So here we’ve come full circle– the Saturday before the Oscars, on the one year anniversary of the Screenshot Saturday’s introduction. Our very first Screenshot Saturday was celebrating the incredible work of make-up artist Rick Baker, who was nominated (and won) last year for The Wolfman. This year, no such dramatic transformations are on the table, with only three films nominated (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2, which will likely take a win for the entire series, Albert Nobbs and The Iron Lady) but it’s always worth remembering these less celebrated and discussed artists of film.
Beyond the remarkable and historic transformation sequence, An American Werewolf in London is one of the most full-fleshed horror films of a great decade for horror. Contrary to Roger Ebert’s original review, which stated that the film eschewed character development for fantastic set pieces, An American Werewolf in London is exemplary of the best horror has to offer– tight story, strong characters, frightening imagery and full writing. It’s an intelligent and oddly funny masterwork, well-deserving of its spot in horror history for more than just Rick Baker’s rightly-famous effects.
Watch the film again for the writing, characters, and humor. Rarely before and rarely since has a horror film had such affectionate, warm and funny characters– both dead and undead.