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The Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day is a victim of your carnivorous lunar activities.
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with today’s Behind the Scenes Pic!
You don’t need me to heap praise on An American Werewolf In London. I’ve done it before, people way, way, way smarter and funnier and in every way better than me have done it before and it’s kinda like saying “Gee, you know what’s great? Breathing.”
An American Werewolf In London has never been equaled, though many have tried. Nobody, and I repeat NOBODY, has ever nailed that specific balance of the truly funny, truly touching and truly horrifying that John Landis hit. Nobody. Some have made really funny movies set in a horror world (Shaun of the Dead springs to mind), some have made some really scary movies with a goodly amount of humor (thinking something like Silence of the Lambs), but nobody has hit that sweet spot, which makes Landis' film unique. In this genre that's an amazing feat.
In truth, most great horror movies have bits of levity, a general release valve for the audience, but Rick Baker’s werewolf is my personal favorite werewolf design ever. It’s evil, not just a big dog, but you can see the wolf in there. And that amazing howling sound, which I was told by producer George Folsey Jr. was the sound of an elephant trunk blast played in reverse… mixed other natural animal sounds.
It all mixes together to make a genre classic. Such a classic, in fact, that behind me as I type this I have three framed movie posters: Iron Giant, The Empire Strikes Back and An American Werewolf in London.
We’ve gone behind the scenes with this one before, focusing on Griffin Dunne’s doomed Jack (aka Meatloaf). Today we’re going to let David (David Naughton) get a little limelight as he prepares for what looks to be a moment from the transformation scene with the great (and newly re-Oscared) Rick Baker. I love seeing Landis grinning like a madman in the background! Also I added an extra bonus make-up image at no extra charge!
Hope you guys enjoy and click for a slightly bigger version!
Tomorrow’s Behind the Scenes Pic plugs it up!
-Quint
quint@aintitcool.com
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Readers Talkback
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I want it.
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Just perfect and hasn't been equaled.
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American Werewolf in London: It's a photo of them makin' it! See what I did there?
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Very well played. And I love the hell out of that song. Naughton was kind of awesome.
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March 9, 2011, 7:48 p.m. CST
Looks to me like they've all been in the makeup chair
by Grammaton Cleric Binks
But if you really want to save makeup budget in a werewolf movie you can't go wrong with Luis Guzman.
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And yet not one Ryan Howard half-beard...
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... a young Jerry Garcia in the background.
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Why did the pub patrons try to keep the werewolf hidden? They obviously new what was going on, but had no interest in solving the problem. Did they have something to gain by keeping the werewolf secret? One patron says "should the world know our business". What does that mean? It sounds like they created the werewolf and don't want the world knowing it.
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No shit?! That is a cool little bit of trivia. That sound always freaked me the fuck out.
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Easy enough to scan off page 69 of "The Art of The Empire Strikes Back", clean-up in Photoshop and pop onto a T-shirt. Damn, that second pic looks like post-plastic surgery Michael Jackson. I have David Naughton's "Makin' it" 12-inch record in a vinyl pile somewhere (yes, I'm THAT old).
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whoa whoa whoa
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Saw it at the Fairlane mall multiplex in Dearborn MI. first weekend it was out. Those nazi monster things freaked me the fuck out...lol
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Can never get enough of this movie.
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March 9, 2011, 9:10 p.m. CST
Couldn't you have included a pic of the lovely Ms. Agutter...
by tritium
especially if it is of her, sans clothes. Just saying.
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snuck a peak back when my neighbors had the laserdisc! A classic. Funny how everyone in these pics, except for the person becoming the werewolf, is awfully hirsute.
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...is the use of "Blue Moon" at the end. You do NOT cut from [SPOILER, as if anyone here has not seen this movie by now] the tragic death of the hero to "a-DONGA-DA-DONGA-DA-DINGY-DONG-DANG BA-LOO-HOO-OOO MOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNN" Totally ruins the end of the movie for me. I *know* the movie mixes horror and humor, but some scenes shouldn't be made light of like that. It'd be like the death of Shaun's mum in Shaun Of The Dead played for giggles.
