#30 An American Werewolf in London (1981). While it was a modest hit in its era, grossing $30 million to its $10 million negative cost in the States, An American Werewolf in London was a decided non-starter for many fans and critics in initial release era, many of whom gave it tepid marks for some jumps and laughs, but seemingly dismissed it, otherwise. I think this was in part owing to its radical shifts in tone, as well as the downbeat ending. One moment it is a mordant black comedy, the next, a truly horrifying scare film, then a love story, and then a nightmare-laced hallucination, and then... All of which makes it so marvelously entertaining and unpredictable in hindsight. The wild ride nature is what I most cherish about it now and then, as the usual werewolf pictures, then and now, remain slavishly devoted to the earliest entries in the genre, IMHO. Landis got the idea for it while working as an assistant on Kellys Heroes but could never interest financiers until his later mega-success made saying no virtually impossible. David Naughton, who was criticized as that Dr. Pepper guy when it opened all too often, is well-cast as the innocent abroad, and Griffin Dunne steals any and all scenes in which he appears, both living and as living dead, owing to his snarky, cynical tone. Jenny Agutter, whom Id already crushed upon after Logans Run, has less screen time than I wouldve liked in retrospect (but hey, I admit, Id have cut her into every scene, so good thing I wasnt the editor!), and I adore the way she exclaims, David! as a personal fantasy whenever I rewatch it. The police inspector going back to the village sub-plot to solve the mystery of the horror seems adroitly lifted from Night of the Demon to me, and thats a good, good thing. The music is self-reflexively commenting on the movie, but again, I enjoyed Landis deft ability to handle postmodernism and not make it self-conscious, but simply fun. His handling of the nightmare scenes, still truly shock-inducing for first-time viewers, is among the best of the era, IMHO. The Nazi werewolves sequence (based on Hitlers own nefarious patriotic werewolf in name only partisan fighters), with its double-shock twists, is nerve-wracking. The effects by Rick Baker are justly praised, and the final transformation novel in that it avoided the man/wolf hybrid make-up that is still the typical werewolf screen depiction. The fans far outnumber the critics these days, and An American Werewolf in London is now a bona fide cult monster of a movie, a status it truly deserves, IMHO. # 30 of my Halloween Horrorfest. A reverse countdown of my favorite (not necessarily critically regarded as The Best) horror films, one for each day until Halloween, in no particular order.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 13:48:07 +0000