Filmmaker reacts to An American Werewolf in London (1981) for the FIRST TIME!
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- Hope you enjoy my filmmaker reaction to An American Werewolf in London. :D
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Original Movie: An American Werewolf in London (1981)
Ending Song: / charleycoin
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This man James literally gives the best vibes everyday could not appreciate you more!
Heyooo I super appreciate that! Good vibes always 🙏🏽
@@JamesVSCinema just what I needed today tbh 🙌
@@JamesVSCinema not a comedy
Haha I agree.
Agreed. Newer subscriber here, and I love the atmosphere. The vibes from James are straight up therapeutic.
“A naked American man stole my balloons.”
Best line in the movie.
😂😂😂😂😂
"Wot?"
I think the practical effects still hold up well, especially considering it’s 4 decades later. Won the first ever Academy Award for Best Makeup (Rick Baker)
I believe they do too!
I did not know about the award fact, or perhaps I forgot. Interesting.
There’s a behind the scenes on one of the dvd versions that said Rick Baker had to draw in his pen pals who were just hobbyists and they made it all up as they went.
Baker also did the Del Toro Wolfman. Another fav of mine.
I remember reading article after article in Fangoria about the FX.
Didn't think about it till now, but David and Jack being on the back of the truck filled with lambs is a pretty apt metaphor for what's about to happen to them once the night comes.
The pub they go to from there is also called "The Slaughtered Lamb". They just didn't have very many good omens.
Wild actually >.>
@@JamesVSCinema literally lol
Horror with dark humor
@@JamesVSCinema u left out funniest scene. .a naked american man stoled my baloons...
"Hi." "Why'd he say it like that?"
Because he's Frank Oz! It's how he speaks. Yoda! Fozzie Bear! One of the great puppeteers.
Came here to say the very same!
"You ain't seen one of my movies?! The Muppets! That was a good one!"
Frank Oz rules!
I know, pains me, (or just shows my age), that so few people realise ! They were making The Muppet Show in London at the time I believe ?
This! ^ (OP) :)
Michael Jackson was such a fan of this movie that he hired the same FX team to do the FX for his "Thriller" video. Pure 80s greatness and an objective argument for the use of practical effects over CG. Thanks for these reactions! Keep it up!!
Not only the FX team he hired John Landis himself to direct that awesome music video.
@@luke9947 Landis described in an interview how MJ invited him over and he came to realize MJ had only seen this one movie of his. He said it was "a disappointing day at Michael Jackson's house." LOL Still, one of the best werewolf movies, and we got the best, longest, and only, werecat music video because of this.
There's that part in the Making of Thriller documentary where John Landis is naming all his movies and MJ is just like "..........no..........no............no...."
He didn't just have the FX team he also had John Landis the director of the film direct the Thriller video
Im so amazed what CG can do but when it comes to horror I feel as though practical will win every time because it actually feels real.
I know a lot of people say the ending is super sudden and is anti-climactic etc - but the movie is David's story and at the end, his story is over. I think it's a perfect ending actually.
I loved the ending there was nothing more to say no loose ends to tie up true love didn't win the day and David died the end.
The upbeat version of Blue Moon after all that is perfect
The reason the transformation is like The Thing.. Legendary makeup artist Rick Baker did the FX on this... and Rob Bottin was his protege. Rick invented this technique, taught it to Rob, and they worked on 2 simultaneous werewolf movies in 1981, this one (Rick) and THE HOWLING (Rob).. the next movie Rob did.. The Thing.
…and Rick Baker was an assistant and protégé to The Great Dick Smith (Exorcist, The Stepford Wives).
The change scene was a miracle of practical effects and editing. Plus the whole movie is just so damn funny! A real horror classic. Simple but effective.
You are absolutely right! When a movie with a simple plot is allowed so much more room to explore; this is a perfect example of that. Thanks for the comment!
