Review of An American Werewolf in London (1981) by Darian D — 06 Feb 2010

"An American Werewolf in London" is a dark comedy that takes a unique perspective on the Were-wolf mythos. Written and directed by John Landis, this film was bound to have a great script with a good balance of laughs and, in the case of this movie, horror.

David Naughton does a well-enough job taking on the lead role as David Kessler, a high-school graduate back-packing through England with a friend. He certainly provides great comedic timing and delivers his lines very well. As he and his buddy Jack make their way through England's countryside, they come to a pub looking for a place to get warm. An awkward encounter with the locals forces them back out on the road when Jack asks about a strange pentagram carved on the pub wall. Back on the road, the two are attacked by a mysterious figure as Jack suffers fatal wounds from their assailant. David suffers a few scratches as he finds himself waking up in a hospital bed a few weeks later. During that time he is cared for by the love interest nurse Alex, played by Jenny Agutter. As the film develops, their relationship seems rushed and sudden, and diminishes the impact of the final scene just before the credits roll.

However, there are many moments in this film sure to tingle the spine. The special effects are exceptional considering the time of the film's release, with one of the most excruiating and infamous were-wolf transformations ever imagined.

I felt Jack's character and his situations throughout the film provided the most comedy, and added a hysterical yet eerie substance to the movie.

Making for one of the most inventive and comedic takes on the "Wolfman" of old, "An American Werewolf in London" is an 80s classic that has cemented itself as a benchmark in Lycan film lore and legend.