An American Werewolf in London (1981)

Country of Origin: UK/USA
Year of Production: 1981
Running Times: 98 mins
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: Technicolor
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: mono

DIRECTION

Director: John Landis

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Polygram Pictures/Lycanthrope Films Limited
Executive Producer: Peter Guber, Jon Peters
Producer: George Folsey Jr
Prod Manager: Joyce Herlihy

SCRIPT
Script: John Landis

DIRECTION
1st Assistant Director: David Tringham
2nd Assistant Director: Mike Murray
3rd Assistant Director: Russell Lodge

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Robert Paynter
Camera Operator: David Garfath
Focus: Jeff Paynter
Steadicam Operators: Robin McDonald, Malcolm McIntosh
Grip: Dennis Fraser
Gaffer: Maurice Gillett
Best Boy: Alan Barry
Electricians: Bill Nicholson, Toby Tyler, Peter Bloor
Generator Operator: Mickie Rowsome
Supervising Rigger: Frederick Crawford
Rigger: Tim Murphy
Clapper/Loader: Michael Anderson
Stills: Barry Peake
Lighting Equipment: Lee Electric Ltd
Cameras/Lenses: Joe Dunton Ltd

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Malcolm Campbell
Associate Editor: Simon Battersby
Assistant Editors: Steve Maguire, Clive Hartley, Anna Ksiezopolska

MUSIC
Music: Elmer Bernstein
Music Editor: Michael Clifford
Music Performed By: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Songs Performed By: Bobbie Vinton (Blue Moon), Sam Cooke (Blue Moon), Van Morrison (Moondance), Creedence Clearwater Revival (Bad Moon Rising), The Marcels (Blue Moon)

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Ivan Sharrock
Boom Operator: Ken Weston
Sound Assistant: Don Banks
Dubbing Mixer: Gerry Humphreys
Sound Editors: John Poyner, Don Sharpe
Assistant Sound Editors: Roy Benson, Rocky Phelan
Foley: Tony Lenny
Re-Recorded At: Twickenham Film Studios, Middlesex

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Robin Grantham, Beryl Lerman
Hair: Barry Richardson
Costume Designer: Deborah Nadoolman
Wardrobe Master: Ian Hickinbotham
Men's Wardrobe: Keith Morton
Women's Wardrobe: Sue Wain
Set Dresser: Simon Wakefield

SPECIAL MAKE UP
Special Make Up Effects: Rick Baker
Special Make Up Effects Crew: Elaine Baker, Doug Beswick, Kevin Brennan, Tom Hester, Steve Johnson, Sean McEnrow, Joe Ross, Bill Sturgeon

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Effects Associates Ltd
Opticals and Titles: Camera Effects Ltd

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Leslie Dilley
Assistant Art Directors: Peter Childs, Keith Pain
Props Buyer: Sidney Palmer
Props Master: Dave Jordan
Props: Brian Payne, Bill Hargreaves
Dressing Props: Tony Wheeler, Derek Ixer
Construction Manager: Len Furey
Supervising Carpenter: Fred Gunning
Carpenter: Len Day
Supervising Painter: John Roberts
Painter: Tommy Green
Supervising Stagehand: Vince Murphy
Stagehand: Michael Wells
Supervising Plasterer: Tom Tarry
Plasterer: Bill Grzesik

OTHER CREW
Continuity: Pamela Mann
Production Assistant: Jennie Raglan
Financial Administrator: Sam Williams
Assistant Accountants: Derek Norwood, Linda Gregory
Unit Publicist: Sara Keene
Producer's Secretary: Maggie Southam
Runner: Martin Ford
Action Vehicle Coordinator: Dave Bickers
Catering: First Unit Caterers Ltd

