I See A Bad Pun Rising
Monday, October 26th, 2009
David Naughton keeps his pimp hand strong.
Werewolves. They sure kick ass! At least when they’re big hulking ravenous monsters that leave little of their victims left but cold entrails. Unfortunately for David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London, killing people doesn’t mean they’re out of your life forever.
David and Jack(Griffin Dunne) are two American boys backpacking it across Europe for kicks. Kicks turn to shit when they’re attacked by a werewolf. Jack is torn to pieces on the spot, but David, well, things are just starting for him. While in the hospital, his dead friend shows up, and will throughout the film in increasing states of decay. This is where a lot of the humor is generated in this film. Imagine the ghost of a dead friend shows up, and he’s all gross and shit, but you sit down and have a conversation with him like nothing ever happened. There’s bits of flesh hanging off him and he’s covered in blood, and best of all, he’s telling you that you’re a werewolf and if you kill anyone, they’ll become like him and follow you around offering hauntings and smartass British comments. He also tells you to kill yourself. (Okay, I’ll be honest here. I probably would have done it rather than kill a group of Englishmen and have them follow me around being all snooty and condescending and shit all the time. Go home…Kill American! And, that’s all the patriotism I’ll allow into this review)
Confusing things for David is the hot nurse that picks him up and takes him home with her, played by Jenny Agutter. Played naked by Jenny Agutter. But, it’s not just for the gents, this movie. David spends more time out of his clothes than in them. A little something for everybody here.
Alright…the big scene. The one everyone remembers. The transformation scene. In werewolf films up to this point, changing a man into a wolf was a matter of applying hair, stopping the camera, applying more, stopping the camera, etc. This is the first transformation scene that dodges all that, and the end result, even today, is nothing short of breathtaking. Not to mention that the wolf David turns into is one of the scariest fucking things you’ll ever see! It’s huge! It’s horrifying! IT’S LOOSE IN PICADILLY SQUARE!!!
John Landis directs this as he wrote it. Fairly tongue in cheek. It’s funny as hell, it’s scary as shit and it’s simply one of the best horror films ever made. One of the most entertaining and fun, but also one of the scariest. Rick Baker (MONKEYMAN!) really went through his paces to make one of the best monsters ever!
Remember, beware the moon. And old, dead friends, and monster nazis, and jewish werewolves!
Posted on October 26th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
But what did you REALLY think of it, Bryan? lol. I agree on every note as usual. Definitely one of my faves. Just one question…what did you think of AWIP? Because I loved it! I thought it was pretty damn good indeed and I still watch it whenever it comes on cable. I do like the snotty English humor better in London compared to the snotty French humor in AWIP. : )
Posted on October 27th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Awip… you mean giant CGI Cats On The Prowl with that dude that kinda looks like a failed Tom Hanks, and the hot french chick from Before Sunrise/Sunset?
I do love this movie, and constantly go back and forth between it and the howling, minus the were-shnauzer at the end as my favorite horror films…
Also apparently when Jack was being attacked, the actor couldn’t stop laughing at the giant arm controlled werewolf head “tearing him apart” so john landis ordered the prop hands to beat the crap out of him with the head… lol.
The humor is there, the conspiracy elements in place at the slaughterled lamb, the soundtrack, and the british humor make this a great film.
That, and, I’m sorry I called you a meatloaf Bryan!
Posted on October 27th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
lol oh I completely agree that the special f/x and makeup wizardery in AWIL is waaaaaaay above the CGI werewolves in AWIP for sure. Plus the werewolves in London were so much scarier looking with any “CGI cat” in Paris. Plus…I don’t think Paris showed even one complete transformation. I don’t know why I like it..I just do. lol. It was just a fun movie to watch for me, but I definitely think London is superior with both the English comedy (the porn theater is my fave scene I think), and like I said…the f/x in London could never be compared to computer magic in Paris or in 99% of the movies of today. I think it’s sad that because of CGI..while useful in many respects, is kind of putting an end to the art of special effects makeup today.
Posted on October 27th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Bryan you want to get in on this discussion? It would be cool for you to hop in here more and us get some discussions going on your posts. Just sayin’. : P lol.
Posted on October 28th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
I’m not MWP, but I’ll jump in the water.
I don’t care for AWIP. It could be becasue I went into the film with such high hopes. I knew is wasn’t a Landis movie, but I thought it might have some of the charm of AWIL. It didn’t, for me. The effects were bad, the actors didn’t fit, and the story was unsatisfying.
Tom E Scott and Julie Delpy are fine actors but they were miscast here.
AMIL is freakin awesome. I have no complaints.
Posted on October 29th, 2009 at 7:34 am
Hey Costumegirl : )
It’s so good to finally talk to you and thanks for jumping in. I really don’t know why I like AWIP. It’s just one of those cheesey movies I like and shouldn’t. lol. I just have fun when I watch it. I don’t think the story is so bad, and I really like Tom E. Scott and Julie Delpy too. Maybe that is the appeal for me? I agree with everyone though…that the London version is far superior in every way and I’m not trying to even compare the two. My son just asked me what I was doing. I replied that I was trying to support why I liked AWIP when all my senses (and the majority of folks on here) tell me not to. lol. Could it be the Bush infused soundtrack? Ha. Maybe?
Maybe they’ll continue the franchise and in years to come we’ll see American Werewolf in Spain where we see Antonio Banderas battling werewolves matador style in The Plaza de Toros de las Ventas or American Werewolf in Japan where we see Ken Watanabe battling a vicious gang of Yakuza werewolves who also happen to be drift junkies. Now that has promise I think. lol. ; )
Posted on October 29th, 2009 at 7:46 am
That sounds like a fun movie.
Posted on October 29th, 2009 at 11:39 am
I dunno…the entire pack thing kinda left me cold in American Werewolf in Paris. Among other things. Tom Everett Scott was great, I thought, but I’ve seen him do better. Julie Delpy is always a good watch, but she had little to work with. Yeah, they tried to use CGI to make werewolves, and all they gave us were halfass Sleepwalkers.
When you make it a werewolf community, you’re removing a part of the first movie that made it great, and that’s that Lyncathropy is a CURSE…not something you’re born into. Not something to be enjoyed. And with American Werewolf in London, you get the added bonus that not only have you cursed the ones you’ve killed, but they get to follow you around being assholes about it.
Oh, Sherry…Ken Watanabe? Really? He’s a badass, sure, but…no, just no. And, if these are American Werewolf…why would Antonio or Ken be fighting anybody?
And, thanks alot! Now I gotta go watch The Last Samurai again. Geez.
Posted on October 29th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
ha! Bryan I stand correct it. There’s not much American about Ken or Antonio. As a matter of fact..if they ever do make a werewolf movie about vicious drifting Yakuza lycanthropes…..I think they should get Uma. : ) Now don’t tell me THAT wouldn’t be BADASS!