American Werewolf in London

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

A Classic In the Werewolf Genre, 2010-03-05
This movie was a milestone in Werewolf movie history. It updated the Lycanthropic mythology with new twists and turn. It had obtuse humor paired with real life blood and guts of a maurading beast. br /It has great special effects for its time and an engaging story line. So for all you friday nite horror movie fans, dig out the popcorn!

1 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

American Werewolf in London, 2010-03-05
I bought this DVD as a gift for my hubby. This is one of his favorite movies. He was really happy when I gave it to him because he didn't have this movie on DVD yet.

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

"The last remaining werewolf must be destroyed. It's you, David.", 2010-02-10
In AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (1981), writer/director John Landis respectfully tips his hat to the Lon Chaney Jr. lycanthropic classic of 40 years earlier, then deftly surpasses that picture both stylistically and cinematically. In special effects alone, this one is worlds beyond the clumsy film overlaps used to transform Chaney from an upright man to an upright hirsute. Under a full moon, Landis's misfortunate bite victim moans, screams, thrashes, emits guttural sounds and writhes in naked terror as hands and feet elongate into paws, face stretches to a snout, body hair thickens to sparse fur and the newly-born creature loses all bipedal abilities. br / br /We witness this chillingly detailed metamorphosis one time only, and that's more than adequate. Often the stalking monster is represented by a camera looking out from its viewpoint; also effective as we close in on fleeing prey. There's gore, but it's not gratuitous and is used only when necessary. A new element is that those killed by a werewolf are doomed to wander Earth as undeads until the last of the creatures either commits suicide or is destroyed, which is best accomplished by someone who loves the man underneath the wolf. br / br /Simply put: despite a recent CGI-laden version, this well-done, by turns dramatic, humorous and frightening work just may be the werewolf to see. Highly recommended!

1 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

CANNOT MEASURE UP TO LON CHANEY JR.'S FILMS, 2010-02-10
I HAVE BEEN A STUDENT OF HORROR FILMS ALL OF MY LIFE. I HAVE LOVED ALL THE CLASSIC HORROR FILMS FROM UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, RKO STUDIOS, AMERICAN-INTERNATIONAL PICTURES, WILLIAM CASTLE'S FILMS, MANY OF THE SILENT HORROR FILMS AND ON AND ON. AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, RELEASED IN 1981, WAS A MAJOR LETDOWN BECAUSE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE FILM WERE SO SKY HIGH. IT WAS HYPED TO THE MAX BY FANGORIA MAGAZINE AND SO WE WENT INTO THE THEATER EXPECTING TO SEE A REALLY GREAT WEREWOLF FILM. br / br /JOHN LANDIS WROTE AND DIRECTED THIS FILM. IT HAD DRAMA, HORROR, ROMANCE, ACTION, GORY BLOODY SPECIAL EFFECTS AND HORROR. BUT VERY LITTLE BY WAY OF SUSPENSE AND MYSTERY AND ATMOSPHERE. THE STORY LACKED A COHESIVE STRUCTURE AND DEPTH OF CHARACTER, IN MY OPINION. br / br /YES, RICK BAKER'S EFFECTS WERE TRULY OUTSTANDING BUT THEY WERE THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE MOVIE AND THE FILM ITSELF TOOK A BACK SEAT TO THE SPECIAL EFFECTS. MANY PEOPLE THINK THIS WAS A GREAT FILM BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTS. YOU CANNOT JUDGE A FILM, BASED MAINLY ON THE EFFECTS. IT HAS TO BE A REALLY INTERESTING FILM TO SUCCEED AS A HORROR FILM. br / br /WHAT HORROR THERE WAS IN THIS FILM WAS WATERED DOWN BY JOHN LANDIS' ATTEMPTS AT DARK HUMOR AND CHEESY COMEDY. SOME OF THE ATTEMPTS AT COMEDY IN THIS FILM WERE IN BAD TASTE AND WEREN'T THAT FUNNY TO START WITH. THE SUSPENSE WAS MISSING IN THE STORY. br / br /YOU WANT TO SEE PLOTS THAT HAVE A PROGRESSIVE STORY STRUCTURE. YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE PLOTS THAT DO U-TURNS. EVERY TIME I THOUGHT THIS FILM WAS GOING TO SETTLE DOWN AND TURN INTO A GOOD HORROR FILM, THE STORY WOULD FLIP ITSELF OVER AND DO A U-TURN WITH IT'S SCENES THAT STRAY INTO THE AREA OF COMEDY OR BLACK HUMOR. SOMETIMES THAT CAN WORK BUT, FOR ME, IT DID NOT.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

American Werewolf in London Special Edition, 2010-01-28
Two American students are on a walking tour of England and are attacked by a Werewolf. One is killed, the other is mauled. The Werewolf is killed, but reverts to it's human form, and the townspeople are able to deny it's existence. The surviving student begins to have nightmares of hunting on 4 feet at first, but then finds that his friend and other recent victims appear to him, demanding that he find a way to die to release them from their curse, being trapped between worlds because of their unnatural death. A near definitive werewolf movie that's bloody, scary, funny, satirical,intelligent, sexy, charming and ultimately sad. With a soundtrack that's perfectly placed, and composer Elmer Bernstein perfectly placing the music. Grab the popcorn and hang on folks. br / br /