'An American Werewolf in London' was one of the first ever VHS tapes I purchased. As a horror movie it remains one of my favourite of all time, especially as it combines black humour, with rural atmosphere and great shocks. 'An American...' isn't simply an old fashioned monster story but it's a love story too which revolves around an American chap named David, who, along with his friend Jack, are trekking across the Yorkshire moors in search of adventure. Sadly, they just happen to not only stumble upon a bunch of remotely situated locals but also a salivating werewolf which attacks both me, leaving Jack mutilated beyond comprehension and David, infected to the point of becoming a were-beast. The result is that David is nursed back to health - by the rather delicious Jenny Agutter, with whom he falls for - whilst also receiving eerie visitations from his long dead pal who warns him that he's a werewolf and that by the full moon he'll have to prowl the streets in search of prey.
Strangely, despite its darker moments 'An American...' plays out like a British drama rather than a horror film, and except for a few peculiarly horrifying dream sequences, gore is not supplied by the bucket load, but the effects are certainly noteworthy, especially David's transformation into beast. Elsewhere the cast is strong, a whole host of sturdy British actors make this film a rather quirky ride, enabling the movie to reach a fitting finale where David, now searching for blood in the city of London, is eventually brought down by the police. Complete with upbeat film score 'An American...' is one of, if not the best werewolf movie ever created and boasts enough laughs and jumps to keep us horror fanatics more than happy.
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