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American Werewolf in London, An
Universal // R // September 18, 2001
List Price: $26.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The success of Joe Dante's The Howling pumped a few gasps of air back into the werewolf movie at the dawn of the '80s, one of the few classic horror monsters to claw its way back into the mainstream after the demise of Hammer Studios and the rapid ascent of the slasher film. From comedies like Larry Cohen's Full Moon High to the adaptation of Whitley Strieber's Wolfen, werewolves were briefly fashionable again. This rekindled interest and a recent string of box office hits from director John Landis rescued An American Werewolf In London, a script Landis had written in high school and remained in development hell for years, despite being optioned by a number of studios. The ambitious film was among the first to successfully blend horror and comedy, and Rick Baker's phenomenal Academy Award winning work raised the bar for make-up effects considerably. Despite two decades having passed, not a single werewolf movie has even approached its brilliance, and a handful of efforts such as Evil Dead II aside, there hasn't been as effective a bland of humor and horror since. Many American Werewolf fans felt more than a bit let-down by the bare-bones 1998 LIVE/Artisan DVD release, but Universal has assembled an impressive special edition to accompany a film that most assuredly deserves this sort of treatment.
David Kessler and Jack Goodman (David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, respectively) are two Americans thumbing their way across Europe, and it's not difficult to imagine a dog-eared copy of The Hitchhiker's Guide To Europe buried somewhere in one of their backpacks. While hiking through across the desolate Yorkshire moors, Jack and David attempt to escape the chilly weather by strolling into a pub with the inviting name of "The Slaughtered Lamb". Its hostile, xenophobic patrons demand that the boys leave after Jack asks one question too many, leaving them with the ominous warning to not stray from the roads. The title should be enough of an indication of what happens next. Jack is gruesomely slaughtered, and David would be next on the menu if not for the intervention of the locals, escaping with apparently little more than a few nasty scratches. David awakes three weeks later in a London hospital and informs his beautiful nurse Alex Price (Jenny Agutter) and the stern Dr. Hirsch (John woodvine) that the townspeoples' tales of an escaped lunatic are without merit. David finds himself plagued by nightmares and infatuated with Alex, certain that he's slowly losing his mind. His grasp on sanity becomes even more tenuous when Jack seemingly returns from the dead, chatting cheerfully about everyone who attended his funeral and...oh yeah, the werewolf curse that will consume David's body and soul in a matter of days. Despite Jack's urgings to kill himself before the next full moon, David dismisses the conversation as another in a series of nightmares, shortly before learning the terrifying truth.
An American Werewolf In London is exceedingly brilliant. All too many movies that attempt to mix horror and comedy are neither funny nor scary, but An American Werewolf In London somehow manages to pull off this high-wire balancing act without a hitch. All of the characters, particularly David, are thoroughly likeable and developed fairly well, unlike the cariactures of the fodder for Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees. David and Jack genuinely do come across as old friends, not inexperienced actors earning a meager paycheck, and the chemistry between David and Alex doesn't feel forced or contrived in the slightest. Rick Baker's makeup effects are, of course, incredible and still hold up remarkably well all these years later. A definite improvement on Baker's already impressive work on The Howling a year before, David's lengthy transformation sequence remains believable and horrifying even before the advent of gimmicky computer graphics and digital tweaking. The walking meatloaf make-up on Jack is equally effective, and Landis doesn't try to obscure it with dim lighting or quick cuts. There are some slow spots here and there -- I could've lived without Hirch's investigation into David's claims, for instance -- but An American Werewolf In London has enjoyed a prominent place on my list of favorite movies for a number of years, and it shows no signs of dropping off anytime in the foreseeable future.
Video: This 1.85:1 anamorphic presentation of An American Werewolf In London isn't bad, I suppose, but the recent wave of spectacular looking discs of movies from the same time period has spoiled me. I've come to expect more from such a well-revered film on DVD, especially from Universal. The quality of the video varies greatly throughout, particularly in the early portions of the film. A number of the British exteriors are riddled with grain, and the source material doesn't appear to have been in the most immaculate of conditions. These problems thankfully become less of an issue as An American Werewolf In London progresses, though they creep back during portions of Hirsch's visit to East Proctor. Colors seem reasonably strong, though fleshtones are a touch too ruddy and shadow detail is wanting. There are also a couple of abrupt jumps in the image that are somewhat distracting. The majority of An American Werewolf In London looks pleasant enough, but the end result is a very mild disappointment given Universal's spectacular track record, especially since a re-release is unlikely for at least a few years.
