true classic of the werewolf genre, one I highly recommend to anyone who loves horror, werewolves, monster movies and dark humor.

A masterpiece.......2007-02-12

All these years later and it still holds up to this day. John Landis crafted a comedic and horiffic classic with An American Werewolf in London in 1981, forever changing the way werewolf movies, and possibly horror movies in general, are made. The story, if you don't know it by now, finds an American student (David Naughton) surviving a werewolf attack in England. Things get much worse though when he starts seeing his dead friend (Griffin Dunne) informing him to kill himself before the next full moon. Loaded with sharp humor, incredible script work and directing (Landis has never done better), and superb makeup effects by industry legend Rick Baker (many of which still hold up today), An American Werewolf in London is an all time classic that deserves it's legendary status. With a great assortment of DVD extras, and at this cheap price, picking this up is a steal, and it's a crime if you're a horror fan and it's not already part of your collection.

VERY INTERESTING.......2007-02-09

From the beginning to the end was excellent. The music played throughout the movie wasnt scary but funny in a scary twisted way. I think it is a great movie

Average customer rating:

After all these years still enjoy watching this movie
Holds up well...
A HORROR FLICK TO DIE FOR...
"Dr. Pepper" guy gets nipped

An American Werewolf in London [HD DVD]
Starring: David Naughton , and Griffin Dunne
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Comedy | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Horror | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Science Fiction & Fantasy | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Thing [HD DVD]
The Mummy [HD DVD]
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The Mummy Returns [HD DVD]

ASIN: B000IONJHE
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Customer Reviews:

After all these years still enjoy watching this movie.......2007-01-28

HD-DVD reviewed in 1080i
I am not going to review the movie wich has been done many times before, instead i am reviewing the HD-DVD DVD combo version.
Picture quality is sharp and detailed, but the filmstock is very grainy wich distracts from the movie at some points.
The audio is a 2.1 soundtrack wich is not very spacial.
The audio commentary with 2 of the main actors is interesting but i would
have preferred a commentary with the director and filmcrew.
The special features are on the Flip(DVD)side and are at best average.
I wish they would have restored the movie in a quality that would made it worth buying this on HD-DVD even if you had the dvd version.
Hence only the 3/5 stars.

Holds up well..........2007-01-10

American Werewolf is one of THE seminal werewolf films. Period. It is certainly in the top 3 along with Universal Studios brilliant "The Wolfman". Even after 20+ years, it holds up exceptionally well. Rick Baker's effects, particularly the transformation and the werewolf in Picadilly, still amaze. And in HD they look even better.

The HD DVD version has a nice picture. Nice, not great. The stock itself was mediocore and the HD conversion shows the flaws of the original film stock. The picture is a little softer though not as grainy as some other 80s films blown up to HD. The sound quality is very nice and is definitely an improvement over the SD DVD.

The extras are nice, particularly the effects feature.

Overall, a really nice job done on a terrific film. Definitely recommended for horror fans!

A HORROR FLICK TO DIE FOR..........2006-12-17

Written and directed by a young John Landis, this 1981 release was a hit and rightly so. It is a smart, sharp, scary, and ultimately satisfying horror flick with a dash of romance tossed into the brew. Boasting a young and energetic cast, it succeeds brilliantly in what it sets out to do: entertain.

David Naughton (I'm a Pepper; you're a Pepper) is terrific as a young American backpacking along the moors in Northern England with his friend, played with comic deftness by Griffin Dunne. They are advised to stay on the road and off the moors. When they come upon a strangely named roadside in, they stop in for refreshments, only to get a very odd and funny reception upon their arrival. Feeling unwelcome, they decide to move along, but not before being told once again to keep to the road and off the moors.

Though they are able to see the road, as there is a full moon, they carelessly wander off onto the moors. No sooner do they do so that they start to hear the baying and howling of some creature. Scared and realizing that they have wandered off the road, they start running for it, when suddenly "it" is upon them, killing Griffin almost instantly before attacking David. David is saved by those very folk who had made them feel unwelcome in the inn. How they do it makes for a great scene.

The unconscious David finds himself waking in a London hospital several weeks later, remembering that he and his friend had been attacked by a viscious wolflike animal, a story at odds with what the police had been told by the local villagers. David begins to have some disconcerting dreams and visits by his now dead friend, who claims to be part of the undead. David, who thinks he is going crazy, is looked after in the hospital by an interested doctor, played by John Woodvine, and a lovely and caring nurse, played by a very young Jenny Agutter. David and Jenny happens to fall in love and upon his release from the hospital, he goes and stays with Jenny in her apartment. It is there that, during a full moon, David experiences what he has become.

What happens next is both frightening and, at times, humorous, due to the wonderful script penned by Landis. The doctor, intrigued by David's claims that he was bitten by a wolf like animal, coupled with a bizarre series of murders where the victims are found half eaten, travels to where David had been attacked and discovers the same roadside inn, where he encounters a reception similar to that which David and Griffin had received. Returning to London, he sets about trying to help David. Meanwhile David is himself confronted by what has happened, though he has no recollection of having done anything. What transpires next, however, will keep the viewer riveted to the screen.

