IMDb top 250: -
Rating 8/10
Director: John Landis
Writers: John Landis
Starring: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, John Woodvine & Griffin Dunne
"Beware the moon, lads."
Two American college students on a tour of Europe start off in Britain and are attacked by a werewolf when visiting a small village outside of London. The movie is part horror and part comedy and it delivers on scares and laughs aplenty. It's most notable for having the most realistic werewolf transformation scene pre CGI.
When I first saw this film, many moons ago (pun intended), I did find it quite scary, now after many viewings I watch it and appreciate how hilarious it is. Comedy and Horror are two genres that are hard to combine and get right but Landis does it superbly. There are some genuinely scary moments that'll have you jumping out your seat and then you'll be laughing out loud at some great very funny dialogue and sight gags!
The scene in the zoo where David (David Naughton) runs around naked is very funny but the best scene for me is in the porn theatre with David's victims and his dead best friend Jack (Griffin Dunne) giving him advice on how to kill himself. It is genius!
If it's gore you're after your in for a treat as the movie has it in spades, the Piccadilly Circus scene is particularly gruesome. The movie rightly won the Oscar for Best Makeup for Rick Baker, his first of seven. If made today most if not all the 'special effects' would be CGI but it looks so much better with prosthetics and makeup.
The acting's a bit ropey at times, especially from David Naughton but it's not particularly terrible from anyone. Jenny Agutter is very sexy and I'd completely forgotten Rik Mayall was one of the patrons in The Slaughtered Lamb.
An American Werewolf is a great movie with some of the most amazing makeup ever seen on screen. Listen out for the Moon inspired soundtrack too, another nice little touch!
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