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An American Werewolf in London

  • 1981
  • R
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
129K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,406
193
Griffin Dunne and David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:42
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Body HorrorBuddy ComedyDark ComedySupernatural HorrorWerewolf HorrorComedyHorror

American college students David Kessler and Jack Goodman on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. Jack dies. David recovers in a hos... Read allAmerican college students David Kessler and Jack Goodman on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. Jack dies. David recovers in a hospital, where he has nightmares.American college students David Kessler and Jack Goodman on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. Jack dies. David recovers in a hospital, where he has nightmares.

  • Director
    • John Landis
  • Writer
    • John Landis
  • Stars
    • David Naughton
    • Jenny Agutter
    • Joe Belcher
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    129K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,406
    193
    • Director
      • John Landis
    • Writer
      • John Landis
    • Stars
      • David Naughton
      • Jenny Agutter
      • Joe Belcher
    • 538User reviews
    • 283Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos2

    An American Werewolf in London
    Trailer 1:42
    An American Werewolf in London
    'The New Mutants' Cast Reveal Characters & Film Inspirations
    Interview 3:25
    'The New Mutants' Cast Reveal Characters & Film Inspirations
    'The New Mutants' Cast Reveal Characters & Film Inspirations
    Interview 3:25
    'The New Mutants' Cast Reveal Characters & Film Inspirations

    Photos346

    View Poster
    View Poster
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    + 340
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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    David Naughton
    David Naughton
    • David Kessler
    Jenny Agutter
    Jenny Agutter
    • Alex Price
    Joe Belcher
    Joe Belcher
    • Truck Driver
    Griffin Dunne
    Griffin Dunne
    • Jack Goodman
    David Schofield
    David Schofield
    • Dart Player
    Brian Glover
    Brian Glover
    • Chess Player
    Lila Kaye
    Lila Kaye
    • Barmaid
    Rik Mayall
    Rik Mayall
    • 2nd Chess Player
    Sean Baker
    Sean Baker
    • 2nd Dart Player
    Paddy Ryan
    • First Werewolf
    Anne-Marie Davies
    • Nurse Gallagher
    John Woodvine
    John Woodvine
    • Doctor Hirsch
    Frank Oz
    Frank Oz
    • Mr. Collins…
    Don McKillop
    • Inspector Villiers
    Paul Kember
    • Sergeant McManus
    Colin Fernandes
    • Benjamin
    Albert Moses
    Albert Moses
    • Hospital Porter
    Jim Henson
    Jim Henson
    • Kermit the Frog
    • (archive footage)
    • Director
      • John Landis
    • Writer
      • John Landis
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews538

    7.5128.6K
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    Featured reviews

    10Quinoa1984

    both entertaining as a technical marvel, as comedy, and even as horror

    John Landis has one of his most memorable films, as it challenges him as a director of comedy and horror, and he's rarely done better in the latter. While many of his best films are among the comedies that he directed for SNL alumni Belushi and Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy, An American Werewolf in London stands apart from those by casting David Naughton, Jenny Aguter, and Griffin Dunne in the parts- all practically unknowns then- and giving them some of the best kinds of genre roles imaginable. The two friends played by Naughton and Dunne are out on vacation, sort of, and they stumble upon a town loaded with superstition about wolves and other things. When Dunne gets killed and something, uh, peculiar happens to Naughton, it changes both of them- principally because Naughton keeps seeing Dunne, deteriorating throughout the rest of the film, even as he both turns into the werewolf ("Beware the moon, David, beware the moon") and falls for a kind nurse played by Aguter. All three roles are realized well, though it might be prudent to put a lot of good will on the male leads, as they both go under Rick Baker's still show-stopping make-up jobs.

    This is the kind of production that could go in a few different directions, and for someone like Landis's skills it could've gone in those directions, either one, considering his background. It could have been a send-up much like his Kentucky Fried Movie. It could have been just dumb, pure camp like one of his lesser comedies of the 90s. But here he's really sticking to his guns to make it really believably scary, but also with a sly, coarse, and crude sense of humor about it. It's almost in tune to what would come a few years later with Ghostbusters, only without the mega-wit and overall mainstream appeal. It's a cult item that probably isn't seen by many as Landis's other films, yet I still remember things very well from the film years later, indelible things like the use of songs (obvious, sure, by 'moon' being all over the place, but everything from Van Morrison to CCR to the main Blue Moon theme used during the crossover are really dead-perfect for what's needed). Aside from the obvious make-up scenes, I remember being both freaked and delighted by the undead exchanges with David, especially when it finally reaches its purest absurdity in the movie theater scene.

    And even the ending, unlike other Landis films, is with a tinge of tragedy and sadness. This is not the ending a typical comedy director would bring, as by now we've really gotten on the side of David, the scorned protagonist turned bloody villain by way of a curse. Some of the scenes that end up cutting back to the old rural village, as I also remember it, were not my favorite scenes as they brought more of the superstitious stuff that is not necessarily needed. It's the bits with Naughton, with Dunne, and even with the lady of the film that make it worthwhile. It's fun but not too goofy or bad B-movie-like, and it's scary without being cheap. It's basically the finest synthesis yet from the filmmaker to combine his gory theatrics with his firm, cool sense of humor. It's also one of my favorite films of 1981.
    9connorjw

    Amazing Film

    An American Werewolf in London (1981) is a flat out great movie. There are good characters, good humor, a hilarious ending, and some scenes scared the hell out of me. The film's pretty inappropriate, with some nudity and awesome gore. This film is one of if not the best werewolf movie you can watch. Some of this makes you feel like you're in the protagonist/antagonist's mind, and the movie had some good suspense too! Overall, the film is definitely watchable, scary, humorous, and one of my favorite films.
    Deviant-7

    Great film, full of humor and thrills.

