Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘An American Werewolf in London’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Over the course of its long and illustrious existence, the horror genre has done a phenomenal job of terrifying us to no end. But how it manages to pull that off time and time again, is what makes this genre so special. Because not only is this genre able to adapt with the times and offer up stories that relate to our fears in that moment, it also knows how to dive deep into the pit our of collective psyche and pluck at our primal fears. And for proof, look no further than the classic monsters that populate this genre. Take the ghost for example, since they represent our fears of the unknown and the thought of them being malicious or vindictive goes against all the comforting thoughts and beliefs we have about the afterlife, and that makes the prospect of crossing over a horrifying one indeed.
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Or there’s the zombie. A creature that represents every single fear we have about death. For it not only goes against our biological purpose in life, these walking corpses serve as an allegory for a life that was lived in an empty manner and in a way, their consumption of flesh is nothing more than a primal urge to find meaning or recapture what they let get away. But perhaps the stories that truly scare us the most, are the ones where we have no power over our minds and our bodies. Because we take pride in the fact that we are normally the boss of our thoughts and our actions and one particular monster that does a fine job of exploring that particular fear, is the werewolf. For it represents a loss of our humanity and control over what we think, feel and want, and while most werewolf related films love to focus on the gore and the fury of how animals function; once in a while you come across one that dives deep into the more philosophical notions we just laid out. Such as the 1981 classic, An American Werewolf in London.

For this particular motion picture sees our main character lose complete and utter control of his life and his future when he is converted into a werewolf and that really does make this movie quite the powerful viewing experience. Because despite his best efforts to try and lead a normal life after that devastating attack, David Kessler cannot escape the true horror of what he has become. And really, the downtime he spends trying to deny his true nature and transformation is what makes this motion picture so worth our while. Because he really is fighting a losing battle against the beast within and it is heart wrenching to see his downward spiral as the movie rolls along, as he finally begins to accept the fact that he has indeed lost control and doesn’t have the strength to end this madness on his own terms.

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Yet while that alone makes the movie worthwhile and brilliant since that is something that few horror films deal with in such detail, the story also shatters a few other tropes along the way. By way of some interesting explorations on survivor’s remorse and PTSD as well. Because most films in this genre see the characters rebound from traumatic experiences no problem. But here, David is haunted by what happened in the Moors that night, and the ambiguity of whether or not visits by Jack Goodman and his victims are real or fantasy, allows for us to understand that he is struggling with losing his friend and his freedom as an individual and this is handled in such a delightfully clever way that it never seems heavy handed or powerful. But what matters the most here is that David is indeed forced to face his fears and his demons over having a brush with death, and that really does add gravity to an already powerful story.
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But all cerebral themes aside, one cannot discuss this motion picture without discussing its incredible special effects. Because Rick Baker’s work here still holds up well after all this time. In fact, the transformation sequence is still compelling and fascinating and horrifying all at once, and the kills still make one cringe as well. But while there has been plenty written and fawned over when it comes to the werewolf related created creations in this film, one effect that truly doesn’t get enough credit after all these years; is Jack Goodman’s progressive decomposition. Because it is just horrifying to watch this plucky character slowly rot before your eyes and it is the little things that make this so uncomfortable to watch. Such as how the loose flesh on his neck jiggles when he first talks to David or the ghastly grey his flesh adopts a short time later and it is those little touches, that serve as a fine reminder as to why Rick’s work was worthy of an Academy Award.

If anything, it is really just best to declare this motion picture as that rare perfect horror film. Because in addition to all the powerful moments we’ve just discussed, it’s also a downright terrifying movie as well. For the scene in the Moors and the anticipation leading to David’s transformation into a werewolf puts you on edge, and quite frankly, haunts you. Which means this one is a genuine classic through and through and it is one that needs to be celebrated as often as possible. Because this may well be the finest werewolf movie ever made. Since it tackles so many powerful themes, all while giving the audience exactly what they want from a splatter perspective and if by chance you haven’t seen this quirky and twisted and downright delightful masterpiece, please seek it out and give a look. Simply because they don’t make them like this anymore, and you cannot go wrong with losing yourself within a horror flick that goes above and beyond in this manner.    

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