An American Werewolf in London

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1:35

An American Werewolf in London

R

1981

1h 37m

Horror

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), two American college students, are backpacking through Britain when a large wolf attacks them. David survives with a bite, but Jack is brutally killed. As David heals in the hospital, he's plagued by violent nightmares of his mutilated friend, who warns David that he is becoming a werewolf. When David discovers the horrible truth, he contemplates committing suicide before the next full moon causes him to transform from man to murderous beast.

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Critics Consensus

Terrifying and funny in almost equal measure, John Landis' horror-comedy crosses genres while introducing Rick Baker's astounding make-up effects.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

10/29/2019

David's writhing discomfort in his own skin marks not just the monstrous metamorphosis in and of genre, but also that deep sense of estrangement experienced by any well-meaning if gauche tourist tripping up on local lore and mores.

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Gary Arnold

Washington Post

05/09/2018

I suspect Landis hoped to keep moviegoers eerily disarmed with an unpredictable mixture of wacky and terrifying touches. Unfortunately, his own touch... is so slack and uncertain that the movie ends up dramatically shapeless.

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Tom Huddleston

Time Out

10/30/2009

4/5

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.

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Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

Dec 4

10/10

While the film does have humor, I would more describe it as casual. Which is a great contrast to the gory violence and disturbing dreamy jump cuts that pop out at you throughout.

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Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

04/15/2024

4.5/5

A near perfect blend of horror and comedy.

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Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

04/10/2024

4.5/5

A classic for more than its outstanding visual effects, John Landis' film deftly explores queer and anti-semitic elements via its lead character David in ways that are both coded and explicit. Also: these set pieces go HARD.

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Richard Harrison

Oct 10

this is one of the Best movies of all time

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Julia

Oct 10

This is one of my all time favorite movies EVER and I was so thrilled to see it was playing in theaters. Loving all the classic horror movies that have been playing, keep it up!

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Jeffrey W

Oct 10

An absolute classic! Great music, humor and one of the best werewolf transformation scenes in cinema history.

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Spencer Nielsen

09/14/2024

While I don’t find An American Werewolf in London as viscerally terrifying as others, I find its use of genre as satire to be regularly chilling. Landis’s use of monster-as-metaphor is brilliant his werewolf is simultaneously a universal stand-in for the other, as well as a personal stand-in for the anxieties of a Jewish-American. And of course, the transformation scene is iconic for a reason.

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Patrick C

@RT84374237 Feb 19

There are some films I just know I'm going to love from 5 minutes in. This is one such example. Something about the pacing, the mood, the vibe... I knew it was going to be a good 'un. Having never seen it before it was wonderful to be reminded of the London of my youth, just with a werewolf running amok in it. A delightful mix of humour, horror and romance... it shouldn't perhaps have worked, but work it did, and superbly well.

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Vincent S

@Vin_E_At_The_Movies Feb 3

This imaginative, horrific, funny and creative horror movie is pure Monster movie heaven. The transformation scene is pure magic and the best on film. The actors are game, Jenny Agutter is sexy and the humore helps leaven the gore and scares.

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John Landis

Director

David Naughton

David Kessler

Jenny Agutter

Nurse Alex Price

Griffin Dunne

Jack Goodman

John Woodvine

Dr. Hirsch

Brian Glover

Chess Player

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Jack's Warning

2:54

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Undead Jack

2:29

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Werewolf Attack

2:37

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Let Me Help You

1:37

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Mutant Nazi Nightmare

1:25

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - The Slaughtered Lamb

2:57

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - David's Undead Victims

2:59

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Subway Chase

2:11

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - London Massacre

1:38

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Naked at the Zoo

1:12

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An American Werewolf in London: An American Werewolf in London's Best Scenes

9:51

An American Werewolf in London: Trailer 1

1:35

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Synopsis

David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), two American college students, are backpacking through Britain when a large wolf attacks them. David survives with a bite, but Jack is brutally killed. As David heals in the hospital, he's plagued by violent nightmares of his mutilated friend, who warns David that he is becoming a werewolf. When David discovers the horrible truth, he contemplates committing suicide before the next full moon causes him to transform from man to murderous beast.

Director: John Landis
Producer: George Folsey Jr.
Screenwriter: John Landis
Distributor: MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Vestron Video, Polygram, Universal Pictures, Live Video
Production Co: Guber-Peters Company, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 21, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 13, 2015
Runtime: 1h 37m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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