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I believe the locals were covering up the exsistence of a werewolf in their village... <p> 1). Because they, themselves were in denial about what it was that was killing people every full moon. While some believed it was a werewolf, the majority of them thought it best to deny, deny, deny there could ever BE such a unholy, supernatural menace running amok. They thought it best to just think it was the work of a crazed moutain lion, and look the other way. (but...they kneeeeew). <p> 2). Or... they didn't want any 'bad publicity'. You yell "Barracuda"...everyone says "Huh?...What?"...You yell "SHARK"....and we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July"...to quote one famous mayor. Perhaps the elders of that village decided they NEEDED tourists and new residents to keep visiting their town...to offer up as "Slaughtered Lambs" to the man-wolf every full moon...lest the beast be forced to hunt the locals families and children. Everyone in town just locked their doors, armed to the teeth and did not venture out in the full moon...they let the "newbies" do that, and it satiated the beast's blood lust. <p> 3). Perhaps they were "protecting" the werewolf? Perhaps he was a well respected and loved elder of the village when he wasn't busy ripping throats out? They didn't want surrounding villages to storm their town demanding the werewolf's head on a platter if the news got out? <p> Either way...it matters not. That scene accomplished everything it need to do...scare the fuck out of Jack and David...and we the audience as well. <p> That would be a good question for Landis to address on a DVD commentary....IF he DID commentaries.
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March 9, 2011, 9:38 p.m. CST
One movie that DID equal An American Werewolf in London...
by James Carolus
...is Dan O'Bannon's Return of the Living Dead. A truly excellent horror film that also happens to be really funny. I love Shaun of the Dead, but it simply isn't as scary as this film is...in fact, I consider it (along with AWiL of course) the "perfect" horror comedy.
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ditto on Dan O'Bannons "Return of the Living Dead"!
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The ending smash cut to black and Blue Moon isn't going for giggles, it's a cruel slap to the face. And it works as intended. It's gut wrenching especially because it undercuts the emotions you would normally feel at an ending like that. We care about the characters of David and Alex and to not have a saccharin fade out to sad end credits music is jarring. It was designed to be.
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Sometimes jarring is just plain jarring. I just don't like the music choice at the end of Werewolf, and think it pretty much wrecks the otherwise compelling ending. Imagine the ending of the 70's Invasion Of The Body Snatchers with a song cue like that.
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I'm imagining it, and it's wonderful.
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Why the fuck are you on this board? Die.
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March 9, 2011, 10:40 p.m. CST
Where the hell is David Naughton today? Did he ever comment on his role on this flick?
by planetran_fan
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and it certainly hasn't really gotten any better over time. Can't think of a single memorable scene from the movie, though the punk chick dancing naked in the graveyard was watchable, of course. I can think of a hundred better 80's horror films (though few that deserve mention along with "AWiL")...
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folks have been chasing the initial transformation in this film for almost THREE FOOKIN' DECADES. They STILL haven't done it, and that scene STILL makes me hurt.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j89MzgHcdkg IMDB also shows him still acting, and its msg board links him at at least one horror fan fest. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0622544/
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Ya know Winston won the Oscar for Wolfman this year and he won the 1st Makeup FX Oscar for AWiL back in 82.. I had to look it up because I couldn't believe it. Why the fuck weren't they giving out Oscars for Makeup prior to 82? 82??!! You couldn't give out an award for makeup before fucking eighty-two???!
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Still works every time I see it!
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Great photos, by the way.
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So very hairy.
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Werewolf film to date!! A CLASSIC that has yet to be surpassed.
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You mean BAKER and the 1981 Oscars (broadcast in 82). I remember watching the Oscars that year and was jazzed to actually see Rick Baker on stage (after reading about his work in 'Famous Monsters', 'Fangoria' and 'Starlog' in tony bits about THE EXORCIST, THE INCREDIBLE MELTING MAN, THE FURY and even Landis' SCHLOCK). The other 1981 Oscar makeup contender *was* Stan Winston for HEARTBEEPS. William Tuttle and John Chambers did get special Oscars for makeup before it became a regular category (long-overdue).
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not "in tony bits" X-)
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March 9, 2011, 11:59 p.m. CST
Never understood,if your a Nazi monster,then why carry machine guns?
by frank
I guess they had TIGERBLOOD.
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Just 'cause you can use the phrase "The Oscar winning film The Wolfman" became fact, while True Grit didn't win shit. Oh, and AWIL rules.
