An American Werewolf in London [DVD]

Classic horror movie hard to find but now on dvd if still in print that is?

This is one of my favorite werewolf movies. I collect movies, and I have a quite sizeable selection. At this point I have to be selective. Only acquiring what I love, I happily added this one❤️❤️❤️

1981 was The Year of the Werewolves...the furry fiends leaped onto movie screens in three major films: "The Howling," "Wolfen," and the classic of the genre, "An American Werewolf in London." There has never been a greater werewolf film, there has never been a better transformation scene, and few horror movies can match the entertaining mixture of humor and scares that writer/direction John Landis ("Animal House," "The Blues Brothers") achieved here. Although there had been humor in horror films before this movie, "An American Werewolf in London" showed once and for all that having comedy in a horror film didn't mean that the film would lose out in the scare department. Landis makes it clear that the film is NOT a comedy -- the horror scenes are carried with dead-seriousness and shocking impact -- but there is so much quirky humor surrounding these scenes that the film becomes incredibly likable and buoyant. Most of the laughs come from seeing the old movie werewolf premise dropped into the modern day and watching the characters try to deal with it. Actors Griffin Dunne and David Naughton, neither of whom had been in a movie before, create a wonderful 'ordinary guy' feeling to their characters of two young American boys backpacking through Europe. In rural England, they have a nasty encounter with a legendary monster, and Naughton faces the consequences of being bitten when he returns to London and takes up living with a pretty nurse (Jenny Agutter). The transformation scene is justly famous and a milestone in visual effects. Make-up wizard Rick Baker lets the viewers watch a real-time twisting of a human body into a wolf shape: limbs stretch, snouts pop, hair grows, the body contorts...it's amazing to watch. (And on DVD, you can watch it over and over and over again). Even computer graphics can't achieve an effect as startling as this one. This DVD offers some nice extras. The image is good, and the 5.1 Surround Sound is decent (although there's not a lot of back speaker sound). Actors Naughton and Dunne do feature commentary on the film, and provide some interesting information and sound as if they were having a great time reliving the experience. I wish that Landis had been on the commentary as well, but you can hear his thoughts on the film in an 18-minute interview. Landis is an absolute hoot to listen to; the guy is as funny as his movie, and he absolutely bursts with ideas and observations. To go along with the Landis interview is an 11-minute interview with make-up maestro Rick Baker. He provides a fascinating look at crafting what he calls "the coolest werewolf film ever made." Also included is a vintage featurette on the making of the film, although it's only about five minutes long (but you get more of wise-cracking John Landis), ten minutes of archival footage of Baker making a cast of David Naughton's hand, and an assortment of storyboards, outtakes, and production photos. "An American Werewolf in London" is a major turning point in horror films and visual effects -- and even over twenty years later, it is still one of the most entertaining movies of its decade. It hasn't aged at all, and this DVD lets you experience it the way it should be seen (and in the company of wild-man John Landis!)

I ordered this movie the other day because it belongs in any horror fan's collection. I haven't received yet, so my review is simply about the movie (which I've seen a number of times). First and foremost, this movie is flat-out entertaining regardless of your preconceptions about werewolf movies. In reading a number of the negative reviews about this movie there are concerns about the special effects. There is no CGI in this movie. Everything is done with live actors, make-up, and mock-ups. These old-school effects are top notch, and were groundbreaking at the time. To me CGI has become rather commonplace. Unless it it very, very, VERY good (i.e. Golem in Lord of the Rings) it creates the same disappointment I feel when watching the cheesy animated fireside transformation in The Howling (Special Edition) (an otherwise excellent movie). If you simply must have CGI in your movie, don't bother to buy this one. Another objection is that the movie had a poor ending, or that the script didn't faithfully portray the werewolf legend. I take exception to both of these assessments. There are two basic types of werewolf movie in my opinion, the classic and the shapeshifter. What is the difference? The classic werewolf is a victim, and changes in accordance with the lunar cycle. These changes are painful, unavoidable, and result in a fugue period. After the transformation he is unaware of his rampage and horrified once he discovers it. The resulting inner turmoil is at the heart of the classic legend and the only release is death, hence the obligatory sad ending. As a viewer (or reader) we are supposed to feel sympathy for the werewolf. The shapeshifter is a different form of werewolf. These guys can change shape whenever they choose. In some stories they can only do this during the lunar cycle, but more often than not it truly is an "at will" transformation. They are usually happy with their lot, and relish the power it brings them. No one feels sympathy for this type of werewolf. They are generally (but not exclusively) little more than a common criminal in werewolf clothing, and usually are found in packs -- unlike their classic counterpart who is a loner. The Howling is one of these types of films, as is the follow up to this movie: An American Werewolf in Paris . Shapeshifters are very popular at the moment. An American Werewolf in London is a classic werewolf horror movie with some humor injected. Rather than detract, the humor actually highlights the underlying horror. It is like the uneasy laugh of a boy walking home though a graveyard at night. The script is good, the acting above average, and the special effects still hold up very well indeed. The story takes you from the moors of Yorkshire to Piccadilly Circus in London as you follow David in his journey through lycanthopy. There is plenty of blood, howling, romance, some nudity (another horror staple), and humor. I heartily recommend this movie if you like the classic werewolf and can live without CGI.