LOCATIONS
Locations: Aldwych underground station, London, England, UK; Brecon Beacons, Wales, UK (Yorkshire scenes); Crickadarn, Wales, UK; London Zoo, Regent's Park, London, England, UK; Tower Bridge, London, England, UK (David's slaughter of the tramps); Piccadilly Circus, London, England, UK; The Black Swan, Effingham, near Leatherhead, Surrey, England, UK (interiors of The Slaughtered Lamb); Tottenham Court Road underground station, London, England, UK; Trafalgar Square, London, England, UK; Windsor Great Park, Windsor, Berkshire, England, UK
Location Manager: Ray Freeborn

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks To: Jim Henson, Lillywhites, Swan & Edgar, Claudgen Ltd, Wimpey International Ltd
All characters and events in this film are fictitious. Any similarity to actual events or persons, living, dead, or undead, is purely coincidental.
Lyncanthrope 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.

STUNTS
Stunts: Roy Alon, Vic Armstrong, Ken Barker, Dickie Beer, Marc Boyle, Sue Crosland, Clive Curtis, Peter Diamond, Tracey Eddon, Sadie Eden, Terry Forrestal, Romo Gomarra, Fred Haggerty, Frank Henson, Nick Hobbs, Billy Horrigan, Arthur Howell, Carl La Fong, Gareth Milne, Val Musetti, Terry Plummer, Greg Powell, Dou Robinson, Ken Shepherd, Colin Skeeping, Tony Smart, Rocky Taylor, Terry Walsh, Paul Weston, Nick Wilkinson
Stunt Gaffer: Alf Joint

CASTING
Casting: Debbie McWilliams
Casting (New York): Dee Dee Wehle
Casting (Los Angeles): Michael Chinich

CAST

David Naughton (David Kessler)
Griffin Dunne ( Jack Goodman)
Jenny Agutter (Alex Price)
John Woodvine (Dr J.S. Hirsch)
Brian Glover (chess player)
Lila Kaye (barmaid)
David Schofield (darts player)
Paul Kember (Sgt McManus)
Frank Oz (Mr Collins)
Don McKillop (Inspector Villiers)
Joe Belcher (truck driver)
Rik Mayall (second chess player)
Anne-Marie Davies (Nurse Susan Gallagher)
Nina Carter (Nina)
Christopher Scoular (Sean)
Mary Tempest (Sean's wife)
Sean Baker (second dart player)
Paddy Ryan (first werewolf)
Colin Fernandes (Benjamin)
Albert Moses (hospital porter)
Michele Brisigotti (Rachel Kessler)
Mark Fisher (Max Kessler)
Gordon Sterne (Mr Kessler)
Paula Jacobs (Mrs Kessler)
Claudine Bowyer, Johanna Crayden (creepy little girls)
Geoffrey Burridge (Harry Berman)
Brenda Cavendish (Judith Browns)
Cynthia Powell (Sister Hobbs)
Sydney Bromley (Alf)
Frank Singuineau (Ted)
Will Leighton (Joseph)
Michael Carter (Gerald Bringsley)
Elizabeth Bradley (woman in zoo)
Rufus Deakin (little boy with balloons)
Lesley Ward (little boy's mother)
George Hilsdon (news vendor)
Gerry Lewis, Dennis Fraser (men in queue)
Alan Ford (taxi driver)
Peter Ellis (bobby in Trafalgar Square)
Denise Stephens (girl in Trafalgar Square)
Christine Hargreaves (ticket lady)
Bob Babenia (usher)
Ken Sicklen, John Salthouse (bobbies at Cinema)
John Altman, Keith Hodiak, John Owens, Roger Rowland (policemen)
Vic Armstrong (bus driver - uncredited)
John Landis (man thrown into window - uncredited)

"See You Next Wednesday" Cast
Linzi Drew (Brenda Bristols)
Lucienne Morgan (Lance Boyle)
Gypsy Dave Cooper (Chris Bailey)
Susan Spencer (Georgia Bailey)

Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy star as themselves.