American Werewolf In London is just excellent cinematography from beginning to end. The humor, the gore, the conflict. The soundtrack, and the choice of songs at certain key parts of the movie, but without any soundtrack mood music otherwise! Her incredible infatuation for him is the pherosomes he's excuding being half beast. The doctor actually checking it out rather than just playing the old , "He's crazy" card. The effects! The ending... Perfection! Hollywood couldn't make this kind of movie today if they all took acid and discovered the Genius of Existence! Great reaction!
Classic! The transformation reaction was even better than expected
🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I love your comment about how that officer in the theater should have had his gun out. The vast majority of British bobbies don't carry firearms. At the time this movie was filmed I believe no bobbies carried firearms, just clubs.
Think its only 5-10% of police authorised to carry guns.
They've always had a SWAT team that they could call out when they needed to, but the patrolmen were all unarmed until recently.
The 'clubs' were called Truncheons :)
@@chrisleebowers I believe in the UK they were known as the SPG (Special Patrol Group). Bobbies simply had their truncheon, whistle, and a helmet that looked like a tit.
Exactly and it reminds me of a joke Robin Williams told about how in the US police stay 'stop, or I'll shoot!' and in the UK they can only say 'stop, or I'll say stop again!'. Good job this werewolf didn't need to be shot with a silver bullet at least!
Definitely worth watching "Dog Soldiers" (2002), a relatively low budget and primarily practical effects, very good effects though, good little story with some dark hummer too, has been described as a film about soldiers with werewolves in it, set in the scottish countryside it's one of my personal favourite werewolf movies.
Seconded.
Dog Soldiers has so many of the same aspects of AWiL that I love. Goriness, great practical monsters, humour, simplicity of the story, all it's missing is the true cult status and the love interest.
Absolutely a must if you're doing Werewolf films. Dog Soldiers is a gem and right up there with AWL for me!
Also has some amazing one liners, arguably a Matrix reference... and newspaper headlines :)
Fourthed. Its up there with this in my favourite werewolf films
Fifthed... one of the best werewolf movies out there. A little reminiscent of Aliens, with soldiers up against the big nasties.
Absolutely. 100%.
the man at 8:19 is actually frank oz, the voice actor and puppeteer for fozzie bear, miss piggy, and yoda, which explains his unique voice lol
Hahaha makes sense!
And Ernie, & Cookie Monster...
I always loved the fact that we saw Griffin Dunne’s character gradually decompose more and more with every visit. It’s so simple but genius to do that.
The director, John Landis went on to direct Michael Jacksons 'Thriller' as he was so in love with this film. Great analysis.
Loooooove this movie. And to this day, the most terrifying werewolf ever depicted on film. Don't bother with the sequel though.
Best part is it's all practical! They really turned their lead actor into a werewolf just for this movie 😂
It's been a long time since I've seen it, but The Howling was also done by Rick Baker, wasn't it, and had similar transformation effects and they were really scary. A theater near me is showing it this weekend on the big screen, so I should probably go back and check it out.
@@jksgameshelf3378 Baker was supposed to do it and had started prepping for it but then got the call from Landis who he already had a deal with if Landis ever got the get go to do this film. Landis had been trying to get this film made for probably a decade at that point. It was in fact the announcement of The Howling being made that got this film financed as the studio saw The Howling was in production at one of their biggest rival studios so all of a sudden they wanted a werewolf movie of their own to compete. So when Baker contacted by Landis he called up his young friend Rob Bottin to take over his work on The Howling. Bottin of course went on to do the Thing the following year after his success in stepping in for Baker.
@@Fedorevsky - That’s right, it was Rob. Thanks for the clarification
I remember as a kid; I saw The Wolfman and thought that was the coolest werewolf transformation. Then my brother showed me Monster Squad and that brief transformation, then my uncle shows me American Werewolf in London...I ran out the room screaming.
I think what jarred me the most was the level of pain David Naughton portrayed on screen.
I was 9 years old when I seen this, staying at my aunties farm, there was a outside toilet with a rams head above the door.. terrifying 🐏 this is one of my all time favourite movies ❤
Hahaha what a memory ❤️
That would be terrifying .
