John Landis's benchmark werewolf horror flick is much more than the typical lunar exploits of the hirsute. After kicking off his feature career with a trio of slapstick comedies and a rambunctious musical, Landis crafted a film that is a distillation of all things "late night."

David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), two American college students, are backpacking through Britain when a large wolf attacks them. David survives with a bite, but Jack is brutally killed. As David heals in the hospital, he's plagued by violent nightmares of his mutilated friend, who warns David that he is becoming a werewolf. When David discovers the horrible truth, he must take action before the next full moon causes him to transform from man to murderous beast.

Reviews
"Not just gory but actually frightening, not just funny but clever, 'American Werewolf...' has its flaws, but these are outweighed by the film's many, mighty strengths." –Time Out