Much of An American Werewolf In London is so beautifully crafted that after several viewings, you really forgive how unfinished it seems in its conclusion. In this fantastic cult horror picture, John Landis's art inspired a collaboration with Michael Jackson for the legendary Thriller short film, and took effects of many kinds to whole new levels.
Young Americans David and Jack (David Naughton and Griffin Dunne) are backpacking across the Yorkshire moors, and are attacked by a ferocious beast. Jack is killed, but David is transported to a hospital in London, where he falls for beautiful nurse Alex (Jenny Agutter) and gains the interest of Dr Hirsch (John Woodvine). David's radical tales of werewolves are dismissed, but when Jack regularly visits David, in an increasingly decayed state, and warns him of his terrible condition, David starts to fear he is losing his mind...or worse.
Of course, tomorrow night is the full moon, and right on cue, David takes on a hideous, agonizing transformation, created by the wonderful Rick Baker, apprentice of the legendary Godfather of Horror, Dick Smith. This incredible sequence was so influential that the Academy introduced a new category acknowledging Make-Up achievements, which Baker went on to win in its first year.
When David wakes up naked in a zoo enclosure the next morning, and hears of several murders during the night, he becomes convinced of Jack's warnings, and runs off. On one side, he and Jack are enjoying Landis's trademark See You Next Wednesday in all its glory, and Dr. Hirsch, Alex and the Police are out to track down the lovable lupus. Here we find another remarkable sequence of the movie: an elaborately staged eruption of chaos in Piccadilly Circus, in which bodies splat, heads roll, windows smash, buses skid and dozens of cars crash.
One nice thing I noticed on my latest viewing, was that the first 45 minutes of 79 are purely establishing, before any real werewolf action kicks off. This serves its purpose well, rather than the typical obligatory horror build-up, to get into the right (or wrong) situation, without any good reason or explanation, and certainly without any character development. An American Werewolf In London has nice supporting material, and nicely built characters. David and Jack are established as two ordinary young men, David is thoughtful and somewhat cautious, Jack is cheeky and keeps up a front even when being hunted by an unseen being. "Oh shit, what is that?!" he demands casually. They maintain a pleasant lack of typical male horror cries: "Please, Oh God, don't do this, man!" or "You sick motherfucker!" These young men are surprisingly ordinary.
Even in deteriorating states, Jack's warm, human character lingers. Toying with a little Mickey Mouse figure, he yaps, "Hi, David," his lacerations flapping limply. "David! You're hurting my feelings," he whines sarcastically, realising by his friend's reaction that he "don't look so hot." David's victims are similarly lifelike, enthusiastically suggesting methods of suicide for our tragic young hero. These elements of dark humour bring a somewhat upbeat feeling to a supposed horror film, and reflect the cast and crew's devotion and eagerness that was put into this picture.
Undoubtedly one of Landis's most enjoyable and influential works, An American Werewolf In London is a fantastic little number in the cult classics library, featuring some truly incredible effects and fantastic craftsmanship. It's worth a watch, whoever you are.
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