An American Werewolf in London

I decided to dip into the trove of classic movies that I need to see for tonight’s blog and landed on “An American Werewolf in London.”  Even being a classic in the horror genre and a milestone in practical effects, I didn’t know much about the movie other than the nationality of the werewolf and his location.  American Werewolf succeeds on giving us real, interesting characters that get caught in an unbelievable situation.  The almost tongue in cheek tone and likable characters draw the viewer into caring so when David Kessler turns into a werewolf, in that famous scene, the audience is appalled and feel his pain, both afraid and anxiously awaiting what destruction he will cause in the crowded streets of London.

And destruction he does cause, beautifully rendered practical effects that stand up in light of digitized special effects bring the werewolf into the streets of London in a frightfully believable way.  Of special note is the transformation scene.  Done in full light of a living room, Kessler’s first transformation blows the mind.  In today’s world of computer generated effects, I had to keep reminding myself that all of these skin-stretching, bone-bulging effects were done in camera with a real actor and crew working the illusions.  Watching this scene is like watching a good magic show, you know there is a slight of hand here, a distraction there, but you can’t quite work out how all of the tricks are done.  I’m actually considering going out and buying the special edition Blu-Ray so I can watch all of the special features on Rick Baker’s work in this film.

I did find some parts of the story telling unique.  I wasn’t expecting Kessler to be able to see the dead, or at least people in limbo, so when those scenes started popping up I didn’t know how to take them at first, which was brilliant.  I believe the point of the scenes was to have us as off-balance by the appearance of the late Jack Goodman as Kessler, which I was, so I really enjoyed the experience of wondering if he was hallucinating while he wondered the same thing.  After that the nightmares of the Nazi Werewolves was really cool.  I’ve never in my life seen a Nazi Werewolf so it was kind of a shock to see these grotesque depictions of the Nazis killing kids and slitting throats.

If I had to pick on one aspect of the movie to pick on it is the ending.  To be honest I feel it is a bit sudden.  One minute the werewolf is ransacking London and next he is cowering in an alley.  Then Kessler’s new girlfriend, Jenny, comes into the alley and professes her love.   A glint of recognition in the monster’s face gives a sliver of hope, then BAM, he is blown to bits by the cops.  In a spray of bullets that somehow didn’t hit Jenny, which I don’t believe for a second considering she was standing directly in between the wolf and the cops.  I don’t know a better way to end the movie right off the top of my head, and I might even respect them a little bit for rejecting the formulaic ending, but it still felt sudden and almost unsatisfying.  Although that was a shocking moment, the gunfire, the shot of human-Kessler dead, then slamming into the credits to the tune of “Blue Moon.”  Maybe unsatisfying, but pretty brilliant none the less.

“An American Werewolf in London” is a great horror film and I don’t know how I went so long without seeing it. 

4/5