An American Werewolf In London (1981)
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Two American backpackers traveling in England are attacked by a werewolf, leading one to transform into a beast under the next full moon.
The story
Two American graduate students from New York City, David Kessler and Jack Goodman, are trekking across the North York Moors. As night falls, they stop at the Slaughtered Lamb, a local pub. After a warning from the locals to stay clear of the moors and the full moon, the pair wanders off the road. They are attacked by a vicious creature; Jack is mauled to death and David is severely injured. David awakens three weeks later in a London hospital, where he is told by a mysterious, undead Jack that he has been bitten and will transform into a werewolf during the next full moon.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being attacked by a werewolf on the North York Moors, David Kessler is hospitalized while his companion, Jack Goodman, is left in a state of limbo. Jack warns David that he will transform into a werewolf during the next full moon and urges him to commit suicide. David is released and stays with a nurse, Alex Price, but despite his fears, he transforms during a full moon, roaming London and killing several people. He wakes up at the London Zoo with no memory of his actions. Upon realizing his responsibility for the deaths, David attempts to turn himself in but fails. He eventually encounters Jack again and, during a transformation in a cinema, he kills several people, including Inspector Villiers. He is eventually cornered by police in an alleyway. Alex arrives to comfort him, but the beast takes over and lunges at her, leading the police to shoot him. David's body reverts to human form in front of her as she mourns him.
- First release year
- 1981
- Runtime (minutes)
- 97
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Landis
- Writers
- John Landis · writer
- Cast and characters
- David Naughton · David Kessler; Jenny Agutter · Alex Price; Griffin Dunne · Jack Goodman; John Woodvine · Dr. J. S. Hirsch
- Genres
- supernatural comedy horror
- Themes
- transformation; identity; supernatural
- Tone and mood
- comedy; horror; macabre
- Setting
- The North York Moors and London, England, in 1981.
- Premise and plot tags
- werewolf; travel; transformation
- Franchise connections
- An American Werewolf in Paris
- Reception
- The film was a critical and commercial success, becoming a cult classic known for its blend of horror and comedy and its innovative makeup effects.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 80% · scale: percentage · review count: 152; Metacritic · score: 55 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Makeup · win; Saturn Award · Best Makeup · win; Saturn Award · Best Actress · nomination
- Production trivia
- The title is a cross between An American in Paris and Werewolf of London.; The film was the first allowed to shoot in Piccadilly Circus in 15 years.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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