This is a great horror film, well acted by the entire cast. The special effects won make up artist, Rick Baker, the first of his six Academy Awards for special makeup effects (Star Wars, The Nutty Professor, Planet of the Apes, Men in Black, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas). This is a DVD well worth having in one's collection.

"Dr. Pepper" guy gets nipped.......2006-11-26

David (David Naughton "Be a Pepper") and Jack are Americans visiting England. Evidently they are not aware of the many werewolf movies. Everyone knows to beware of the moors. Not these two. Yep one gets bit the other ripped. Of course no one believes David when he mentions his hairy dreams and his suspicion that he may be experiencing that change in life. Long before the movie "Six Sense". David also saw dead people.

While in hospital for his bite recovery, a nurse (Jenny Aggutter of "Logan's Run" fame) takes a special interest in him and takes him home like a stray. So is he a bit unbalanced or does he have a nocturnal apatite that includes a lot of dumb people?

There is lots of great and not so great music with a moon motif in the background.

The movie stretches the theme too far. The jokes are just enough off to not be jokes. The pacing is off enough to make your fangs grate. Many opportunities were missed. And the abrupt ending leaves you wondering why?

Average customer rating:

The best Werewolf
Excellent film, and not just for special effects
Darkly funny; you'll howl with laughter *wince*
A masterpiece
VERY INTERESTING

An American Werewolf in London
Starring: Jenny Agutter , Sean Baker , Joe Belcher , Michele Brisigotti , and Anne-Marie Davies
Manufacturer: Live / Artisan
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Frighteningly Funny | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Horror | Cult Movies | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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An American Werewolf in Paris
The Howling (Special Edition)
Dog Soldiers
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Fright Night

ASIN: 6304675771
Release Date: 1997-12-10

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

The best Werewolf.......2007-05-13

Excellent film, and not just for special effects.......2007-03-24

Darkly funny; you'll howl with laughter *wince*.......2007-03-11

A masterpiece.......2007-02-12

VERY INTERESTING.......2007-02-09

From the beginning to the end was excellent. The music played throughout the movie wasnt scary but funny in a scary twisted way. I think it is a great movie

Average customer rating:

Well dog my cats

American Werewolf in London/Cat People
Starring: Jenny Agutter , Sean Baker , Joe Belcher , Michele Brisigotti , and Anne-Marie Davies
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B0002NRRXS
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Customer Reviews:

Well dog my cats.......2005-01-31

American Werewolf

"Dr. Pepper" guy gets nipped

David (David Naughton "Be a Pepper") and Jack are Americans visiting England. Evidently they are not aware of the many werewolf movies. Everyone knows to beware of the moors. Not these two. Yep one gets bit the other ripped. Of course no one believes David when he mentions his hairy dreams and his suspicion that he may be experiencing that change in life. Long before the movie "Six Sense". David also saw dead people.

While in hospital for his bite recovery, a nurse (Jenny Aggutter of "Logan's Run" fame) takes a special interest in him and takes him home like a stray. So is he a bit unbalanced or does he have a nocturnal apatite that includes a lot of dumb people?

There is lots of great and not so great music with a moon motif in the background.

The movie stretches the theme too far. The jokes are just enough off to not be jokes. The pacing is off enough to make your fangs grate. Many opportunities were missed. And the abrupt ending leaves you wondering why?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nastassja Kinski and Malcolm McDowell don't pussyfoot around

The thing that first strikes you as you see this for the first time is the Sound track [Cat People: Original Soundtrack] "Putting out the fire; Theme from Cat People" Music Written by Giorgio Moroder Lyrics Written and Performed by David Bowie.

Next in the midst of a great cast you notice Nastassja and wonder why you did not get the picture of her and the Python mounted over your fireplace. With her new eyes of green she almost overwhelms the story.
Malcolm is creepier than usual; the first time he hops up on all fours, you want to throw him a mouse. Among many other great performances he played H. G. Wells in [Time After Time (1979)]

The story plot follows the complicated lives of cat people as they cope with modern day Louisiana. Irena Gallier is coming of age and puberty hit her hard. She adds a new dimension to the term "running around."
You may want to watch the original movie; but do not waste you energy trying to compare them as they from two different eras and budgets.

You definitely want to see this film, as you may be a cat person and not know it.

An American Werewolf in London [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

The best Werewolf
Excellent film, and not just for special effects
Darkly funny; you'll howl with laughter *wince*
A masterpiece
VERY INTERESTING

An American Werewolf in London [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

An American Werewolf in Paris
The Howling (Special Edition)
Dog Soldiers
Silver Bullet (1985) (Ws Sub)
Fright Night

ASIN: B00005N96W

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

The best Werewolf.......2007-05-13

Excellent film, and not just for special effects.......2007-03-24

Darkly funny; you'll howl with laughter *wince*.......2007-03-11

A masterpiece.......2007-02-12

VERY INTERESTING.......2007-02-09

From the beginning to the end was excellent. The music played throughout the movie wasnt scary but funny in a scary twisted way. I think it is a great movie

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