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." Though featuring the titular nocturnal beast, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON intersperses grotesque murderation with punchy comedy and sex. The film's use of multiple renditions of songs with "moon" in the lyrics signals an awareness of tongue-in-cheek play and a love for extra-textual spectacle. Rick Baker's watershed effects work proves to be just as horrifying as in 1981, offering extended looks at bodily mutation and explosions of bloody violence. -- Andy Helmkamp