For a movie made in the 80’s, the special effect when the main character turned into a werewolf was a stunning achievement. But I am not reviewing the movie itself. If you buy the movie or plan to buy the movie, you probably already know about the movie or at least have some knowledge about it. Let me just say this: this might fall into a horror genre, but it’s a movie with a lot of humor (British humor) that can be scary sometimes but it’s still a fun movie to watch. This edition of the movie, on the other hand, is a big improvement toward the previous blu ray release. The picture is definitely clearer and sharper. I don’t have the latest sound system, so I cant’ comment on the sounds but for my system, the movie sounds good. So, if you are a fan, and hesitate to buy because you have the previous blu ray, you should consider buying this movie. There is a rumor that the 4K version is coming up (or maybe already released in some European country), so you might want to wait of a few months. But I have a 4K version of older movie, and I am not sure how much improvement they can make.

Looks good on 4k, but I'm not sure if it's definitively better than bluray.

Lo he visto la peli varias veces y es un clásico! Aúnque había problema con el producto, atención de cliente ha sido muy bueno y rápido con la devolucion. Por lo tanto doy un 5.

Con le voci originali, si apprezza ancora meglio! Un classico intramontabile, dove horror e humour si fondono sapientemente. Il più bel film di John Landis

Super le flim horreur merci

Excellent DVD, arrived safely, in stated timescale, An American Werewolf in London is one of my teen daughters favourites and can’t wait for her to unwrap at Christmas!! Couldn’t get it anywhere in Brighton-many thanks

An American Werwolf in London UHD-BD Limited Edition von Turbine Medien Begeisterung in einem Satz: Wenn man den Film „American Werwolf“ kennt und mag und sich seiner Einflussnahme auf spätere Filme, insbesondere Horrorfilme, bewusst ist, oder wenn man den Film gerade für sich entdeckt, haben Turbine Medien mit diesem Release wenn nicht DAS umfangreichste, dann zumindest ein SEHR umfangreiches Sammlerstück veröffentlicht, wie man es sich nur wünschen kann. Hier alles aufzuzählen würde zu lange dauern. Die Details sind hinlänglich bekannt. Zu erwähnen wären allerdings die Art-Card zu „See you next Wednesday“ (Ich habe immer noch Lachtränen in den Augen), die Bierdeckel vom „Slaughtered Lamb“ (grandios) und natürlich das Buch. Ich wurde hier positiv überrascht, war doch nirgends nachzulesen, ob dieses Buch in Deutsch oder Englisch vorliegt. Nun, es liegt in Deutsch vor.  Bewertung der Bild- und Tonqualität folgt. Die UHD wurde vom original 35 mm negativ in 4 K gescannt. Das Bild sieht für das Alter hervorragend aus. Die Farben sind natürlich gehalten, bzw. lehnen sich an den Film an, d.h. gerade im Moor und auf dem Land sind die Farben eintönig und etwas fade, so wie es im Film auch war. Sobald aber Lichter, Tag und buntere Kleidung hinzukommen, entwickelt sich das Bild sehr gut. Obwohl der erweiterte Farbraum Rec.2020 und HDR zum Einsatz kommen, merkt man das nicht unbedingt. Das Bild wirkt eher ein wenig weichgefiltert in manchen Einstellungen. Insgesamt empfand ich den Film in seiner Farbgestaltung als sehr gut, wenn auch nicht so poppig wie neuere Produktionen. Vielleicht gibt das Bonus-Material noch mehr Auskunft über die Restaurierung. Die Synchronisation ist übrigens original. Die fehlende Telefonszene wurde nachsynchronisiert, mit den original Stimmen. Und die Tonspur wurde aufwendig restauriert. Das Set beinhaltet eine Bonus BD, die vollgestopft ist, mit Features, Making-ofs, Interviews, Storyboardvergleichen, etc. Insgesamt einige Stunden. Die Beiträge sind unterschiedliche alt. Die Neuesten sind von 2019 von Arrow. Ältere sind von 2014, 2011, 2009, 2001, etc. Entsprechend unterschiedlich ist auch die Qualität. Ein Beitrag ist sogar von 1981! Insgesamt bekommt man sehr viele Infos geboten, über die Entstehung des Films, über John Landis, die aufwendigen Effekte, alle möglichen Probleme, rund um die Produktion, etc. Das ist alles sehr interessant. Vieles wiederholt sich aber in verschiedenen Beiträgen. Unter dem Strich handelt es sich bei den Extras für Film Fans sehr gute Beiträge, mit vielen Blicken hinter die Kulissen des Filmgeschäfts. Was mir persönlich fehlt, ist ein Beitrag über die aufwendige Restaurierung. Ansonsten: Top