RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
88 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:42

Fresh:37

Rotten:5

Average Rating:7.5/10

Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Synopsis: In this grisly black comedy, David Kessler and Jack Goodman (David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, respectively) are two American students on a backpacking tour of Europe. Wandering the backroads of... In this grisly black comedy, David Kessler and Jack Goodman (David Naughton and Griffin Dunne, respectively) are two American students on a backpacking tour of Europe. Wandering the backroads of gloomy East Proctor, England, they find a pub where the unhelpful locals act suspiciously strange. The unsuspecting boys flee the pub in search of lodging after being warned to avoid the moors. Lost in the dark countryside, the pair is attacked by a werewolf. Only David survives, waking up three weeks later in a London hospital. As David begins to regain his memory he is tormented by nightmares and is visited by his dead friend Jack, who warns David that he will turn into a werewolf with the next full moon--and that the only way to lift the curse is to kill himself. Because the town of East Proctor has covered up the real cause of the murder, David is forced to face the truth alone. Finally, he is discharged and taken in by his nubile nurse, Alex Price (Jenny Agutter). As Alex and David begin their steamy love affair, it is only a matter of time before the next full moon comes--when the truth will be revealed. Director John Landis has crafted an entertaining, funny horror story, featuring the terrific combination of Naughton and Dunne and a sparkling rock score in which every song includes the word "moon.". [More]

Starring: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine

Starring: David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John Woodvine

Director: John Landis

Director: John Landis
Screenwriter: John Landis
Composer: Elmer Bernstein

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Dec 9, 1997

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for An American Werewolf in London

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Not just gory but actually frightening, not just funny but clever, ‘American Werewolf…’ has its flaws, but these are outweighed by the film’s many, mighty strengths.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
10/30/09
Tom Huddlestone
Tom Huddlestone
Time Out

The best movie ever written by a teenager - Landis was 19 when he penned the first draft - and a constant comic delight.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
10/30/09
Channel 4 Film

But in a “comedy horror” picture, the “horror” bits aren’t supposed to be this scary. He would have been better off dispensing with the comedy altogether.

Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
10/30/09
Toby Young
Toby Young
Times [UK]

Scary-funny is an acquired taste. For me, it tends to be a recipe in which you can't taste either of the constituent ingredients. The big man-to-wolf transformation scene is still a marvel.

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
10/30/09
Peter Bradshaw
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]

The metamorphoses into the werewolf scenes are spectacular and the beast's rampage through Piccadilly Circus is marvellous. Splendid gory fun.

Full Review Source: Sky Movies | comment Comment
10/30/09
Sky Movies

Still scary, violent and very, very funny.

Full Review Source: Total Film | comment Comment
10/30/09
Jamie Graham
Jamie Graham
Total Film

Some of the special effects are a little creaky now, but the snap of Landis's editing and the razor's-edge balance of horror and comedy are still fresh.

Full Review Source: Independent | comment Comment
10/30/09
Robert Hanks
Robert Hanks
Independent

An American Werewolf in London, like a fine wine, just keeps getting more and more vintage.

Full Review Source: Dread Central | comment Comment
09/11/09
Uncle Creepy
Uncle Creepy
Dread Central

No review available.

comment Comment
02/29/08
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies

Undeniably delivers a good share of scares and dark laughs. And for all its lack of discipline, it's a model of directorial clarity when compared with Landis's subsequent work, which inexorably descended into indulgence and foolishness.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
09/23/07
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Carnivorous lunar activities rarely come any more entertaining than this.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
09/23/07
Kim Newman
Kim Newman
Empire Magazine

A clever mixture of comedy and horror which succeeds in being both funny and scary, An American Werewolf in London possesses an overriding eagerness to please that prevents it from becoming off-putting.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
09/23/07
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's a failure, less because the odd stylistic mix doesn't take (it does from time to time, and to striking effect) than because Landis hasn't bothered to put his story into any kind of satisfying shape.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 1 Comment
09/23/07
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

One of the all-time great horror movies, a pitch-perfect mix of belly laughs and genuine scares.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/23/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Director John Landis brings humor to this offbeat reworking of the familiar tale for which Rick Baker received a well deserved Oscar for his makeup (in the first year of that category).

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
03/27/07
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

You've got to give John Landis credit for taking the well-worn werewolf tale and injecting it with new life, so to speak.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
01/01/07
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

Landis leans too heavily on the shock effects provided by Rick Baker's lycanthropic transformation make-up.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

Darkly funny, suspenseful and unforgettable.

comment Comment
04/11/06
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

comment Comment
02/09/05
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

Brilliant - funny and scary at the same time.

comment Comment
11/08/04
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
all

Latest News for An American Werewolf in London

June 29, 2009: Weinsteins Plotting American Werewolf in London Remake? Opens in new window
According to a source at Bloody Disgusting, John Landis has cut a deal with Dimension Films allowing the studio to remake "An American Werewolf in London." More...

August 02, 2005: John Landis Goes to the "Dogs"
Veteran comedy director John Landis will helm "Show Dogs" for New Line Cinema, says Variety. Described as a canine-centric "Pygmalion," the story focuses on... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
25% 25% Four Christmases
68% 68% Funny People
95% 95% Star Trek
14% 14% The Ugly Truth

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
83% 83% Harry Potter and the H…
67% 67% Public Enemies
75% 75% Julie & Julia
95% 95% The Cove
85% 85% World's Greatest Dad

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196

What’s Hot On RT

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman

The Up in the Air director's Five Faves

The Blind Side

The Blind Side

Did you see it? Rate and review it here!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Exclusive: The World of Where the Wild Things Are
6
  • Peter Jackson Talks Hobbit, LotR Blu-ray Source: Collider.com
11
  • Woman Jailed for Filming New Moon Screening Source: Chicago Sun-Times
12
  • McG Has Plans for Fifth and Sixth Terminator Movies Source: Gizmodo
78
  • Spielberg Hops Away from Harvey Source: Variety
22
  • Tarantino Could Have Directed Green Lantern Source: MTV
24
  • Will Duvall be Gilliam's Don Quixote? Source: Collider.com
26
  • No Hobbit Until 2012? Source: The Wrap
22
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
42
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
2
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
79
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
56
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
50
  • 10 Horrifically Profitable Films
46
  • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
41
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
40
  • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
37
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
28
  • Friday Harvest: Iron Man 2, Harry Potter, and more!
24
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
22
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
30
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • An American Werewolf in London at Rotten Tomatoes
  • An American Werewolf in London at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
History of Disney Animation
History of Disney Animation External Link

MSN Movies offers a little background on the success of Disney Animation.

90 Years of Screen Vampires
90 Years of Screen Vampires External Link

TIME takes a look back at the history of vampires on film.

Virtuoso Vistas of Lovely Bones
Virtuoso Vistas of Lovely Bones External Link

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

Recent Headlines as TV Movies
Recent Headlines as TV Movies External Link

AOL put together a list of 10 recent news items that would be perfect as TV Movies.

The Death of Original Thought
The Death of Original Thought External Link

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill explores how remakes and reboots have warped our thinking.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.