An American Werewolf in London discussion - 2009 DVDTalk Horror Challenge Day 26

[Trevor]

IMDB link for An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Selection made by Chad.

These "2009 DVDTalk Horror Challenge Day #" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 Films in 31 Days subset.

General discussion on the 2009 DVDTalk Horror Challenge goes here, your list for the Challenge goes here.

The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day. You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.

Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day. Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.

Spoiler tags will not be needed, as it will be expected that anyone here has seen the film.

Do not read this thread if you have not seen the film, unless you don't mind the ending being spoiled for you.

[tommyp007]

Just watched the "Full Moon" edition last night. Amazingly good picture quality for an early 80's film. I hadn't seen it in years, and was surprised at how short it is.

[indiephantom]

I watched this film again back in February so it's not part of my lineup this month. However, this is still the best werewolf-themed film in my book. Love the locations throughout the film. When we finally get to London and the Picaddily Circus scene the film rocks hard. I became a huge fan of John Landis back when I was 14 because of this film, the Thriller video and Twilight Zone: The Movie. I remain a fan of his and of this film.

[Trevor]

Got to see this in the theater last week. Great film.

Coincidentally, David Naughton appeared in Psych (the best comedy currently on television) last week, playing a 'werewolf' again.

[riotinmyskull]

i like this film more and more every time i watch it. just ordered the blu-ray today but i watched my standard disc earlier in the month. possibly the best horror-comedy ever made.

[Mondo Kane]

Watched my showing earlier via "Full Moon Edition". Watched w/ subtitles on (For the first time) and now I know why I never got the joke at The Slaughtered Lamb. I always thought the joke-teller ends the joke by saying "The joke's on the Mexicans!" But what he really says is "He chucks out the Mexicans!" Better late than never to fully understand something like that!

And since I've watched the transformation scene COUNTLESS times over the years, I couldn't help but to throw the French track on during it on this occasion. Very odd experience

[jmsmath]

I just watched this for the first time today and loved it. I can't believe I had never taken the time to watch it before. The effects and make-up were great, especially for 1981. They hold up well even today. The Oscar for Best Make-Up was were deserved.

[Chas Speed]

I remember reading in an old interview that John Landis said a preview audience went completely nuts over a scene where two bums get killed. He thought the reaction was so big that they weren't paying attention to the rest of the film and he removed it. Has he ever stuck this on any of the DVD's as bonus footage.

[Numes]

Oh wow! This is my first time viewing this movie and it was quite excellent. I'm not sure whether I would call it a Horror-Comedy or a Comedy-Horror. I laughed out loud at least 4-5 times in the movie, yet there was that underlying uneasiness that accompanies a horror movie, even if a lot of it is tongue-in-cheek.

Unfortunately I had already seen the werewolf transformation scene from (I think) one of the documentaries on The Thing... or was it The Fog where they had the interview with Carpenter, Landis, and someone I can't remember? Well anyways, I totally wasn't expecting that kind of movie and was pleasantly surprised.

I thought the ending was just fantastic and the music really made the movie. Perfect choices for the songs and they really illicit an emotional response, whether it be shock, laughter, or confusion.

The clips of the movies/shows they showed during the movie were classic. The porn movie with the guy entering the room and realizing he was in the wrong place was awesome. The whole Nina Carter thing was quite funny too (I have no idea who this person is, but I see she played herself in the movie.)

I also have always been a fan of David Naughton, but it seems he hasn't done anything for a while. I'm taking a look at his IMDB page right now and now I remember, I did watch "My Sister Sam" in the 80s and always liked him in that.

Definitely a big

[Numes]

Originally Posted by Mondo Kane

Watched my showing earlier via "Full Moon Edition". Watched w/ subtitles on (For the first time) and now I know why I never got the joke at The Slaughtered Lamb. I always thought the joke-teller ends the joke by saying "The joke's on the Mexicans!" But what he really says is "He chucks out the Mexicans!" Better late than never to fully understand something like that!

lol! I didn't catch the joke either (my first time viewing tonight) and I was going to go back and turn the subtitles on to see what they said, but since this was on HD DVD, my remote is a backwards piece of shit and I always end up stopping the movie instead of rewinding, and my stupid HD DVD player doesn't play from where you stopped, so I said screw it. I'm not even sure what I thought he said, I think I thought he said "He jumped out of the Mexican" and knew that wasn't right. haha.

[cranberries fan]

I watched the Doc the last week and I going to watch the "Full-Moon" Version later on.

Right now I am on a Nightmare On Elm Street kick (part one last night,part two just finished a few mintues ago).

[Larry C.]

One of my all time favs. Every time I watch it I have to watch the transformation 3-4 times

[Numes]

I'm about halfway through the commentary with David Naughton and Griffin Dunne and this commentary is the poster child of WHY YOU WATCH THE F'ING MOVIE BEFORE YOU DO A COMMENTARY. Say something... anything!

