An American Werewolf in London

There are early examples of films that mixed comedy and horror, but those were more slapstick in style such as Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Shelved for more than a decade as investors were leary on the project that seemed too scary for a comedy and too silly for a horror flick, the success of 1981's An American Werewolf in London would prove doubters wrong and open up a new subgenre for films such as Evil Dead 2 and Shaun of the Dead mixing comedic elements with more serious horror elements and gore.

David Naughton stars as David Kessler, one of two Americans backpacking through the moors of Northern England where he and his friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) are attacked by a werewolf. Waking up in London three weeks later with nightmares and unanswered questions, not helped by the locals hiding the fact of the werewolf from the rest of the world, Jack begins a relationship with his nurse Alex (Jenny Agutter) while his dead friend appears to him in visions warning him that on the next full moon David will become a werewolf and go on a killing spree.

The relationship between David and Alex is strong enough to support the film all on its own, as the film deftly balances the romantic comedy and horror elements including an extended sequence of David's eventually transformation into the werewolf. The idea of a werewolf is ludicrous to everyone (outside the small town), but when the full moon rises no one will be laughing.

Having made his name in pushing the boundaries of comedy, writer/director John Landis produced an immediate hit with his unusual film (even if it took longer to earn widespread critical success, although it did win an Oscar for makeup). The film is scarier than many horror films and funnier than most comedies resulting in a film now widely regarded as a cult classic by both fans and the generation of filmmakers who followed.

Over the years, the film has been released on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray (including a special 35th Anniversary Edition). It's also widely available on a wide selection of streaming platforms.

  • Title: An American Werewolf in London
  • IMDb: link

Popular Posts