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An American Werewolf in London

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1:35

An American Werewolf in London

R

Released Apr 21, 1981

1h 37m

Horror

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

64 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), two American college students, are backpacking through Britain when a large wolf attacks them. David survives with a bite, but Jack is brutally killed. As David heals in the hospital, he's plagued by violent nightmares of his mutilated friend, who warns David that he is becoming a werewolf. When David discovers the horrible truth, he contemplates committing suicide before the next full moon causes him to transform from man to murderous beast.

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Critics Consensus

Terrifying and funny in almost equal measure, John Landis' horror-comedy crosses genres while introducing Rick Baker's astounding make-up effects.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

David's writhing discomfort in his own skin marks not just the monstrous metamorphosis in and of genre, but also that deep sense of estrangement experienced by any well-meaning if gauche tourist tripping up on local lore and mores.

Oct 29, 2019

Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

I suspect Landis hoped to keep moviegoers eerily disarmed with an unpredictable mixture of wacky and terrifying touches. Unfortunately, his own touch... is so slack and uncertain that the movie ends up dramatically shapeless.

May 9, 2018

Full Review

Tom Huddleston

Time Out

Not just gory but actually frightening, not just funny but clever, 'American Werewolf...' has its flaws, but these are outweighed by the film's many, mighty strengths.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 30, 2009

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

A near perfect blend of horror and comedy.

Rated: 4.5/5

Apr 15, 2024

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

A classic for more than its outstanding visual effects, John Landis' film deftly explores queer and anti-semitic elements via its lead character David in ways that are both coded and explicit. Also: these set pieces go HARD.

Rated: 4.5/5

Apr 10, 2024

Full Review

John Brosnan

Starburst

This is a revolutionary movie... It pull's off the difficult trick of revitalizing the genre while parodying at the same time.

Jul 27, 2022

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Spencer Nielsen

While I don’t find An American Werewolf in London as viscerally terrifying as others, I find its use of genre as satire to be regularly chilling. Landis’s use of monster-as-metaphor is brilliant his werewolf is simultaneously a universal stand-in for the other, as well as a personal stand-in for the anxieties of a Jewish-American. And of course, the transformation scene is iconic for a reason.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/14/24

Full Review

Nick O

There’s always been a shortage of good werewolf flicks and I think it’s because this one set the bar way to high with it’s biting humor and amazing Rick Baker make-up effects.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/28/25

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George M

I'll be one hundred percent honest here; Dog Soldiers and The Howling are better werewolf movies. While some of Rick Baker's work here is brilliant, notably the changing scenes, the final werewolf design looks more like a bear than a werewolf. Also, the werewolf at the end is killed by regular bullets. Quite disappointing. The extra half star is for Jenny Agutter, who I've crushed on since first seeing her in Logan's Run.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/22/25

Full Review

Kalissa H

I liked it more than I thought I would. Fun story.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/11/25

Full Review

Abdel K

An absolute timeless classic of a movie. Simply stunning and superb. Jenny Agutter is a national treasure

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/25/25

Full Review

tim s

This is, quite simply, the best werewolf movie ever made. It strikes a perfect balance between being scary and funny, the lead character is remarkably likable, and the effects are mesmerizing. The makeup and visuals were groundbreaking in 1981, and they continue to look more realistic than much of today's CGI. The first lycanthropic transformation is absolutely gut-wrenching. My only criticism of the film is the ending, which feels abrupt.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/24/25

Full Review

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John Landis

Director

David Naughton

David Kessler

Jenny Agutter

Nurse Alex Price

Griffin Dunne

Jack Goodman

John Woodvine

Dr. Hirsch

Brian Glover

Chess Player

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Jack's Warning

2:54

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Undead Jack

2:29

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Werewolf Attack

2:37

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Let Me Help You

1:37

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Mutant Nazi Nightmare

1:25

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - The Slaughtered Lamb

2:57

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - David's Undead Victims

2:59

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Subway Chase

2:11

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - London Massacre

1:38

An American Werewolf in London: Official Clip - Naked at the Zoo

1:12

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An American Werewolf in London: An American Werewolf in London's Best Scenes

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An American Werewolf in London: Trailer 1

1:35

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Synopsis

David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), two American college students, are backpacking through Britain when a large wolf attacks them. David survives with a bite, but Jack is brutally killed. As David heals in the hospital, he's plagued by violent nightmares of his mutilated friend, who warns David that he is becoming a werewolf. When David discovers the horrible truth, he contemplates committing suicide before the next full moon causes him to transform from man to murderous beast.

Director: John Landis
Producer: George Folsey Jr.
Screenwriter: John Landis
Distributor: MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Vestron Video, Polygram, Universal Pictures, Live Video
Production Co: Guber-Peters Company, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 21, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 13, 2015
Runtime: 1h 37m

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