It's DAY 5 of 31 "Days of Horror"!. I'm your review for this evening, ThatDudeWithTheSpreader (Yuzna).
We're FINALLY in my favorite era of Horror, the 1980's! Now, this film I'm reviewing tonight, is one of the great Horror/Comedy films, that came out of this era. The first time I saw this film on Halloween 1994, It's still one of my personal favorites.....
Ladies and Gents of theO Community, Tonight's review is, John Landis's 1981 Classic "An American Werewolf in London".
Trailer to "An American Werewolf in London":
PLOT:
Werewolf in London, stars off when with 2 college students, David-played by David Naughton, & his friend, Jack Goodman-played by Griffin Dunne. They are backpacking though the Yorkshire moors of England, when they are attacked by a large, wolf-like creature. Three Weeks passed by, we see David waking up, dazed and confused, in a hospital located in London. He is shocked to find out, that his friend, Jack, was viscously murdered by an unworldly creature.
Not only that, but he can't recall the event even happening. After finding out this horrific news, he is then visited by Jack's ghost. This encounter gets even more stranger, when jack tells him [David], that the creature that attacked them, was a Werewolf, A mythical creature of old. Since David was Bitten by this creature, He is now a Werewolf.
When Jack tells him this, he also tells David to commit suicide before the next full moon. Not only because Jack is cursed to walk the earth as a Undead Corpse since now the Werewolf's bloodline is linked to David, and Jack won't be free from this curse until that bloodline's extinguished. He also warns David to kill himself, so he won't prevent this same fate on his eventual victims.
A young nurse named Alex Price-played by Jenny Agutter has grown infatuated with him during his stay. After being released from the Hospital, He moves into Alex's apartment. After both David & Alex having a touching moment, a full moon rises. Like Jack's warning, David begins to fell unbearable pain coursing through his body. While this is happen, he starts to unclothe himself & in a grotesque scene, starts to transform into a werewolf.
HENCE THE TITLE OF THE FILM! XD.
What will become of David and his horrific alter-ego?
What will happen when David transformed?
What will be the outcome of this horrific tale?
You'll just have to see this cult classic to find out....
CASTING:
I Really like how both David Naughton, & Griffin Dunne portrayed David & Jack. They made their characters feel realistic. Jenny Agutter, The love interest of David, played a good role. She made the audiance feel that she was in love with the main character.
Frank Oz, The Voice of the oldest Jedi, Yoda, played Mr. Collins, an official from the American Embassy. He would return later, when he did the voice of Miss. Piggy (another character he's known for) during the dream sequence, in which David's younger siblings were watching a scene from The Muppet Show. Sadly, this scene was never shown in the U.S.
During the climax chase in Piccadilly Circus, The Man that was hit by a car and thrown into a store window, was Werewolf's writer-director, John Landis
SCORE:
Elmer Bernstein, Composer of such classics as, Ghostbusters, & The Great Escape made a beautiful yet terrifying score for Werewolf.
FINAL VERDICT:
At age 6, I will never forget Halloween 1994. This was the first time I saw American Werewolf.
What really pulled me into the experience, was the Effects done by Rick Baker.
From seeing david's painfull transformation into the warewolf. Seeing his jaw, fingers extending, hearing his bone structure crack. To seeing Jack's Corpse decaying throughout the film, always horrified me and turned my insides out. When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, saw the above mentioned FX sequnces, They were Impressed. At the 1981 Acadamy Awards, Rick Baker and his team won the 1st ever award for, "Outstanding Achievement in Makeup".
Ever Since than, Baker has been known as a Makeup/Special Effects legend, in the same line as Michael Westmore, Stan Winston, Tom Savini & Gregory Nicotero. His talent is going to be featured in the Upcoming Joe Johnston Remake, of The Universal Pictures Classic, The Wolfman, due out February 2010.
If anyone hasn't seen this movie.... BUY IT NOW!!!!
The Effects, though dated, are still impressive in today's standers in film. Especially, seeing the recently released Blu-Ray verison of Werewolf.
Which you can buy, here:
http://www.amazon.com/American-Werewolf-London-Full-Blu-ray/dp/B002HWUU9U
Don't Worry DVD Owners! I got your back!:
http://www.amazon.com/American-Werewolf-London-Special-Naughton/dp/B0024FADD8/ref=ed_oe_dvd
And this is why, I prefer movies that use Practical Effects more, than it being a COMPLETE CGI FRACKFEST (i.e. any film that's directed by Michael Bay! -___- ).
Bottom line: Go see this timeless classic!
HIGH RECOMMENDATION!!!!
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DAY 5 of "31 Day of Horror" is done....
Say tune tomorrow, for DAY 6.
Tomorrow Night: Lost Classics!
For Now, I'm Co-Host/Mod of The Ikari Warriors, ThatDudeWithTheSpreader. Later!
