The Werewolf of London

the werewolf of London ( Year American Werewolf in London ) is a film américano-British carried out by John Landis, left in 1981.

Synopsis

Two young Americans travelling to England find themselves in a corner lost not far from London and are deposited by a farmer with a crossing of roads. This one prevents them to go on the road and not to go in the moors. They follow its indications and go to the next village. While setting out again about it, our two characters are mislaid inopportunely in the moors at the time one night of full moon and are attacked by a strange animal…

Comments

It is with this film that one could see the personality of Landis affirming itself. It is about a parody which nevertheless complies with the most strict rules of films of horror. This subtle mixture can distress us, to even create certain emotions.

This film operates a return to certain folk sources when the hero, under the impulse of an irresistible force, tears off his clothing before transforming himself into wolf. This tradition refers in particular to the " Lay of Bisclavret " of Marie de France, in which a knight is constrained to strip himself entirely before metamorphosing himself and must dissimulate his clothing under a hollow stone because, if it did not find them, it would be condemned to wander indefinitely in the shape of a werewolf.

However, contrary to the " Bisclavret" of Marie de France, the hero of film finds his human form when it awakes, naked like a worm, in the cage with the wolves of the zoo of London, which then obliges it to regain its residence in the simplest apparatus…

Data sheet

  • Title: the Werewolf of London
  • original Title: Year American Werewolf in London
  • Realization: John Landis
  • Scenario: John Landis
  • Production: George Folsey Jr., Peter Guber and Jon Peters
  • Production companies: Guber-Peters Company, Lyncanthrope Films and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
  • Budget: 10 million dollars
  • Music: Elmer Bernstein
  • Photography: Robert Paynter
  • Assembly: Malcolm Campbell
  • Artistic director: Leslie Dilley
  • Costumes: Deborah Nadoolman
  • Country of origin: the United States, the United Kingdom
  • Format: Colors - 1,85:1 - Mono - 35 mm
  • Kind: Horror
  • Lasted: 97 minutes
  • Comings out date: August 21st 1981 (the United States), November 4th 1981 (France)
  • Film prohibited with less than 12 years at the time of its exit in France

Distribution

  • David Naughton: David Kessler
  • Jenny Agutter: the nurse Alex Price
  • Griffin Dune: Jack Goodman
  • John Woodvine: Doctor Hirsch
  • Lila Kaye: the waitress of the bar
  • Joe Belcher: the driver
  • Paddy Ryan: the first werewolf
  • Anne-Marie Davies: the nurse Susan Gallagher
  • Frank OZ: Mr. Collins/Miss Piggy (voice)
  • Gift McKillop: the inspector Villiers
  • Paul Kember: the sergeant Mac Manus
  • Hake Fernandes: Benjamin
  • Michele Brisigotti: Rachel Kessler
  • Mark Fisher: Max Kessler

Around film

  • turning was held in February and March 1981 with the the United Kingdom.
  • a continuation, the Werewolf of Paris ( Year American Werewolf in Paris ), was carried out by Anthony Waller in 1997.
  • All the songs of the original soundtrack comprise the word moon (the moon) in their title.
  • the scenario was written in 1969 per John Landis, whereas it was only 19 years old.
  • At the end of the credits, one can read a congratulations message for the marriage of the Prince Charles and the Princesse Diana, which take place the July 29th 1981.
  • the scenario writer had wished two additional songs on the original soundtrack of film: the Moonshadow of Cat Stevens, as well as the interpreation of Blue Moon by Bob Dylan, but both refused.
  • All at the end of the credits, one can read the message Any resemblance to any persons living room, dead, but undead is coincidental , that one could translate by Any resemblance to alive people, died or returned with the life is only one coincidence . John Landis took again the same message at the end of the video clip Thriller , that it carried out in 1983.
  • David Naughton was committed after John Landis saw it in a publicity for Dr. Pepper.
  • the realizer briefly appears towards the end of film. It is about bearded which has an car accident and passes through the windshield to Piccadilly.
  • the executives of the studio wanted daN Aykroyd in the role of David, like John Belushi in that of Jack, but John Landis refused.
  • It acts of first film to gain the Oscar better make-up, reward created in 1981.
  • the episode of the Muppet Show diffused on television at the time of the nightmare of David is a true episode, but this part was never diffused on television American, which explains why it was regarded as being a false episode and that Kermit and Miss Piggy is credited with the credits.
  • One can see two posters of Humphrey Bogart in the apartment of Alex. The first relates to the poster of Casablanca (1942) present in the living room, and the second, a portrait in black and white of the actor, present in the kitchen.

Places of turning

  • Effingham : interior of the bar The Slaughtered Lamb
  • London:
    • Bloomsbury : David drives out Gerald Bringsley
    • Earl' S Court: the outside of the apartment of the nurse
    • Hampstead: Harry and Judith are killed in Hampstead Heath
    • Piccadilly: David telephones his sister when it tries to open the wrists
    • Regent' S Park: David awakes after having made attacks
    • Southwark
    • St James' S: David asks to be stopped
  • Powys
    • Abergwesyn
    • Brecon Beacons
    • Crickadarn

Original soundtrack

Rewards

External bonds

  • the Werewolf of London on Internet Movie Database
  • Critical DevilDead

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