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An American Werewolf in London (1981)

R  97 min  -  Fantasy | Horror   -  21 August 1981 (USA)
7.5
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Ratings: 7.5/10 from 31,700 users   Metascore: 60/100 
Reviews: 296 user | 135 critic | 6 from Metacritic.com

Two American tourists in Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.

Director:

John Landis

Writer:

John Landis
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
David Naughton ...
Jenny Agutter ...
Griffin Dunne ...
John Woodvine John Woodvine ...
Lila Kaye Lila Kaye ...
Joe Belcher Joe Belcher ...
Truck Driver
David Schofield ...
Dart Player
Brian Glover Brian Glover ...
Chess Player
Rik Mayall ...
2nd Chess Player
Sean Baker Sean Baker ...
2nd Dart Player
Paddy Ryan Paddy Ryan ...
First Werewolf
Anne-Marie Davies Anne-Marie Davies ...
Frank Oz ...
Don McKillop Don McKillop ...
Inspector Villiers
Paul Kember Paul Kember ...
Sergeant McManus
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Storyline

Two American students are on a walking tour of Britain and are attacked by a Werewolf. One is killed, the other is mauled. The Werewolf is killed but reverts to its human form, and the local townspeople are unwilling to acknowledge its existence. The surviving student begins to have nightmares of hunting on four 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 deaths. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>  

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Werewolf | American | Death | Nightmare | Curse  | See more »

Taglines:

Twenty Years Later, The Moon Rises Again... [20th Anniversary Re-Issue] See more »

Genres:

Fantasy | Horror

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

The American Werewolf See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,786,512 (USA) (23 August 1981) (870 Screens)

Gross:

$30,565,292 (USA)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | Sweden: (heavily cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) | Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

When trying to call home, the telephone number that David Kessler gives the operator (516-472-3402) contains a Long Island, New York, area code. It is also an unusual case in which an actual phone number is used. See more »

Goofs

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Jack first appears to David in the hospital, he takes a piece of David's toast and dips it in the egg. However, in the scene before the orderly explains that David is being served jam on toast. So certainly not something you'd dip into an egg yolk (unless the undead have no sense of taste). See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Truck Driver: That way is Proctor, and over here is the moors. I go this way.
Jack: Thanks for the ride, sir. You have lovely sheep.
Truck Driver: Boys, keep off the moors, stick to the roads. The best to ya...
David: Thanks again.
[then to the sheep]
David: We'll miss you.
David: Bye girls...
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Crazy Credits

Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy star as themselves. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Black Sheep (2006) See more »

Soundtracks

"BAD MOON RISING"
Performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Courtesy of Fantasy Records See more »