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Reviews:
I
get by with a little help from my [dead] friend: An
American Werewolf in London
by
Christian De Matteo
Super
Director John Landis’s first film, American
Werewolf stands as one of the very greatest examples
of mixed genre cinema, reminding movie-goers and producers
alike that not only could it be done, but it could be done
phenomenally. Including
some of the darkest of dark comedy and some of the most
gruesome monster murders ever, the film is topped off with
a touching love story.
As a result, the viewer gets a fun and twisted romp
with a message. No,
not some sappy love-conquers-all garbage, or any kind of political posturing, but
instead, a stern warning about the dangers of power and
cowardice.
And much of that warning happens to the backdrop of a
porno titled, “See you next Wednesday”!
And exactly that silly change of tone is what makes American
Werewolf such a pleasure to watch.
There is absolutely no hammering in of the message,
because we’re all laughing or cringing too much to think
about it until the credits roll over the final version of
“Blue Moon”, and we think, “Wait… I think
something serious happened.”
Mixing all kinds of movie mythology, referencing the
Lon Chaney family and their wonderful werewolf movies,
classic werewolf and undead legends, with a buddy movie
setup, an immature lead, and an irresistible love
interest, writer/director John Landis (The
Blues Brothers, Animal House) brings to life a story
so bizarre in its conception and execution that nothing is
to be questioned. This
is his world, and in it all of the above meshes together
perfectly. Want
to question it? You
try walking on the moors.
But can a horror/comedy be scary?
Yes. Terrifying?
Not enough for today’s “yeah,
we seen it all” audiences, all too familiar with the
many copies that the ground-breaking film spawned, but
scary enough to make you jump a few times and feel real
dread in all the right places.
Lead actors David Naughton
and Griffin Dunne do excellent jobs as two post-college
party boys on a backpacking adventure through London,
looking for culture and women.
Okay, just women.
The pair act so real as best friends, but also as
humans, that while you may not agree with certain
decisions, you understand their reactions. Jenny Agutter plays the beautiful English nurse who comes in
a little later and becomes the female lead, so
convincingly wonderful that you believe the love affair
that ensues, regardless of the less than romantic
circumstances. You’d
fall in love with her too, even if your best friend had
just died. And hell, he’d probably forgive you for it.
And speaking of dead best friends…I will say no
more, except that the movie presents one of the most
brilliant and gruesome Conscience Characters ever.
Imagine Jiminy Cricket…rotting.
Solidifying American
Werewolf’s place in movie history, is that it’s
one of the earliest Rick Baker make-up jobs, still damn
impressive all these many years later.
Even after having watched his latest magic in
Burton’s otherwise dreadful Planet
of the Apes, American
Werewolf still holds a place way up high in his
make-up achievements and explains why the man has come so
far.
An all around classic and incredibly sick film, American
Werewolf is one to own and treasure…you sick little
monkey, you.
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