    One of the best werewolf movies ever made, full of dark humor and gory thrills. As most people know, this has one of the best human/werewolf transformation scenes in cinematic history! The only other movie to show such detail is The Howling. This movie is really fun to watch, and if you are seeing it for the first time you will be shocked at some of the things you see. Great performances from the cast, and an excellent script make this a memorable experience. Unlike monster/horror movies today, this film has no computer-aided special effects. It doesn't need them, for this is a landmark film.
    9Andy-496

    Ooooo. Scary.

    The old adage of the simplest ideas being the best is once again demonstrated in this, one of the most entertaining films of the early 80's, and almost certainly Jon Landis' best work to date. The script is light and witty, the visuals are great and the atmosphere is top class. Plus there are some great freeze-frame moments to enjoy again and again. Not forgetting, of course, the great transformation scene which still impresses to this day.

    In Summary: Top banana
    8framptonhollis

    Hilarious and Horrifying

    While it isn't high art, "An American Werewolf in London" is easily among the most entertaining films that I have ever seen. It mixes humor and horror in a way that, while tonally inconsistent, it provides so many scares and laughs that I didn't care what its flaws were.

    The film's sense of humor is definitely because the film's director and writer, John Landis, has directed so many great comedies. If you gave the same premise to a much more serious filmmaker, they probably would have made a straight horror film, subtracting all of the brilliant laughs that Landis gives us. Of course, part of what makes "An American Werewolf in London" so special and so entertaining is how hilarious it is. It's almost unbelievable that a movie with so many horrific and gory moments can also be laugh out loud funny throughout.

    Another important part of "An American Werewolf in London" is the use of the acclaimed, award winning special effects, that earned Rick Baker a well deserved Oscar win. The werewolf transformation scene definitely lives up to the high expectations anyone viewing the film for the first time may have. It's legitimately disturbing, and amazingly well done!

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Due to the controversial lack of recognition for The Elephant Man (1980), make-up and industry technological contributions became recognized by the Academy Awards in 1981. Make-up artist Rick Baker was the first to receive an Oscar in the new category. William Tuttle was the first make-up effects artist to receive an honorary Oscar, for his work on 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964). At 31, Baker was also the youngest person to win the award, a record that was later tied by Tami Lane for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005).
    • Goofs
      Repeated mentions of werewolf attacks during a full moon are ignored when David undergoes his transformation on two consecutive nights. There is only one full moon during a lunar cycle. If the moon is full on a Saturday night, for example, it cannot be truly full on the next night, Sunday.
    • Quotes

      David: I want you to arrest me, you asshole!

      Bobby in Trafalgar Square: There's no call for that kind of language.

      David: Queen Elizabeth is a man! Prince Charles is a faggot! Winston Churchill was full of shit!

      Bobby in Trafalgar Square: That's enough.

      David: No! Let go of me!

      Alex: David, please!

      David: Shakespeare's French! Fuck! Shit! Cunt! Shit!

    • Crazy credits
      Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy star as themselves.
    • Alternate versions
      Universal Studios re-mixed the film's monaural soundtrack to Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS for the 20th anniversary "Collector's Edition" DVD, replacing the older sound effects and adding some new ones (see also Jaws (1975)).
      • Extra thunderclap sound effects were added in the scene when David and Jack are walking in the moors and it starts to rain.
      • The first werewolf can now be heard growling in the rear channels as it circles David and Jack. A louder growl has been added to the rear-left channel after Jack says "It's circling us" to make the audience jump.
      • All the gunshots and car crash sound effects have been replaced.
      • The train in the "London tube" scene can now be heard moving from one channel to another
      • Despite already being bad enough, the entire mix is inexplicably pitched down a half-pitch and sounds very different from the original mix.
    • Connections
      Edited into Poppers (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      Blue Moon
      Music by Richard Rodgers (uncredited)

      Lyrics by Lorenz Hart (uncredited)

      Performed by Bobby Vinton

      Courtesy of Columbia Records

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    FAQ47

    • How long is An American Werewolf in London?Powered by Alexa
    • Jack says his spirit is trapped in limbo, until the werewolf that killed him's bloodline is severed, so no other werewolf in David's bloodline had taken a life before Jack, Shouldn't there be an army of ghouls, or the werewolf that bit David's ghost?
    • What did Dr. Hirsch mean when he said to Alex, about "witnessing some form of Mass neurosis in East Proctor"?
    • How did David escape Alexs flat, without causing damage to the door as a werewolf?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 21, 1981 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Un hombre lobo americano en Londres
    • Filming locations
      • Crickadarn, Powys, Wales, UK(East Proctor)
    • Production companies
      • Polygram Pictures
      • Lyncanthrope Films
      • American Werewolf
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $30,565,292
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,786,512
      • Aug 23, 1981
    • Gross worldwide
      • $30,820,576
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
      • Dolby Digital
      • D-Cinema 48kHz 7.1
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • 12-Track Digital Sound
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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