An American Werewolf in London is a great dark comedy by John Landis. It was also a fantastic display of practical creature effects, both during the transformation scene and those involving the werewolf in full.
David Kessler’s werewolf form has been released in several forms over the years. We’ve seen maquettes, busts, statues, and masks, but never as an action figure. The beast is quite a gangly creature with stretched limbs and a long torso.
Rather than looking like a regular wolf or a man with some fur stuck to his face, the AWIP version of the mythic creature is altogether different.
As so to why an articulated figure hasn’t been made before, I cannot say. Maybe a licensing issue or the cost of tooling? The demand wasn’t there before? Not sure. Regardless, we’re getting one in November of this year from NECA.
NECA’s newest figure from An American Werewolf in London is an action figure first! The classic 1981 movie is the perfect blend of comedy and true horror, and follows two American backpackers and their increasingly terrifying trip across England. Only David Kessler survives the bizarre wolf attack that kills his friend Jack… but then an undead Jack returns to warn David that he will soon transform into a murderous beast.
Never before made as an action figure, Kessler’s wolf form is more than 11 inches at its full length and has over 30 points of articulation. Includes interchangeable heads and comes in a collector-friendly window box with opening flap that’s great for display.
Suppose you want to preorder the beast, head on over to Entertainment Earth. If you want to watch the film, it’s available for rent on VOD and YouTube.
Though American Werewolf is a classic, attempts to revitalize the IP have been anything but. In the late ’90s, we did get a weird semi-sequel. Does anyone remember An American Werewolf in Paris? No? I only recall seeing the trailer in front of I Know What You Did Last Summer. That’s all I care to remember.
Well, that’s not entirely fair. There were successful uses of the first film. When we covered Halloween Horror Nights in 2013, we were surprised at how well done the haunted house based on the film was. The faithful reactions of scenes and the number of werewolf puppets made our collective jaws drop.
If you want to see it for yourself, check out Inside The Magic’s video of the event:
We were also joined in the celebration by the film’s director himself, John Landis. The night ran extra long because Mr. Landis loves to tell stories. Once he got going, hours would be diverted while he told us tales of working with John Belushi and Michael Jackson.
If Universal really wanted to celebrate the slow return to normal, the company would do a “best of” HHN bringing back some of the event’s most beloved houses. Sadly, licensing negotiations are often a pain or just outright expensive. Let us hope it may happen anyway.
[Source: NECA]