I was around that age when I saw this or younger lol
I’m a Brit and I can confirm we have native werewolves in our countryside
The making of this movie is really interesting and as a young filmmaker you should totally check it out. John Landis (Director) and Rick baker (makeup/special effects) were way ahead of the curve for this movie, how they did the hair for the first transformation is so genius and practical at the same time.
The hair growth was facepalmingly simple in retrospect: pull hair down through rubber and play it backwards. Now a lot of special effects people would probably try to CGI it. CGI doesn't age nearly as well as practical effects.
@@GeraldWalls A good example of that was The Thing from 2011. They initially were going to do practical effects like the 1980s version but were pressured into CGI and it looks horrible
You will never listen to Blue Moon the same way again.
Being a werewolf is hard.
Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema
Have a Fargo Episode on Friday and Captain America & Winter Soldier on Saturday Enjoy the day!
Here is the making of American Werewolf in London ua-cam.com/video/uoXbRSTFsSE/v-deo.html
Hey, what kind of films have you made and are they available to watch?
@@alanwhetstone3922
Excellent link matey…. Cheers
Werewolf" *howls*
Guy at the pub: "I here nothing. 🤐"
Werewolf: "I don't think you heard me. I said *howls*"
YES! My favorite werewolf movie of all time. So good, funny, scary, weird and unexpected, and the makeup effects and transformations are unparalleled. And the music choices! SO frikkin good! :)
Also Jenny Agutter... ;)
Hahaha happy to get it to ya!
Honestly, one of my favourite creature transformations I've seen in a movie. It looks so painful and wild but still grips your interest the whole time
It was incredible!
Plus it might end up awakening something within you, if you aren't careful...no pun intended.
LOL! I love seeing the reaction of the abrupt ending as the credits go up to the tune of "Blue Moon".
When this movie won the Academy Award for Best Makeup, the makeup artists protegee felt left out for his work on another werewolf movie. So he went all in on his next project, a movie called The Thing.
Never thought James would discover Yorkshire this way but here we are!
The ‘Yorkshire’ scenes were actually filmed in Wales.
The creature FX for the Thing was Rob Bottin. Rob Bottin worked with Rick Baker on "The Howling" another werewolf movie from 1981 with another awesome transformation sequence, and then Rick Baker did "American Werewolf"
Rick Baker also helped fill in effects during The Thing, mainly the Brown-ish Dog that snarls at the camera!
Us 80s kids were lucky, can't imagine kids today being able to watch films like this
I rented this on VHS from my local Hastings when I was a kid in the mid to late 1990s. Even then, this film scared the shit out of me first time around but the next few times, I wasn't. The practical and makeup effects still look great to this day.
8:18 He said it that way because he is Frank Oz - the most Muppet human being possible.
Voice of Yoda
You are so engaging and laid back at the same time it always relaxes me to watch anything with you. Ty for these very nice moments.
Normal police don't carry guns in London James...when you said that the policeman should draw his gun in the porno theatre.
Glad you loved this, it's one of E. Wright's fav films too; along with Evil Dead one of the first of its kind to blend horror and comedy.
Such a fun movie for Halloween. Lots of great elements at work in this one. I really love how it never takes itself too seriously.
The make up effects still hold up to this day! It was the first Horror Thriller film to Win Best Makeup, as the Academy finally recognized the innovation in makeup.
They hold up so well today!
That “Hiiii...” nerdy bald guy with the glasses at the hospital is Frank Oz, he did the voice/puppeteer work for Ms. Piggy, Yoda etc
One of my top ten of all time. The howling of the creature sounds so.... sad. So full of regret and pain. It sets the entire film.
This is my favorite Werepuppy movie I have ever seen. I saw it as a kid back in the 80s and was blown away and Jack getting attacked really bothered me. I now judge all the genre off this movie. No movie has yet gotten the Howl as spooky as this one is. Just enough "there is something not right" to make it scary.
Leicester Square at the time was one of London’s busiest road junctions and the filmmakers had only one evening to shoot the entire werewolf rampage scene before the square was reopened to the public by the police.
On a lighter note at the end of the credits is a message of congratulations from the cast and crew to Prince Charles and Lady Diana on their wedding. The film was released the same week as the big day.
