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An American Werewolf in London

  • 1981
  • R
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
126K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
722
499
Griffin Dunne and David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:42
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Body HorrorBuddy ComedyDark ComedySupernatural HorrorWerewolf HorrorComedyHorror

American college students David Kessler and Jack Goodman on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. Jack dies. David recovers in a hos... Read allAmerican college students David Kessler and Jack Goodman on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. Jack dies. David recovers in a hospital, where he has nightmares.American college students David Kessler and Jack Goodman on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. Jack dies. David recovers in a hospital, where he has nightmares.

  • Director
    • John Landis
  • Writer
    • John Landis
  • Stars
    • David Naughton
    • Jenny Agutter
    • Joe Belcher
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.5/10
    126K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    722
    499
    • Director
      • John Landis
    • Writer
      • John Landis
    • Stars
      • David Naughton
      • Jenny Agutter
      • Joe Belcher
    • 530User reviews
    • 273Critic reviews
    • 55Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 3 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos2

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

    Photos358

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    + 352
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    Top cast95

    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
      Due to the controversial lack of recognition for The Elephant Man (1980), make-up and industry technological contributions became recognized by the Academy Awards in 1981. Make-up artist Rick Baker was the first to receive an Oscar in the new category. William Tuttle was the first make-up effects artist to receive an honorary Oscar, for his work on 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964). At 31, Baker was also the youngest person to win the award, a record that was later tied by Tami Lane for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005).
    • Goofs
      Repeated mentions of werewolf attacks during a full moon are ignored when David undergoes his transformation on two consecutive nights. There is only one full moon during a lunar cycle. If the moon is full on a Saturday night, for example, it cannot be truly full on the next night, Sunday.
    • 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
      Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy star as themselves.
    • 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 reviews530

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10

    Ooooo. Scary.

    The old adage of the simplest ideas being the best is once again demonstrated in this, one of the most entertaining films of the early 80's, and almost certainly Jon Landis' best work to date. The script is light and witty, the visuals are great and the atmosphere is top class. Plus there are some great freeze-frame moments to enjoy again and again. Not forgetting, of course, the great transformation scene which still impresses to this day.

    In Summary: Top banana
    • Andy-496
    • Oct 25, 1998
    • Permalink

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    FAQ47

    • How long is An American Werewolf in London?Powered by Alexa
    • 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
      • Un hombre lobo americano en Londres
    • Filming locations
      • Crickadarn, Powys, Wales, UK(East Proctor)
    • 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
      • $30,819,283
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • D-Cinema 48kHz 7.1
      • Dolby Surround 7.1
      • 12-Track Digital Sound
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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