The new DVD has a few good extras on it - especially a new interview with Landis. Even after all these years, the film still holds up. Unlike most films, I see more things in it the more I look. What, for instance, is up with the townsfolk of East Proctor and what is their relationship with the original werewolf? My guess - they brought it on themselves somehow. Maybe one of their own ran over a gypsy and was cursed. Instead of killing the bloke, they all decide to hide beneath the pentangle in The Slaughtered Lamb every full moon.

I am recently returned from England and this movie is listed in Fodor's as one of the films that best showcases London. I heartily agree. I visited the infamous tube stop at Tottenham Court Road and it still looks much the same as when the David made his kill there. And as I walked, alone in the countryside, beneath the light of the full moon, I had to ask myself, "Am I crazy?" Fortunately, I made it to the pub. There I waited, beneath the pentangle, for my friends to walk me home.


The greatest Werewolf film ever!   July 14, 2004
 27 out of 30 found this review helpful

1981 was The Year of the Werewolves...the furry fiends leaped onto movie screens in three major films: "The Howling," "Wolfen," and the classic of the genre, "An American Werewolf in London." There has never been a greater werewolf film, there has never been a better transformation scene, and few horror movies can match the entertaining mixture of humor and scares that writer/direction John Landis ("Animal House," "The Blues Brothers") achieved here.

Although there had been humor in horror films before this movie, "An American Werewolf in London" showed once and for all that having comedy in a horror film didn't mean that the film would lose out in the scare department. Landis makes it clear that the film is NOT a comedy -- the horror scenes are carried with dead-seriousness and shocking impact -- but there is so much quirky humor surrounding these scenes that the film becomes incredibly likable and buoyant. Most of the laughs come from seeing the old movie werewolf premise dropped into the modern day and watching the characters try to deal with it.

Actors Griffin Dunne and David Naughton, neither of whom had been in a movie before, create a wonderful 'ordinary guy' feeling to their characters of two young American boys backpacking through Europe. In rural England, they have a nasty encounter with a legendary monster, and Naughton faces the consequences of being bitten when he returns to London and takes up living with a pretty nurse (Jenny Agutter).

The transformation scene is justly famous and a milestone in visual effects. Make-up wizard Rick Baker lets the viewers watch a real-time twisting of a human body into a wolf shape: limbs stretch, snouts pop, hair grows, the body contorts...it's amazing to watch. (And on DVD, you can watch it over and over and over again). Even computer graphics can't achieve an effect as startling as this one.

This DVD offers some nice extras. The image is good, and the 5.1 Surround Sound is decent (although there's not a lot of back speaker sound). Actors Naughton and Dunne do feature commentary on the film, and provide some interesting information and sound as if they were having a great time reliving the experience. I wish that Landis had been on the commentary as well, but you can hear his thoughts on the film in an 18-minute interview. Landis is an absolute hoot to listen to; the guy is as funny as his movie, and he absolutely bursts with ideas and observations. To go along with the Landis interview is an 11-minute interview with make-up maestro Rick Baker. He provides a fascinating look at crafting what he calls "the coolest werewolf film ever made." Also included is a vintage featurette on the making of the film, although it's only about five minutes long (but you get more of wise-cracking John Landis), ten minutes of archival footage of Baker making a cast of David Naughton's hand, and an assortment of storyboards, outtakes, and production photos.

"An American Werewolf in London" is a major turning point in horror films and visual effects -- and even over twenty years later, it is still one of the most entertaining movies of its decade. It hasn't aged at all, and this DVD lets you experience it the way it should be seen (and in the company of wild-man John Landis!)


A shade shy of perfection   November 23, 2007
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

The nagging at home has gotten to me and I'm posting another review. Hopefully this will hold him off for a while (You know that I love you to death Mr. Bronson)

I loved this movie from the moment it started. Seeing me beautiful and peaceful scenery at the opening of the movie really got to me. I know that all these horrible events were about to take place and seeing the serenity that opened the movie created at "wow" factor for me. (As you've probably figured out by now, I'm really big on contrast in a movie.) The characters are "real" in the sense that you an feel for them and sense the agony and passion throughout the movie. I'll admit that I jumped twice in the movie. To me, this is an indiction of how into the movie I am. Yes it's a cheap scare but if I'm analyzing a movie going "this is wrong. that's wrong" then I'm not going to jump when whatever comes out of the closet.

My only complaint with this movie is the ending. I don't mind where it stops per say but it's more the instant jump to the credits with the happy and up beat music after something so sad just happened. (I refuse to put blatant spoilers in my reviews!) I'm all for contrast but (as stated above) but this just wasn't the place for it. Let me have my ending and digest it before forcing me to move onto a new emotion.

But ending on a positive note: Two thumbs up and a definate keeper for the collection.


Holds up well...   January 9, 2007
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

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!


After all these years still enjoy watching this movie   January 28, 2007
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

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.