The Tottenham Court Road station scene, for me, is one THE greatest scenes in any horror film. It's terrifying.
A classic. You'll like the sequel.
Also "Dog Soldiers" 2002
One of my absolute favorite movies!
The doctor at the beginning with the weird voice was Frank Oz. He did the voice of Fozzie Bear and a TON of other Henson characters.
He was also in The Blues Brothers
The crazy dreams indicate that hes actually turning into a werewolf, as it's slowly starting to take over not only his mind, but body and soul as well
40 years old, the best transformation of it's kind in cinema to date.
I always wondered with the whole "trying to get arrested" sequence ...why didn't he just punch the cop?
This movie balanced horror and comedy seamlessly. Apparently John Landis got the idea on the set of “Kelly’s Heroes”, when he witnessed an old-school funeral where measures were taken to ensure the corpse didn’t rise. The translator mocked it as an outdated custom, but Landis thought, “Yeah, okay, but what if it did wake up?”
I'm 44 and just saw this film for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely blew me away. The special effects are so darn good.
It was so refreshing to see your reaction to this movie, it's one of my favorite movies of all time I've been watching it since I was a little kid. By Far and Away the best werewolf transformation on screen.
22:50: That's Steven Spielberg in the red sweater. He was visiting Landis the night they were shooting that sequence and Landis put him in the car for that one shot.
That’s epic! Thanks for this
Your "Damn!?!" escalator reaction was classic! Really cool to see how much your channel has grown. You definitely deserve it, I started watching around True Detective(which is one of my all time favorite pieces of film) and your perspective made me appreciate it all the more. Thanks again for blessing us all with this channel
You can have your awesome CGI, but this movie to this day has the greatest werewolf transformation scene EVER!
Stone cold classic. During the final mayhem in Picadilly Circus scene, the hippy wearing a bandana who is thrown through the plate glass window is the movie's director John Landis, who was a card carrying stuntman.
Keep up the great reviews, James. Your reviews always brighten my day.
I saw this movie when I was 12 maybe a year after it came out (Parents rented it on "gasp" *Betamax* ).
This was the first Werewolf movie I saw in which the monster was an actual "Wolf"- not a man with a hairy dog's face and claws still wearing his clothes (ala Universal Studios "The Wolf Man").
It will always be the Gold Standard of Werewolf films for me- that transformation still rocks 40 years later!
I remember working at a movie theater when this was released and hearing David’s screams during the transformation every shift. Thank you for sharing my love of this treasure. You mentioned “The Thing”, you do mean John Carpenter’s version with Kurt Russell? It’s at the top of my list of must see anytime.
Hey James, glad you enjoyed this man , another werewolf classic is "The Howling" and of course if you want to throw a bit of Stephen King into the mix with "Silver Bullet .
Agreed! The Howling is one of my favorite "werewolf" movies. The scene in the office at night...
This is my absolute favorite werewolf movie, and my second favorite horror, right behind the original Halloween. So glad you liked it! Great reaction, take care, be safe!
The transformation scene in this movie is brutal, i adore it. Absolutely loved the practical fx in this movie too, Jack's design is awesome.
I think there is only one other transformation that could hold up and be close to it. The Howling is very close. They were both made in the same year so there has always been a vs with the two movies. Id highly recommend The Howling from 1980.
"The Howling" scared the crap out of me when I saw it in the 80's. I'll second your recommendation.
@@Easy_Skanking Well thank you kindly :) I think one thing that really helps the movie is the cast as well. Dee Wallace has always been an amazing actress :D
@@GeekGal84 She shows her range going from "E.T." to this horror classic!
@@Easy_Skanking Don't forget about her in Cujo. Holy crap was she amazing in that one. Also, there is a Hansel and Gretal with her in it. Has one of the worst ratings but for some reason, I love her in it lol.
@@GeekGal84 I forgot she was in "Cujo". I kind of pushed that film out of my mind. I'm a big Stephen King fan and that one just could not live up to the book, IMO. Not that there are very many of his movies that can live up to the book...but she was definitely good with what she was given.