[Chas Speed]

Originally Posted by Numes

I'm about halfway through the commentary with David Naughton and Griffin Dunne and this commentary is the poster child of WHY YOU WATCH THE F'ING MOVIE BEFORE YOU DO A COMMENTARY. Say something... anything!

It would be nice if they could watch it before the commentary and take notes on interesting comments they could make. I also think that saying you haven't seen the movie since it came out should be banned from all commentaries.

[Trevor]

The more I think about this, the more I like it. And the more I realize just how cool a theater experience can be. It helped that I wasn't at a multiplex with a bunch of teenagers, but at a 'classic' theater with a bunch of adults who wanted to see this particular classic.

Just an all-around brilliant film, almost every scene had a great line or carried the story along just right.

Anyone see the sequel, An American Werewolf in Paris?

[Abob Teff]

I'm going to pretend you didn't ask that. Back away slowly ...

[Chad]

This to me is the perfect melding of horror, comedy and tragedy. My first viewing was 10 years ago, which, coincidentally, was also my very first Netflix selection. It's also one of the few films that holds countless replay value for me.

Everything from the 'The Wolfman' references to the Rick Baker make-up effects (only "The Howling" transformations come close) are classic.

Originally Posted by Abob Teff

I'm going to pretend you didn't ask that. Back away slowly ...

Yeah, don't bother unless you're into badly rendered CGI transformations and a poorly recycled plot from the first film.

[Trevor]

Slightly off topic, but I've enjoyed the trailers for next year's The Wolfman and am really looking forward to that.

[Numes]

I've watched the ending and listened to the music over the end credits about 10 times now. Just a classic classic ending.

[dhmac]

Originally Posted by Chas Speed

I remember reading in an old interview that John Landis said a preview audience went completely nuts over a scene where two bums get killed. He thought the reaction was so big that they weren't paying attention to the rest of the film and he removed it. Has he ever stuck this on any of the DVD's as bonus footage.

If that's true then that was a terrible decision to remove that attack. The bums scene is set up pretty well in the movie as-is but then cuts away without showing the actual attack. That footage would be great to see if it exists!

[BuckNaked2k]

Is this the same transfer as the HD DVD? I'd get it, but if it's the same, I'll just wait until it's available for under $10.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by BuckNaked2k

Is this the same transfer as the HD DVD? I'd get it, but if it's the same, I'll just wait until it's available for under $10.

What post are you referencing? This thread is about the movie itself, not a specific home release.

[Chas Speed]

Originally Posted by dhmac

If that's true then that was a terrible decision to remove that attack. The bums scene is set up pretty well in the movie as-is but then cuts away without showing the actual attack. That footage would be great to see if it exists!

I remember the interview very well. He also brought up Douglas Kinney's one line in Animal House "What the hell we spoze to do ya moron" as an example of an audience having an over the top reaction to a bit in a movie. I am always shocked that nobody ever brings it up or seems to care about it. I'm not saying he has to stick it back in the movie, but if it's as great as he said it was he should include it as a bonus. It kind of sounds like Landis would have cut the shower scene out of "Psycho". He said the preview audience would not stop talking about the scene during the movie.

[dhmac]

Originally Posted by Chas Speed

I remember the interview very well. He also brought up Douglas Kinney's one line in Animal House "What the hell we spoze to do ya moron" as an example of an audience having an over the top reaction to a bit in a movie. I am always shocked that nobody ever brings it up or seems to care about it. I'm not saying he has to stick it back in the movie, but if it's as great as he said it was he should include it as a bonus. It kind of sounds like Landis would have cut the shower scene out of "Psycho". He said the preview audience would not stop talking about the scene during the movie.

I found a reference to it!

At about 6 minutes into this interview panel, he talks about the cut "bum attack" scene (and even says he hurt his own movie by cutting it!)



(And it is such an incredibly stupid reason to cut a scene! "Oh, the audience loved that scene - so cut it out!")

[Chas Speed]

Originally Posted by dhmac

I found a reference to it!

At about 6 minutes into this interview panel, he talks about the cut "bum attack" scene (and even says he hurt his own movie by cutting it!)



(And it is such an incredibly stupid reason to cut a scene! "Oh, the audience loved that scene - so cut it out!")

It's hard to believe he would have destroyed it. I can't understand why he wouldn't include it. He also wouldn't include any of the cut scenes from Animal House as bonus footage on that disc. One scene included an actress (Otter's hotel date) who died very young and was cut from the film, but was still listed on the ending credits. It would have been nice to see her since she passed away. Don't get me wrong, I think he did the right thing on Animal House, but I would have much rather seen some cut scenes as bonus stuff then his writing and filming new footage in his "where are they now" bonus on the Animal House disc.