American tourists in Yorkshire David Kessler and Jack Goodman are attacked on the moors by a wolf that turns into a man when shot. Jack is killed but returns from the dead to visit a traumatised David with warnings that they were attacked by a werewolf and that David is now cursed. Sure enough, at the first full moon, David transforms into a wolf and goes on the rampage through the streets of London.

American Werewolf successfully walks the line between comedy and horror to create that cinematic rarity - a genuinely funny horror film. One of the key genre films of the 80s and arguably the best werewolf movie of all time, An American Werewolf in London just about has it all - genuine wit, great performances, likeable characters and those ground-breaking, jaw-dropping effects sequences. A genuine classic, unsullied by either time or a worthless and unwanted sequel.

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures
Video Distributors: Live Video, MCA, Vestron Video
Laserdisc Distributor: MCA/Universal Home Video (40017), Live Home Video (LD 15101-WS), Image Entertainment (ID 5239 VE)
DVD Distributor: Live Entertainment (60453)

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Universal
Video Distributor: Polygram, Channel 5

Argentina
Rating: 18

Australia
Rating: M

Chile
Rating: 18

Finland
Rating: K-18

France
Rating: -12

Norway
Rating: 18

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 18

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 16

1982
Academy Awards, USA
Best Makeup (Rick Baker) - winner

Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, USA
Saturn Award: Best Horror Film - winner
Best Make-Up (Rick Baker) - winner

1981
February
Day Unknown: UK - shooting begins

March
Day Unknown: UK - shooting ends

August
21: USA - theatrical release

November
4: France - theatrical release

1982
March
8: Sweden - theatrical release

April
9: Finland - theatrical release
29: West Germany - theatrical release

November
12: Norway - theatrical release

1995
December
9: USA - laserdisc release (Live Home Video (LD 15101-WS))

1997
December
9: USA - DVD release (Live Entertainment (60453))

From the director of Animal House - a different kind of animal

A masterpiece of terror

The Monster Movie

Twenty Years Later, The Moon Rises Again... (20th Anniversary reissue)

American Werewolf - West German title
Een Amerikaanse Weerwolf in Londen - Dutch title
En Amerikansk varulv i London - Swedish title
Amerykanski wilkolak w Londynie - Polish title
Hombre-lobo americano en Londres - Spanish title
Ihmissusi Lontoossa - Finnish title
Um Lobisomem Americano em Londres - Portugese title
Le loup-garou de Londres - French title
Un lupo mannaro americano a Londra - Italian title

SEQUEL
American Werewolf in Paris, An (1997)

SEE ALSO
Beware the Moon  Remembering An American Werewolf in London (2008)
Curse of the Queerwolf (1988)
Curse of the Werewolf, The (1961)
Here Come the Munsters (1995)
Thriller (1983)
Werewolf of Washington, The (1973)
Wolf Man, The (1941)

INCLUDES FOOTAGE FROM
Muppet Show, The (1976)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Coming Soon (1982)
Don't Scream It's Only a Movie (1989)
Heartstoppers: Horror at the Movies (1992)
Terror in the Aisles (1984)

PERIODICALS

Halls of Horror no.27 p.16 (UK)
note

New Musical Express 6 September 1990 p.35 (UK)
review

Radio Times 27 August - 2 September 1988 p.57 (UK)
credits

Radio Times 21 - 27 July 1990 pp.19, 29, 31 (UK)
review, credits

Starburst no.40 p.33 (UK)
review

Video The Magazine September 1984 p.49 (UK)
review

BOOKS

Elliot's Guide to Films on Video p.24
credits, review

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.22
credits, review

Virgin Film Yearbook 1983 p.9
credits, review

KEYWORDS

werewolves, zombies, nazis, nightmares, london, showers, cinemas, zoos, curses, monsters, the supernatural, balloons, ghosts, the moon, moors, nurses, doctors, hospitals, police, attempted suicide, darts, pubs, chess, decapitations, deers, forests, lorries, subways, london underground, tube stations

Last Updated: 5 July, 2009