One of Classic Monsters of the Movies' most popular editions is Nige Burton & Jamie Jones' salute to John (Innocent Blood/The Blues Brothers/Schlock) Landis's An American Werewolf in London: a production that many lycanthrope connoisseurs rank right up there with The Wolf Man (1941), Werewolf of London and The Curse of the Werewolf. Those who missed this Classic Monsters issue now have the chance to gain its limited-edition reprint.
An American Werewolf in London ascended at the box-office in August 1981 (and has since attained classic status), in part thanks to Rock (King Kong '76) Baker's Oscar-winning practical-transformation effects (e.g. his full-body switchover from man to wolf), but every quirky, sideline element of this humorous, Universal-monster homage was designed to strike a nerve, whether through its ravenous, nocturnal beasts or its cursed, spectral victims.
Burton & Jones not only acknowledge Baker's work and Landis' deft direction and writing, they focus on the movie's respected cast, which includes David "Dr. Pepper" Naughton, Griffin (After Hours) Dunne, Jenny (Logan's Run/The Survivor/The Eagle Has Landed) Agutter, Frank Oz, John Woodvine, David Schofield, Don McKillop, Michael (Return of the Jedi) Carter and Sydney (Frankenstein and the Monster From Hell/Dance of the Vampires/The NeverEnding Story) Bromley. In this respect, the authors supply background info on each, as well as producer George Folsey Jr., cinematographer Robert Paynter and composer Elmer (The Magnificent Seven/Heavy Metal) Bernstein.
And this well-rounded chronicle doesn't end there. The 36-pg volume includes stills, facts, quotes and trivia, printed on sterling, high-stock paper.
An American Werewolf in London means a lot to so many. I know it's one of my favorites, and if you're a diehard horror fan, it's probably one of yours. Why not take advantage of this limited-run reprint while it lasts? A scrutiny of a movie this iconic deserves permanent reverence in your library.
