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An American Werewolf In London: The Alpha Male of Werewolf Films

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“The wolf’s bloodline must be severed; the last remaining werewolf must be destroyed. It’s you David” Whenever I think about American Werewolf the exchange between David and Jack is always what comes to mind. Two best friends having a nice conversation, except the fact that Jack is now a member of the undead and David is unwittingly changing into a werewolf.

From The Howling to Dog Soldiers, there are plenty of decent werewolves flicks out there to choose from. The one film that receives praises higher than any other werewolf flick, however, is none other than, An American Werewolf In London. Let’s look at just why this movie is so beloved, and why it stands out as the Alpha Male in the pack of werewolf films.

Creative Take On Werewolf Lore

It’s no secret that there are plenty of werewolf films out there to sink your teeth into, so what makes An American Werewolf In London so special? One move that worked out incredibly well for the project was the interesting and creative take on the werewolf lore. The standard transformation under a full moon is present, but the writers also took a few creative liberties to help their work stand out from the competition.

Image Credit: An American Werewolf In London

The biggest example of this being Jack’s ghost as well as the ghosts of David’s other victims throughout the run-time. With each victim, David takes under the full moon, that person’s soul is trapped on Earth for as long as the werewolf that killed them still lives. Doomed for eternity to slowly rot and decay away.

Part of what makes the spirits work so well is that they ultimately add to the comedic aspects of the film. When An American Werewolf In London isn’t trying to tear your throat out, it can be pretty damn funny at times. The ghosts were an interesting idea to add to the script and in the end, absolutely paid off and only helped to better the film and deliver the necessary exposition without boring the viewers.

Image Credit: An American Werewolf In London

Absolutely Stunning Transformation Scene

For a movie that was released almost forty years ago, the special effects used are stunning and still hold up to this day. The makeup effects, as well as the camera work all, give the viewer an uncomfortable front row seat to view David’s agonizing transformation. There have been several on-screen werewolf transformations but none carry the weight that American Werewolf showcases.

The practical effects used still put many CGI moments to shame, even by today’s standards. And not to mention the emotionally bleak ending to the overall film, showcasing that even with the comedic aspects An American Werewolf In London is still a dark horror movie.

An American Werewolf In London is and will continue to be a horror classic. It blends horror and comedy almost seamlessly and still is able to achieve an utterly bleak ending. There may be too many werewolf films to list off, but for myself, An American Werewolf In London is the alpha male of werewolf films.

 

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Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

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The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

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lizzie borden house

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

Inside the Lizzie Borden House

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

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28 years later

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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