Audio: Universal has provided both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 remixes. Its mono origins shine through, with the majority of the action moored towards the front speakers. Directionality and assorted surround effects are sparse, though their presence contributes greatly to the creepy ambiance of the first attack in the stark British countryside. Dialogue, aside from a handful of lines in the hospital and the taxi, is crisp and clear, not marred in the slightest by hiss or distortion. Elmer Bernstein's excellent score similarly does not appear to have been ravaged by the twenty years that have passed since the original theatrical release of An American Werewolf In London. Per usual, my outmoded receiver precludes any comments on the DTS track, but the six-channel Dolby Digital remix is solid, if unremarkable.
Supplements: I was a bit disappointed when I discovered that the disc's commentary didn't feature John Landis in any capacity, and I was skeptical that someone with as little screen time as Griffin Dunne would have much to contribute. The end result was surprisingly entertaining, though both Dunne and David Naughton fall into the trap of watching the movie instead of talking about it. There are numerous hilarious production tales, my favorite involving a truly portable bathroom, and the endless fawning over the stunning Jenny Agutter kept a constant smile on my face. The two often fall in the trap of watching the movie instead of talking about it, but it's well worth a listen, regardless.
John Landis may not have participated in the commentary, but he isn't entirely absent from the disc, featured prominently in a newly recorded interview. Taking the viewer from conception to its theatrical release, Landis delves into nearly every aspect of how An American Werewolf In London came about and the reaction of both studio higher-ups and enthusiastic audiences. Rick Baker is also the subject of an interview that seems unusually short, given the vast amount of material Baker could've covered on a film that brought home an Oscar for its effects. The two interviews together run just shy of half an hour. An extremely brief 'behind the scenes' reel is presented as well, though it's a far cry from the HBO First Look tripe that's lifelessly slopped onto the majority of DVDs of new releases nowadays. The narration alone makes this worth a peek. Among the other video-based extras are a featurette on the casting of Naughton's hand for the transformation sequence and a few minutes of outtakes. Among the other supplements are a series of stills, a storyboard comparison, and the screenplay, available only on the DVD-ROM portion of the disc.
Conclusion: Though the visual presentation didn't quite live up to my perhaps-exceedingly-high expectations, it's still a considerable improvement over my murky, ancient VHS copy. An American Werewolf In London is still wildly entertaining and doesn't feel the least bit dated, even after two full decades. This is a film that holds up exceptionally well to repeat viewings, and that, coupled with the quality and quantity of supplements, makes this disc an easy recommendation. Highly recommended.
David Kessler and Jack Goodman (David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, respectively) are two Americans thumbing their way across Europe, and it's not difficult to imagine a dog-eared copy of The Hitchhiker's Guide To Europe buried somewhere in one of their backpacks. While hiking through across the desolate Yorkshire moors, Jack and David attempt to escape the chilly weather by strolling into a pub with the inviting name of "The Slaughtered Lamb". Its hostile, xenophobic patrons demand that the boys leave after Jack asks one question too many, leaving them with the ominous warning to not stray from the roads. The title should be enough of an indication of what happens next. Jack is gruesomely slaughtered, and David would be next on the menu if not for the intervention of the locals, escaping with apparently little more than a few nasty scratches. David awakes three weeks later in a London hospital and informs his beautiful nurse Alex Price (Jenny Agutter) and the stern Dr. Hirsch (John woodvine) that the townspeoples' tales of an escaped lunatic are without merit. David finds himself plagued by nightmares and infatuated with Alex, certain that he's slowly losing his mind. His grasp on sanity becomes even more tenuous when Jack seemingly returns from the dead, chatting cheerfully about everyone who attended his funeral and...oh yeah, the werewolf curse that will consume David's body and soul in a matter of days. Despite Jack's urgings to kill himself before the next full moon, David dismisses the conversation as another in a series of nightmares, shortly before learning the terrifying truth.
