An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Having returned from a wet but amazing trip to Haunted Hills Estates, it was time to cocoon myself in a blanket and review the movie I decided on after watching Jigsaw last night. That movie was the 1981 classic An American Werewolf in London.  

Plot/ Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.

Even after all these years, this movie remains one of the best werewolf films ever made. Complete with a great mixture of comedy, drama, gore, and horror, everything seems to fall perfectly into place. The storyline is both entertaining and interesting, the performances are outstanding, the dialog and scripting work and the special effects are tremendous, as they still run circles around much of the subpar work that is seen in films today. Most importantly, between the soundtrack and the masterful work of director John Landis, everything works to create a dark but uplifting atmosphere in a film that is an easy watch and one that has more than stood the test of time. Sure, there are some predictable elements and the movie feels a touch short, but those are very small flaws within a movie that is a must-see for all horror fans. In the end, this is a classic take on the werewolf genre and a movie that should continue to be the standard that all others in the genus should strive to achieve. If you have not seen it, you are missing out. Find it and check it out.