An American Werewolf in London (1981)

The opening credits to this film are eerily calming. I also dig the puffer-coats Jack and David are sporting at the beginning of the film. It gives off a retro vibe, and I love retro.

There is the wonderful cliche of always a rural or small town with a pub where they believe in werewolves weaved into these stories, this film is no different. In fact, it even sticks to the traditional two strangers walk into a small area pub, and everyone stares at them because they aren't from around there. One thing that also stood out was how disregarded foreigners are treated. The Barmaid, who works customer service, was the only one displaying any concern for Jack and David when they left. In fact, all the other patrons pretend like they do not hear the horrifying howl of the wolf. They say it is in "God's hands," but that is not very godly of them to simply accept that two tourists are about to become dinner on their watch.

"Stick to the road" was a phrase used often in the film. Of course, Jack and David eventually veer off the road and magically, that is when the wolf gets them. I am not sure what the road does to protect anyone from a hungry predator? That is something I never figured out in the film. Especially when David turned, he terrorized the city of London with no issues regarding the roads. The attack on Jack is pretty gruesome. I enjoyed it. I have some comments on this scene. In the attack scene, we get two flashes of the monster, and in both, it looks more like a grizzly bear rather than a wolf. Second, once the wolf is shot by regular bullets, it returns to human form and dies. We see the townsman who was under the fur. That threw me for a spin. If a werewolf can be taken out so easily by regular bullets, why is it a monster? Grizzly bears are frightening, so are sharks, but neither of them survives a few rounds either, so they aren't seen as supernatural monsters. So, if it can be killed and stopped via such a regular thing, why are they all worked up in this film? I Just go out, hunt it down, and kill it like people do to other animals during hunting season.

For the most part, I thought Jack was going to come back as some rabid wolf. Instead, we see his corpse harassing David throughout the film. The first scene we see him in is gory, and he is ripped to shreds with flesh and bits hanging off him. Throughout the film, we watch him as he rots because he is stuck to roam the earth until the werewolf curse is stopped. Hence why all these victims want David to kill himself. Again, another twist I did not expect here. It was weird to think about, but then again, a curse is a curse. I guess on both the cursed person and the individuals that reap the unfortunate outcomes of said person should be stuck. I think that was a very bright twist.

Let's talk about humor. No surprise that animals, cats, and dogs were the smart ones with their senses, so I'll leave that be. I do want to say the walking meatloaf comment almost made me drop my dinner bowl. Another hilarious thing was in the porno theater, all David's victims started throwing out suicide ideas, ranging from drowning, a car accident, a bullet to the brain, and hanging himself. They were giving him advice and ideas like he was inquiring about some new diet to try. On David's late night out on the city, he disrupts a bus driving. A guy flies out the window and is instantly ran over. We watch his head get squashed like a melon briefly. That was hilarious because it was so random, and I don't think it added anything to the plot?

The werewolf itself starts to look more like a wolf once we follow David with the curse. I must also say, for the time, the transformation is very well done. Both times never looked like poor graphics effects but a human literally growing into a wolf. I also enjoy how we do get to see a bit of the werewolf form, though I would always like to see more of a monster, at least this wasn't another werewolf film that only showed the form once or twice.

Final note: the wolf form looks like a mere mutated wolf, overgrown and maybe on some heavy drugs if you tilt your head to the side. It also is not bipedal, like we see in most of the werewolf lore we get. It is literally just a giant wolf. Does that kill the monster affect a bit? Yes. Is it something different? Sure. The jury is going to be out forever on the ending. I have too many mixed feelings. Why wasn't he claws blazing through all of those cops before the guns came out like he was before? Since when does a large group of people make a monster cower and sit in a corner? I do not understand the logic behind the ending.

Talk about a hell of a trip.