David and Jack were doing a three-month trip to Italy where Jack hoped to meet the girl he had liked since the eighth grade.
Hey loving all the content just wanted to say that you make my day better with every video and these really help me just decompress and chill after long days! 💛
"Why'd he say it that way" - Frank Oz. That's his normal voice.
Dog Soldiers. soldiers, guns, romance, swords, silver and a spoon. It rocks.
This movie has the best, just, "OKAYTHESTORYISOVERBYEEEEEE"
My favorite werewolf movie of all time! Here's a few tidbits for you to think of, the villagers who were at the Slaughtered Lamb pub as the beginning, clearly had been huddling together every full moon for a long time, there was nothing new for them in this, which means in such a small community, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out WHO was NEVER at the pub on a full moon, which means they KNEW who the werewolf was, because if all it takes is a blast from a normal shotgun to bring the beast down, meaning no silver bullets and such, they had a LOT of opportunities to kill it before, which means if they didn't it's because it was one of THEM! Also, the sign of the pub, a decapitated wolf's head on a spike, implies the slaughtered lamb is the wolf, which implies werewolves are not only something that dates back a very long time there, but they are seen as victims, not killers. I find this very interesting because it's not the usual clear-cut position of good vs evil we usually get in movies. There's SO MUCH backstory implied in that one little sequence, it blows my mind because this is a perfect example of how to infer a backstory without the usual exposition to explain it all. It's a brilliant bit of story-telling when you stop and think about it a minute.
It's shame they fucked it up on the sequel. It could have been a fantastic film, but instead it was a dumb B-series movie that rode the coat tails of its predecessor.
20:58 That's genuinely the funniest scene I've ever seen in my life, I was fking dying when I first watched it 🤣😭
That guy was Frank Oz .. when David wakes up in hospital lol
And now we know where John Landis 2 years after this movie, got the inspiration for his writing of the Thriller music video
Also fun to look at Landis writing/directing credits comparing the genres of movies.
Every single reactor I have watched uses the same word to describe the Piccadilly Square scene.....
"Chaos"
Still holds up to this day! Love this film!
This is my earliest movie memory. I'm very thankful.
The guy the American embassy guy that you sort of laughed at his voice is Frank Oz who voices Yoda and Miss Piggy and makes his living from his voice and is a fantastic director as well but had made his living by his voice
If you watched a video talking about making this film, Rick Baker said the whole transformation scene took about a week to shoot.
“Before you realise it, you’re at a Michael Jackson concert.”
You don’t say?!
Michael Jackson watched this film, and as a result asked Rick Baker to do the costume and makeup for the Thriller music video…the rest is history.
This is a classic love the reaction James keep it up my brother
Happy to have it up for you guys!
Rick Baker was the Makeup Artist for this. That's 7 Time Academy Award Winner Rick Baker. He got the first ever Oscar for Best Makeup on this movie. He worked on the Exorcist, Star Wars, the Thriller music video, Coming to America, Gremlins 2, The Nutty Professor, all the Men in Blacks (except that new one), Hellboy, and was apparently Robert Downey Jr. blackface designer for Tropic Thunder.
Rob Bottin did the effects for The Thing, and he worked on Legend (best damn demon ever), The Witches of Eastwick, all the Robocops, Total Recall, Fear and Loathing, Fight Club, Se7en, and Game of Thrones.
The posh guy in the Subway's name is Michael Carter. His career started as an extra in Doctor Who's "Mind of Evil" as an uncredited soldier who was a prisoner. His first credit movie was this film. He's still acting today.
Great reaction video!! I was 13 years old when this movie was new. I do recall the weaving of comedy into this horrific movie that modernized the werewolf genre from the B&W movies of the 70's. I believe the movie won an award for the practical effects. That werewolf transformation is still one of the more horrific yet strangely believable scenes even to this day. An the abrupt "okay go away now" ending to the movie.
Rob Bottin did special effects for “The Thing”, and he studied under Rick Baker who did effects for “An American Werewolf in London”. So “The Thing” was certainly influenced by this movie in more ways than one. Rick Baker is the undisputed master of make-up and practical effects.