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But I think Shaun is funnier.</p> </p> I saw AAWIL in the theatre when I was only 9 years old. I can't believe my mum let me go (along with my 14 year old sister)- what was she thinking? - I had nightmares for weeks after this fucker.</p> </p> I think the scene that scared me most was the hospital bed in the forest dream. I nearly shit my pants.
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I am glad there is another BTS pic on this. I can't believe that this August is the 30th anniversary.
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of sex in a shower. Jenny Agutter was rediculously cute in this movie. And Quint is right. No one has made a better funny scary movie since. And all werewolf transformations still haven't bettered the one in this.
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That shit was gross.
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Eight out of nine directors prefer TAB.
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the irony would be complete. Good photos and an excellent movie.
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terrified me as a youngster, provides excellent entertainment now. no werewolf film since has come close to the brilliance of this one, perhaps Dog Soldiers as a distant second. and Dog Soldiers was ace.
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When the Werewolf chases Bib Fortuna through the Underground, there a loads of movie posters on the wall. If you look carefully, i 've noticed The Empire Strikes Back, Life of Brian, Any Which Way You Can, Saturn 3, Battle Beyond the Stars, Flash Gordon, Airplane, Raging Bull, The Jazz Singer, Close Encounters of the third kind and, of course, See You next Wednesday. There are more, but i cant quite catch what they are.
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The village scenes were actually filmed in Wales.
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Brilliant! Last I heard he would call your mobile and leave a goodwill message for around $20, seriously. One more thing, I last watched this timeless classic back in october. I found out the next day someone was being murdered right outside my door as I sat watching it! Pretty freaky shit...
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I always thought it was number 3, that they were protecting one of there own community, respected elder if you like. Dandelion, why are you even logged in and commenting on this article if you never seen it? What a waste of time, your opinion has no relevance here. Admitting you have never seen it is also embarrassing by the way. Some movie fan you are. On a personal point I can never, NEVER stand on a London Tube station without thinking of the scene in the film, every time!
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March 10, 2011, 4:14 a.m. CST
"Why did the pub patrons try to keep the werewolf hidden?"
by buggerbugger
It's a local problem for local people. They don't want any of those fookin' city folk coming to the village and turning it into a media circus and tourist destination.
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Ulster you say? Me too lol. We should go glue-sniffing together!
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March 10, 2011, 4:21 a.m. CST
"They thought it best to just think it was the work of a crazed moutain lion"
by buggerbugger
Oddly enough, we don't have much of a problem with mountain lions, crazed or otherwise, in rural England. They're a major concern in the cities, of course.
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March 10, 2011, 4:30 a.m. CST
From the days before Rick Baker adopted the "Rapunzel" look
by Missing Dink
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No probs man, more of buckfast boy but sure a bit of glue will still hit the spot! ;)
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I think Rob Bottins werewolf transformations in The Howling come the closest to equaling AWIL. Unfortunately The Howling is nowhere near as great of a film.
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It says, "Movie's over! Get the fuck up!" Like the rest of the film, it keeps you off balance. I mean what were you expecting? Jack to walk out of limbo and give David more grief? "Jeez, thanks for rescuing me, along with the 27 people you murdered from Limbo, David! Seriously, you couldn't have died a timelier death? Do you know what it's like to rot from the inside out, you schmuck!" David apologizes, then the duo walks toward the pearly gates telling knock-knock jokes. What Landis did with the ending is brilliant. After you die... there is nothing.... except Doo-Wop music (which is an indication that David went to Hell).
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I really love this flick and I am bit disappointed that I don't own it.
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I think Shaun of the Dead is a better mix of horror, comedy and romance. That said, American Werewolf in London did it first and has Jenny Agutter going for it. @ ironhelix. My late step dad loved that TAB stuff. Drank it every day of his life.
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It took me a while to realize you posted this on Wednesday, which is the in-joke in every Landis film. As in "See you next Wednesday". That was intentional wasn't it?
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Happy days mate!! Was on the aul Bucky last weekend lol
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That's ok, I only have three posters in the basement, Star Wars, Empire and Revenge of the Jedi.
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I've never seen it, but I just added it to my instant queue.
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I saw this for the first time when I was four or five years old. I was staying with my cousins who were in their teens at that point, and they decided it would be a good idea to let me watch it. I refused to walk past an open door that led into an unlit bedroom that night. Freaked my shit out but good. This truly is one of the best movies ever made. Sure, other films are directed better, have better acting, whatever, but as far as love for films goes, this one is up there for me.
