An American Werewolf in London [DVD]

Love this movie! loved bonus disc, including interviews w/stars , making of film special effects!

Great older movie on DVD, this is a movie I remember from years ago. Not the best graphics but okay for it's time

great Movie.

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!)

Excellent Reissue! Another great Arrow release. This blue ray is preferred to the Arrow 4k which differs greatly in its color grading. This version American Werewolf In London looks best.

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

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.

as advertised.

Una de mis favoritas de la infancia, un clásico, la primera copia que me llegó el estuche todo roto, así que me tuve que pedir otra copia.

良かったです

Super le flim horreur merci

Ha llegado bien , y es una de mis películas favoritas desde hace años, estoy contenta de por fin tenerla.

Gran transferencia, se ve estupenda. Muy buena presentación. Entregada a tiempo y en buen estado.