An American Werewolf in London


1h 30m 1981

Brief Synopsis

The tale of an American tourist whose stay in London is disrupted when, after being bitten by a wolf, he turns into a werewolf.

Film Details

Also Known As
American Werewolf in London, En amerikansk varulv i London, loup-garou de Londres
MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Horror
Thriller
Release Date
1981
Location
London, England, United Kingdom

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 30m

Synopsis

The tale of an American tourist whose stay in London is disrupted when, after being bitten by a wolf, he turns into a werewolf.

Crew

Roy Alan

Stunts

Vic Armstrong

Stunts

Rick Baker

Special Makeup Effects

Ken Barker

Stunts

Simon Batersby

Associate Editor

Elmer Bernstein

Music

Dave Bickers

Other

Marc Boyle

Stunts

Malcolm Campbell

Editor

Michael Chinich

Casting

Michael Clifford

Music Editor

Sam Cooke

Song Performer

Sue Crosland

Stunts

Leslie Dilley

Art Director

Russel Dodge

Assistant Director

Sadie Eden

Stunts

John Fogerty

Song

George Folsey

Producer

Dennis Fraser

Sound

Dennis Fraser

Key Grip

Ray Freeborn

Other

David Garfath

Camera Operator

Robin Grantham

Makeup

Peter Guber

Executive Producer

Fred Haggerty

Stunts

Lorenz Hart

Theme Lyrics

Joyce Herlihy

Production Manager

Ian Hickinbotham

Wardrobe

Nick Hobbs

Stunts

Arthur Howell

Stunts

Alf Joint

Stunt Coordinator

Dave Jordan

Props

John Landis

Screenplay

Beryl Lerman

Makeup

Malcolm Macintosh

Steadicam Operator

Pamela Mann

Script Supervisor

Robin Mcdonald

Steadicam Operator

Debbie Mcwilliams

Casting

Gareth Milne

Stunts

Van Morrison

Song

Van Morrison

Song Performer

Michael Murray

Assistant Director

Deborah Nadoolman

Costume Designer

Robert Paynter

Director Of Photography

Robert Paynter

Dp/Cinematographer

Barry Peake

Photography

Jon Peters

Executive Producer

Greg Powell

Stunts

John Poyner

Sound Editor

Jennie Raglan

Production Assistant

Barry Richardson

Hair

Doug Robinson

Stunts

Richard Rodgers

Music

Don Sharpe

Sound Editor

Ken Shepherd

Stunts

David Tringham

Assistant Director

Bobby Vinton

Song Performer

Simon Wakefield

On-Set Dresser

Betty Walsh

Stunts

Dee Dee Wehle

Casting

Paul Weston

Stunts

Nick Wilkinson

Stunts

Film Details

Also Known As
American Werewolf in London, En amerikansk varulv i London, loup-garou de Londres
MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Horror
Thriller
Release Date
1981
Location
London, England, United Kingdom

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 30m

Award Wins

Best Makeup

1981

Articles

Elmer Bernstein (1922-2004)


Elmer Bernstein, the film composer who created unforgettable music for such classics as The Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mockingbird, and won his only Academy Award for Thoroughly Modern Millie, died of natural causes at his Ojai, California home on August 17. He was 82.

Elmer Bernstein, who was not related to Leonard Bernstein, was born on August 4, 1922, in New York City. He displayed a talent in music at a very young age, and was given a scholarship to study piano at Juilliard when he was only 12. He entered New York University in 1939, where he majored in music education. After graduating in 1942, he joined the Army Air Corps, where he remained throughout World War II, mostly working on scores for propaganda films. It was around this time he became interested in film scoring when he went to see William Dieterle's The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941), a film whose score was composed by Bernard Herrmann, a man Bernstein idolized as the ideal film composer.

Bernstein, who originally intended to be a concert pianist and gave several performances in New York after being discharged from military service, decided to relocate to Hollywood in 1950. He did his first score for the football film Saturday's Hero (1950), and then proved his worth with his trenchant, moody music for the Joan Crawford vehicle Sudden Fear (1952). Rumors of his "communist" leanings came to surface at this time, and, feeling the effects of the blacklist, he found himself scoring such cheesy fare as Robot Monster; Cat Women of the Moon (both 1953); and Miss Robin Caruso (1954).

Despite his politics, Otto Preminger hired him to do the music for The Man With the Golden Arm, (1955) in which Frank Sinatra played a heroin-addicted jazz musician. Fittingly, Bernstein used some memorable jazz motifs for the film and his fine scoring put him back on the map. It prompted the attention of Cecil B. De Mille, who had Bernstein replace the ailing Victor Young on The Ten Commandments (1956). His thundering, heavily orchestrated score perfectly suite the bombastic epic, and he promptly earned his first Oscar® nod for music.