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very cunty. Yes. You are a cunty wanker.
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Jenny Agutter: awesomely adorable and hot throughout. Best practical werewolf transformation ever. One of the best mixes of horror, comedy and pathos ever. Abrupt ending and unconventional song use: brilliant and a gut-punch. This and Animal House are John Landis' masterpieces.
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But in black. It's slimming
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so that was the Bib Fortuna actor in the tube scene? nice bit of trivia..thanks for the info my fellow geek
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Just the idea that he starts dreaming like an unnatural creature before he transforms is as good many whole movies
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I would love to see the cut junkyard scene. Can I ask for some opinions on the Blu-ray? This movie is one I would like to add.
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Please, details! Never heard of this before!
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there was a graphic and shocking attack on the winos that was filmed. During the first (or one of the first) screenings people were so rattled from it they kept talking about it for several minutes after....he felt it distracted from the flow of the film and cut it. I want to see it!
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in 1981. I was so afraid of any glass window when I got home. I was like- shit, he could easily crash through that window. Board those windows! This is one of the great Hollywood spectacle reveal movies. The build-up is fantastic to where the audience is on the edge of their seats. We'd seen a man fly and now we were gonna see a man transform believably into a creature. The audience was gasping when his hand starts stretching. I heard sounds from people I've never heard in a theater when his face stretches. Basically cinema redefining moments all throughout.
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blasé about everything. People were gasping incredulous breath
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I wish I had been able to see this in the theater, it's one of my favorite films of all time. My dad told me the same thing, people were freaking out during the transformation!
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Yep, fucking awesome movie. The climax at Piccadilly Circus must have been absolutely horrifying for people in the theater on opening night. The body that goes flying out of the bus and then gets run over, and that CRUNCH that it makes... ugh. Also, the dude going through the car windshield just gives me the heeby-jeebies. That is just such a great sequence of violence, and the best part about it is that David only killed that one douchebag cop. Re-watching that makes me mad that An American Werewolf in Paris exists.
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Just a stab in the dark...
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I always thought the wolf was a villager. The whole town knew he was a wolf but couldn't bring themselves to kill him. Instead, every full moon he'd go out in the middle of nowhere on the moors and transform while the town gathered at the Slaughtered Lamb for safety. And even as rude and unaccomodating as they were to Jack and David, they did tell them "keep clear of the moors", "stick to the road" and "beware the moon" like a hundred times, so you can't really fault them for what happened.
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I haven't rewatched Silence of the Lambs in long time but I don't remember there being that much humor in it (although the Jame Gumb dance is kinda funny in a sick way). What am I misremembering?
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March 10, 2011, 1:40 p.m. CST
augustusmacready: I, too, would love to see this...
by WriteForTheEdit
...COOL!
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David wakes up, the nurse goes to draw back the curtains, a beast crashes through the window, stabbing her repeatedly!!! David actually wakes up this time. And pants. Wet.
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Student vs Master - my opinion, Baker's is the better transformation, even allowing for Landis making Rick delay the face (putting it out of sync with the body) - but Bottin's final wolf is scarier... Just didn't like the design, movement or coloring (he's black-furred in transformation then silver gray?) of the AWIL werewolf... That say, both movies are far better than most werewolf stuff since.
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-- I'M MAKING IT!"
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...the ultimate werewolf movie. A truly great film that will never be surpassed...
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Quint, are forgetting Return of the Living Dead which came almost 20 years before Shaun of the Dead. It has become well known as one of the few films which blended horror and comedy so well. When I first saw it as a kid, I remember laughing hysterically and being scared to death at the same time. Very hard to do. I have to agree American Werewolf is at the top, but ROTLD is not very far behind.
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There really is no horror in Shaun of the Dead, it is all played for laughs. They cancel out any zombies trying to be scary. I hated the ending too. That would suck if my best friend became a zombie. I would have capped him before it could happen.
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That howl really is the scariest ever. If ever there were real hell hounds. That's what they would sound like.
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in UK last halloween, our local cinema did a midnite screening of AWIL in it's new restored HD print. was amazing and probably the best experience ever going to the flicks. packed house and a lot of folks dressed up as monsters. in USA ppl do this all the time but it's unheard of in UK lol.
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An American Werewolf in London has the best combination of Horror and Comedy ever. It's truly scary and truly funny and sometimes at the same time!
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