Rob Bottin also did the werewolf transformation effects for The Howling, which was released the same year as American Werewolf in London.
Landis being able to make this movie comedic while also having truly horrific attack sequences is amazing. The cosmetics and make up are not only superb for 1981 but I believe they would stand out in today’s day in age. Cinematography is also a highly underrated part of this film. I didn’t give it a chance for years because I thought an early 80’s werewolf movie couldn’t stand the test of time but I can say I’m very happy I finally did and would also say this a must watch for film lovers of all types regardless of their preferred genres. Much love everyone!
04:00 So interesting that David and Jack are in with the sheep, but I just realized Jack's coat is the same color as the sheep's wool and David's jacket is red. Such great detail to add!
Frank Oz played the man from the American Embassy and he was also the original Grover on the Muppets.
The transformation scared the bejesus out of me as kid, I remember watching it on the couch with my mom when I was 4-5(@89) and to this day the transformation still gets to me in a weird way...amazing movie
James: This was a great movie in my opinion.
Me: I agree. This is my favourite werewolf movie ever. And I haven't even watched the full thing on Stan, yet.
Montana here. I found a puma scratching post. It was on Mt. Sentinel above the University of Montana, above the Kim William's trail. A student got knocked off a cliff by a mountain lion and barely survived within a few hundred of it within a year.
One great thing about the old school horror movies is the sfx. They killed it in alot of the movies.
Yeah :) That transformation filmed in a well lit room like that. Magicians!
The Bald guy from the American Embassy that said "Hi" with that unusual voice is none other that Frank Oz, director and puppeteer / voice of Miss Piggy and Yoda. He directed "Little Shop of Horrors" and "The Witches". I've always been impressed with the transformation in this film and in the Benicio Del Toro "The Wolfman". One is great practicals work and the other is great CG and both very different.
The best werewolf movie ever. Perfect blend of horror, make-up (Rick Baker), and dark comedy. And in my eyes, it perfectly.
Dude, I was super little the first time I saw this flick and it left me traumatized. I went almost 25 years before watching it again. My lil brother bought it for me as. Christmas gift. It sat next to the TV for a year in the plastic wrap. Finally watched it in the middle of the day while folding laundry and ended up laughing at myself because it wasn't as bad as I'd remembered. Goes to show that as children we are easily frightened. Anyway, now I enjoy watching it from time to time. It broke loose the old standard in werewolf movies, it was the first time seeing a transient in full effect. Classic.
Another great reaction to a classic as always man!
If you never saw it, I highly recommend watching & reacting to The Company of Wolves. The film itself is right up your alley, but it has one of the best (and certainly one of the most unique) wolf transformations ever committed to celluloid.
I love this film, such a technical marvel really. It won the very-first Oscar for the Best Makeup category back in '82 as well :)
This movie was great and its awesome to see people still discovering it to this day
Rick Baker, a lifelong 'monster kid,' won the first competitive Oscar awarded in the Makeup category for his innovative work on "An American Werewolf in London"
That transformation scene is the BOMB!! Just look how far we've advanced in practical effects since the Universal Werewolf of 1941.
By far The greatest werewolf movie ever and such a classic great movie and The best transformation scene of all Time!!!
Hi from Montana’s Nature Film Community. Something scary you might not know about Mountain Lion’s out there: they are getting better and better at hiding from people every generation. Attacks are very rare, but there’s a not insignificant chance if you were out there long enough that you passed one watching you from just a couple feet away.
Also, whoever told you to be more scared of Mountain lions than Moose was wrong. Those assholes have the highest body count out of all of em. Friend of mine almost got got by a mama moose when he was out filming some owls.
He said "Hi" like that because he's Frank Oz, voice of Fozzy Bear, Miss Piggy, etc. In addition to his own films, he usually shows up in John Landis'.
Two names brought most of the special effects in American Werewolf In London and The Thing (1982): Rick Baker and Rob Bottin! Their work is just amazing!!!
I watched this movie back In 80s & 90s as a kid, I absolutely love this film
It's my all time favourite.