An American Werewolf in London Blu-ray Review
Sometimes, when a boy becomes a man, he grows facial hair... and uh, back hair and fangs and paws.
The 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer threatens to initially scare away prospective owners, with an extremely grainy, blurry opening titles sequence. Fortunately, it gives way to more a properly lit and cleaned up picture as the two Americans make their way to the pub.
As the film progresses to sound stages and properly lit sets, the transfer really shines. The contrast has really been kicked up a notch, and the picture significantly cleaned up from previous releases. The added detail to Rick Baker’s work really highlights the craftmanship behind the makeup process and creature creation.
There is still significant grain, giving the film an aged look, and some of the scenes come off flat, but it’s difficult to not classify that under distinct, low budget ’80s charm.
VIBRATION:
An American Werewolf in London serves up a Dolby DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that is a significant upgrade over previous reissues.
With good use of directional audio, incredibly cleaned up dialogue and Elmer Bernstein’s crisp soundtrack, the mix is a commendable one. Licensed songs in particular sound incredibly clear, to the point where they make the rest of the audio mix pale in comparison.
That said, some of the audio sounds flat and hollow at times (as if it was dug up out of a vault), a noticeable result of the film’s age. Without remastering the entire track, this is likely the cleanest mix fans will ever get.
PACKAGE:
The classic ’80s film makes the leap to high definition on a BD-50 disc, with new cover art promoting the ‘Full Moon Edition’ reissue.
There is a surprising amount of bonus content for a back catalog title, and almost all of it is quality. From a commentary track by the two leads (Naughton and Dunne), to an extensive documentary on the the production that’s almost as long as the film itself, there’s a lot to love.
There are also several features with John Landis and Rick Baker – individually – giving insight and commentary on production, storyboards, outtakes and a photo gallery.
Capped off with D-Box motion and BD Live support, its a solid set of supplemental material that fans will really appreciate.
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