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So goes the good advice given to the two young protagonists at the beginning of An American Werewolf In London. Too bad for them that they don't heed it, but it's lucky for us - the werewolf-munching fun gets underway in due time! If you remember seeing this way back during its initial theatrical run in 1980 or so, you might remember that it packed a pretty good wallop. Lots of neat-o makeup effects, rather graphic sex and buckets (and buckets) of blood. But more than just a yuk-fest, An American Werewolf In London has stood the test of time and remains a highly entertaining "horror comedy" that for once doesn't skimp on either the laughs or the terror.

The story concerns our hapless heroes David and Jack, doing the "backpacking across Europe on a dollar a day" thing right out of college. It isn't giving too much away to say that after getting lost on the English moors and having an ominous encounter with the unfriendly locals of a local pub - the "Slaughtered Lamb" - their fun excursion gets a little sidetracked. Seems one of those pesky werewolves that are always roaming about the countryside is a bit, well, hungry. Don't you hate when that happens?

Now, warning, spoiler alert, so skip to the next paragraph if you haven't seen the film. Jack is killed, but David is marked… and soon the full moon will return and the bloodlust begins. Along for the ride are a kindly (and sexually aroused) nurse, a concerned doctor and the doubtful police chief, and soon as the bodies start piling up. Some quite effective scares and witty black humor enliven the proceedings, leading to a rather abrupt but very visceral climax. An American Werewolf In London is surprisingly graphic (how'd this ever get an R rating?), but this is great stuff!

A bit ahead of its time in terms of mixing comedy with horror, An American Werewolf In London was a pet project for director John Landis that almost didn't get made. After pitching it unsuccessfully for years, eventually Universal funded the project as a way to pay back director Landis for fattening the studio's bottom line with such big moneymakers as Animal House and The Blues Brothers. Unfortunately, although the film did pretty good business, it was not the "monster hit" many expected it would be. Still, for me it still holds up quite well and remains one of the best and most unique horror films of the 80s. I love An American Werewolf, so if you love monster movies like me, this is a must-see.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Originally released on DVD in 1998 by Artisan Entertainment (then known as LIVE), that disc boasted a non- anamorphic transfer minted from the same master used for the then- recent laserdisc. However, it was still quite good, and a noticeable improvement over the previous, largely horrendous VHS releases. But the rights to American Werewolf have now reverted back to Universal, who are celebrating the film's 20th anniversary with a new DVD release starring a fresh anamorphic transfer struck from a new print.

Unfortunately, as a big fan of the film, I'm a bit disappointed with the quality of the this transfer. (Oddly, the film footage in the included non-anamorphic documentary shorts actually looks better!) The print appears dirtier than the Artisan release, with heavier grain and weaker shadow detail. Some of the early outdoor scenes on the moors are virtually unwatchable - select shots look noticeably more grainy and print wear and tear is evident. Blacks are still solid and colors fairly well saturated, but hues appear a bit oversaturated at times and thus rather fuzzy. Fleshtones are also often, veering too much to the red side. The amount of edge enhancement is less severe than the Artisan release, as is compression pixel breakup, but sharpness is wanting and overall the film looks more murky. Contrast is also below par. While not a terrible transfer, I was just expecting better.

Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?

Artisan's previous DVD released also boasted a Dolby 5.1 surround mix, but Universal has gone one better and created a new remix, encoded in both Dolby Digital and DTS. As this film is now twenty years old, the fidelity track is still limited with somewhat muted dynamic range . But as this was originally produced in mono, it is rather amazing how good this remix sounds. Dialogue is surprisingly clear and free of distortion for the most part, though still a bit tinny and muffled (especially during the big car crash scene an extended monologue in a phone booth). Dialogue is firmly anchored in the center channel, with fairly good separation of the effects and music amongst the front sound stage. Surround effects are limited to the sound effects, and only to punctuate the film's shock moments. They also are quite obvious and processed, especially the frequent thunderclaps and wolf snarls. Some elements of the track also appear to have been re-recorded - compare the "Nazi dream sequence" to the previous Artisan DVD,. and the gunshots and cracking glass now sound quite fake.