An American Werewolf In London is exceedingly brilliant. All too many movies that attempt to mix horror and comedy are neither funny nor scary, but An American Werewolf In London somehow manages to pull off this high-wire balancing act without a hitch. All of the characters, particularly David, are thoroughly likeable and developed fairly well, unlike the cariactures of the fodder for Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees. David and Jack genuinely do come across as old friends, not inexperienced actors earning a meager paycheck, and the chemistry between David and Alex doesn't feel forced or contrived in the slightest. Rick Baker's makeup effects are, of course, incredible and still hold up remarkably well all these years later. A definite improvement on Baker's already impressive work on The Howling a year before, David's lengthy transformation sequence remains believable and horrifying even before the advent of gimmicky computer graphics and digital tweaking. The walking meatloaf make-up on Jack is equally effective, and Landis doesn't try to obscure it with dim lighting or quick cuts. There are some slow spots here and there -- I could've lived without Hirch's investigation into David's claims, for instance -- but An American Werewolf In London has enjoyed a prominent place on my list of favorite movies for a number of years, and it shows no signs of dropping off anytime in the foreseeable future.
Video: This 1.85:1 anamorphic presentation of An American Werewolf In London isn't bad, I suppose, but the recent wave of spectacular looking discs of movies from the same time period has spoiled me. I've come to expect more from such a well-revered film on DVD, especially from Universal. The quality of the video varies greatly throughout, particularly in the early portions of the film. A number of the British exteriors are riddled with grain, and the source material doesn't appear to have been in the most immaculate of conditions. These problems thankfully become less of an issue as An American Werewolf In London progresses, though they creep back during portions of Hirsch's visit to East Proctor. Colors seem reasonably strong, though fleshtones are a touch too ruddy and shadow detail is wanting. There are also a couple of abrupt jumps in the image that are somewhat distracting. The majority of An American Werewolf In London looks pleasant enough, but the end result is a very mild disappointment given Universal's spectacular track record, especially since a re-release is unlikely for at least a few years.
Audio: Universal has provided both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 remixes. Its mono origins shine through, with the majority of the action moored towards the front speakers. Directionality and assorted surround effects are sparse, though their presence contributes greatly to the creepy ambiance of the first attack in the stark British countryside. Dialogue, aside from a handful of lines in the hospital and the taxi, is crisp and clear, not marred in the slightest by hiss or distortion. Elmer Bernstein's excellent score similarly does not appear to have been ravaged by the twenty years that have passed since the original theatrical release of An American Werewolf In London. Per usual, my outmoded receiver precludes any comments on the DTS track, but the six-channel Dolby Digital remix is solid, if unremarkable.
Supplements: I was a bit disappointed when I discovered that the disc's commentary didn't feature John Landis in any capacity, and I was skeptical that someone with as little screen time as Griffin Dunne would have much to contribute. The end result was surprisingly entertaining, though both Dunne and David Naughton fall into the trap of watching the movie instead of talking about it. There are numerous hilarious production tales, my favorite involving a truly portable bathroom, and the endless fawning over the stunning Jenny Agutter kept a constant smile on my face. The two often fall in the trap of watching the movie instead of talking about it, but it's well worth a listen, regardless.
John Landis may not have participated in the commentary, but he isn't entirely absent from the disc, featured prominently in a newly recorded interview. Taking the viewer from conception to its theatrical release, Landis delves into nearly every aspect of how An American Werewolf In London came about and the reaction of both studio higher-ups and enthusiastic audiences. Rick Baker is also the subject of an interview that seems unusually short, given the vast amount of material Baker could've covered on a film that brought home an Oscar for its effects. The two interviews together run just shy of half an hour. An extremely brief 'behind the scenes' reel is presented as well, though it's a far cry from the HBO First Look tripe that's lifelessly slopped onto the majority of DVDs of new releases nowadays. The narration alone makes this worth a peek. Among the other video-based extras are a featurette on the casting of Naughton's hand for the transformation sequence and a few minutes of outtakes. Among the other supplements are a series of stills, a storyboard comparison, and the screenplay, available only on the DVD-ROM portion of the disc.
Conclusion: Though the visual presentation didn't quite live up to my perhaps-exceedingly-high expectations, it's still a considerable improvement over my murky, ancient VHS copy. An American Werewolf In London is still wildly entertaining and doesn't feel the least bit dated, even after two full decades. This is a film that holds up exceptionally well to repeat viewings, and that, coupled with the quality and quantity of supplements, makes this disc an easy recommendation. Highly recommended.
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