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IMDbPro

An American Werewolf in London

  • 19811981
  • RR
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
105K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,162
293
Griffin Dunne and David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:42
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyHorror
Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
105K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,162
293
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • John Landis
    • Writer
      • John Landis
    • Stars
      • David Naughton
      • Jenny Agutter
      • Joe Belcher
    Top credits
    • Director
      • John Landis
    • Writer
      • John Landis
    • Stars
      • David Naughton
      • Jenny Agutter
      • Joe Belcher
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 469User reviews
    • 260Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 3 wins & 3 nominations total

    Videos2

    An American Werewolf in London
    Trailer 1:42
    An American Werewolf in London
    'The New Mutants' Cast Reveal Characters & Film Inspirations
    Interview 3:25
    'The New Mutants' Cast Reveal Characters & Film Inspirations

    Photos215

    David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    Griffin Dunne and David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    Griffin Dunne, Lila Kaye, Rik Mayall, and David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    Jenny Agutter and David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    Griffin Dunne in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
    Griffin Dunne and David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    David Naughton
    David Naughton
    • David Kessler
    Jenny Agutter
    Jenny Agutter
    • Nurse Alex Price
    Joe Belcher
    Joe Belcher
    • Truck Driver
    Griffin Dunne
    Griffin Dunne
    • Jack Goodman
    David Schofield
    David Schofield
    • Dart Player
    Brian Glover
    Brian Glover
    • Chess Player
    Lila Kaye
    Lila Kaye
    • Barmaid
    Rik Mayall
    Rik Mayall
    • 2nd Chess Player
    Sean Baker
    • 2nd Dart Player
    Paddy Ryan
    • First Werewolf
    Anne-Marie Davies
    • Nurse Susan Gallagher
    John Woodvine
    John Woodvine
    • Dr. J. S. Hirsch
    Frank Oz
    Frank Oz
    • Mr. Collins…
    Don McKillop
    • Inspector Villiers
    Paul Kember
    • Sergeant McManus
    Colin Fernandes
    • Benjamin
    Albert Moses
    Albert Moses
    • Hospital Porter
    Jim Henson
    Jim Henson
    • Kermit the Frog
    • (archive footage)
    • Director
      • John Landis
    • Writer
      • John Landis
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the first film to earn the Academy Award for Best Make-up. That category was created in 1981.
    • Goofs
      When the werewolf is seen approaching the escalator in the Tottenham Court Road underground station, a foot of one of the crew pushing the werewolf along is clearly visible at the end of the shot.
    • Quotes

      David: I want you to arrest me, you asshole!

      Bobby in Trafalgar Square: There's no call for that kind of language.

      David: Queen Elizabeth is a man! Prince Charles is a faggot! Winston Churchill was full of shit!

      Bobby in Trafalgar Square: That's enough.

      David: No! Let go of me!

      Alex: David, please!

      David: Shakespeare's French! Fuck! Shit! Cunt! Shit!

    • Crazy credits
      Lycanthrope Films Limited wishes to extend its heartfelt congratulations to Lady Diana Spencer and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales on the occasion of their marriage - July 29th 1981.
    • Alternate versions
      Universal Studios re-mixed the film's monaural soundtrack to Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS for the 20th anniversary "Collector's Edition" DVD, replacing the older sound effects and adding some new ones (see also Jaws (1975)).
      • Extra thunderclap sound effects were added in the scene when David and Jack are walking in the moors and it starts to rain.
      • The first werewolf can now be heard growling in the rear channels as it circles David and Jack. A louder growl has been added to the rear-left channel after Jack says "It's circling us" to make the audience jump.
      • All the gunshots and car crash sound effects have been replaced.
      • The train in the "London tube" scene can now be heard moving from one channel to another
      • Despite already being bad enough, the entire mix is inexplicably pitched down a half-pitch and sounds very different from the original mix.
    • Connections
      Edited into Poppers (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      Blue Moon
      Music by Richard Rodgers (uncredited)

      Lyrics by Lorenz Hart (uncredited)

      Performed by Bobby Vinton

      Courtesy of Columbia Records

    User reviews469

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Terrifying & Funny.
    An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 horror comedy film written and directed by John Landis. An international co-production of the United Kingdom and the United States, the film stars David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, and Griffin Dunne. The film's plot follows two American backpackers, David and Jack, who are attacked by a creature while traveling in England, causing David to question whether he will become a werewolf under the next full moon.

    After watching an American Werewolf in London for the first time I found the film to be a clever mixture of comedy and horror which succeeds in being both funny and scary, The film possesses an overriding eagerness to please that prevents it from becoming off-putting. It delivers a good share of scares and dark laughs. Some of the special effects are a little creaky now, but the snap of Landis's editing and the razor's-edge balance of horror and comedy are still fresh. The metamorphoses into the werewolf scenes are spectacular and the beast's rampage through Piccadilly Circus is marvellous. Splendid gory fun. It feels increasingly like a symbol of traveller abroad alienation-what trying to live in a place that isn't home can feel like: confusing, rageful, even physically debilitating.
    helpful•11
    0
    • SamJamie
    • Aug 18, 2020

    FAQ27

    • Jack says his spirit is trapped in limbo, until the werewolf that killed him's bloodline is severed, so no other werewolf in David's bloodline had taken a life before Jack, Shouldn't there be an army of ghouls, or the werewolf that bit David's ghost?
    • What did Dr. Hirsch mean when he said to Alex, about "witnessing some form of Mass neurosis in East Proctor"?
    • How did David escape Alexs flat, without causing damage to the door as a werewolf?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 21, 1981 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • American Werewolf
    • Filming locations
      • Crickadarn, Powys, Wales, UK
    • Production companies
      • Polygram Pictures
      • Lyncanthrope Films
      • American Werewolf
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $30,565,292
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,786,512
      • Aug 23, 1981
    • Gross worldwide
      • $30,678,488
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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