The surrounds, especially on the DTS track, can be quite effective and startling. Directly comparing three scenes - the opening attack, the post-transformation kill sequences and the climatic crash - the DTS improves the imaging and offers a slight increase in envelopment over the Dolby track. The surrounds feel a bit more vibrant on the DTS, and the low end is a tad bit stronger as well. Again, for a mono mix, the bass is quite fairly strong, though certainly can't compete with today's modern mixes. Both tracks are free of distortion and hiss, and either is a step up fro the previous laserdisc and Artisan DVD. Considering the age of the material, rather impressive.

Also included are French and Spanish subtitles and English captions via subtitles, though no true Closed Captioning.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

To honor the films 20th anniversary. Universal has scared up a pretty nice assortment of supplements. First up is an excellent, highly enjoyable new screen- specific audio commentary with actors David Naughton and Griffin Dunne. The duo ease back into a friendly banter as if no time at all had passed - certainly not twenty years. As the film was shot in chronological order (unusual in film production) it is great to hear the pair just about smack themselves on the head when a long-forgotten memory suddenly resurfaces. Filled with enjoyable antecedents on everything from the horrors of the makeup, successfully mixing the horror with the comedy, working on location, the joys of snot, and being cast because "you're a pepper," the two address just about everything I hoped for. I'm usually suspicious of "actor commentaries," but not this one. A must-listen for fans.

Next up is the film's original 1981 making-of featurette. I love these cheesy old EPKs, and this one doesn't disappoint. Hokey narration guides us through a five-minute tour of the updating of the werewolf legend, complete with plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, an offset interview with director John Landis (who likes like a werewolf himself) and an amused Griffin Dunne watching Naughton's head molding session. This often plays like a PSA for make-up effects, but is an enjoyably lighthearted piece of fluff nonetheless.

Brand-new are two interviews with director John Landis and effects guru Rick Baker, running 18 and 10 minutes, respectively. Landis recalls the tough journey from his original idea to final execution and the initial aversion by most towards a "horror comedy." Landis is jovial as always and quite informative on developing the story, the audience reactions, the film's dream sequence and a guided tour of the effects set pieces. Baker also fondly remembers his American Werewolf experience, though his somewhat jaundiced eye towards the outdated effects may surprise some fans. Perhaps he will get his wish to revisit a transformation like that seen in Werewolf someday, only with more modern technology? Shamefully short and rather chintzy, I guess these are the best we could hope for next to a full-fledged documentary?

Also included are four segments of never-before- seen footage. Casting Of The Hand is an amusing 13 minutes devoted to the making a mold out of David Naughton's hand, and though lacking narration, is fun to watch with Landis, baker and Naughton all in high spirits. Since I love 80's latex makeup effects (CGI be damned) this was a treat. Even more fun was a reel of Outtakes running nearly 4 minutes. Though lacking any sound, these are really funny, with Landis mugging with the cast and the titular werewolf, some gaffs from the crash sequence, prepping the makeup, and cool shots of the wolf rampaging through Picadilly Circus. Great fun.

Rounding out the video supplements are a storyboard- to-screen comparison and photograph montage. The storyboards feature part of the climatic crash, with the original storyboards on the top right of the screen and the final film version on the bottom right. The photograph montage contains a collection of publicity stills, most of which I've never seen before. What is cool about this minute segment is that it includes select cues from Elmer Bernstein's score, and since Bernstein's original score for the film has never been released - ever - this is a real bonus. All the video footage is presented in non-anamorphic full frame.

And last but not least, we get some production notes in a 4-page insert and cast and crew filmographies, though neither the film's theatrical trailer nor the way-cool teaser trailer that appeared on the Artisan release are included. Grrrr....

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

Accessible to DVD-ROM users is the film's complete screenplay with direct scene access. The interface is nicely designed, though aside from the script viewer there are no additional features except for a weblink to the new An American Werewolf In London website.

Parting Thoughts