After The Ten Commandments (1956), Bernstein continued to distinguish himself in a row of fine films: The Rainmaker (1956), Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Some Came Running (1958), The Magnificent Seven (a most memorable galloping march, 1960); To Kill a Mockingbird (unique in its use of single piano notes and haunting use of a flute, 1962); Hud (1963); earned a deserved Academy Award for the delightful, "flapper" music for the Julie Andrews period comedy Thoroughly Modern Mille (1967), and True Grit (1969).

His career faltered by the '80s though, as he did some routine Bill Murray comedies: Meatballs (1980) and Stripes (1981). But then director John Landis had Bernstein write the sumptuous score for his comedy Trading Places (1983), and Bernstein soon found himself back in the game. He then graced the silver screen for a few more years composing some terrific pieces for such popular commercial hits as My Left Foot (1989), A River Runs Through It (1992) and The Age of Innocence (1993). Far From Heaven, his final feature film score, received an Oscar® nomination for Best Score in 2002. He is survived by his wife, Eve; sons Peter and Gregory; daughters Emilie and Elizabeth; and five grandchildren.

by Michael T. Toole
Elmer Bernstein (1922-2004)

Elmer Bernstein (1922-2004)

Elmer Bernstein, the film composer who created unforgettable music for such classics as The Magnificent Seven, To Kill a Mockingbird, and won his only Academy Award for Thoroughly Modern Millie, died of natural causes at his Ojai, California home on August 17. He was 82. Elmer Bernstein, who was not related to Leonard Bernstein, was born on August 4, 1922, in New York City. He displayed a talent in music at a very young age, and was given a scholarship to study piano at Juilliard when he was only 12. He entered New York University in 1939, where he majored in music education. After graduating in 1942, he joined the Army Air Corps, where he remained throughout World War II, mostly working on scores for propaganda films. It was around this time he became interested in film scoring when he went to see William Dieterle's The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941), a film whose score was composed by Bernard Herrmann, a man Bernstein idolized as the ideal film composer. Bernstein, who originally intended to be a concert pianist and gave several performances in New York after being discharged from military service, decided to relocate to Hollywood in 1950. He did his first score for the football film Saturday's Hero (1950), and then proved his worth with his trenchant, moody music for the Joan Crawford vehicle Sudden Fear (1952). Rumors of his "communist" leanings came to surface at this time, and, feeling the effects of the blacklist, he found himself scoring such cheesy fare as Robot Monster; Cat Women of the Moon (both 1953); and Miss Robin Caruso (1954). Despite his politics, Otto Preminger hired him to do the music for The Man With the Golden Arm, (1955) in which Frank Sinatra played a heroin-addicted jazz musician. Fittingly, Bernstein used some memorable jazz motifs for the film and his fine scoring put him back on the map. It prompted the attention of Cecil B. De Mille, who had Bernstein replace the ailing Victor Young on The Ten Commandments (1956). His thundering, heavily orchestrated score perfectly suite the bombastic epic, and he promptly earned his first Oscar® nod for music. After The Ten Commandments (1956), Bernstein continued to distinguish himself in a row of fine films: The Rainmaker (1956), Sweet Smell of Success (1957), Some Came Running (1958), The Magnificent Seven (a most memorable galloping march, 1960); To Kill a Mockingbird (unique in its use of single piano notes and haunting use of a flute, 1962); Hud (1963); earned a deserved Academy Award for the delightful, "flapper" music for the Julie Andrews period comedy Thoroughly Modern Mille (1967), and True Grit (1969). His career faltered by the '80s though, as he did some routine Bill Murray comedies: Meatballs (1980) and Stripes (1981). But then director John Landis had Bernstein write the sumptuous score for his comedy Trading Places (1983), and Bernstein soon found himself back in the game. He then graced the silver screen for a few more years composing some terrific pieces for such popular commercial hits as My Left Foot (1989), A River Runs Through It (1992) and The Age of Innocence (1993). Far From Heaven, his final feature film score, received an Oscar® nomination for Best Score in 2002. He is survived by his wife, Eve; sons Peter and Gregory; daughters Emilie and Elizabeth; and five grandchildren. by Michael T. Toole

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States August 1981

Released in United States Summer August 21, 1981

Re-released in United States on Video May 9, 1995

Re-released in United States on Video April 23, 1996

Re-released in United States on Video January 17, 1997

Formerly distributed by Vestron Video.

John Landis has a bit part in the film.

Released in United States August 1981

Released in United States Summer August 21, 1981

Re-released in United States on Video May 9, 1995

Re-released in United States on Video April 23, 1996

Re-released in United States on Video January 17, 1997