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Director John Landis on An American Werewolf in London (1981): ''It was considered too terrifying.''
It took years for the film to begin production.
An American Werewolf in London (1981) achieved a delicate balance between terror and comedy. The result was a film that stood the test of time and was well-loved by cinephiles everywhere.
John Landis, who both wrote and directed the picture, kept the film close to his heart for over a decade. Landis conceived the idea years before it made it to the big screen. But for a period of time, it seemed like no one wanted the director’s project for fear that it might scare an audience.
Of course, the purpose of a good horror movie is to scare viewers. However, there is certainly such a thing as too scary, and many producers were fearful that with its gore and gruesome imagery, An American Werewolf in London went too far.
“No one wanted to make it for more than ten years because it was considered too terrifying,” said Landis during an interview with The Bolton News.
However, nothing satiates fears like good old-fashioned success. Landis demonstrated his prowess as a director with comedic films. The widespread acclaim his previous films received paved the way for the director’s path into horror.
“Now, because of the success of my National Lampoon’s Animal House and Blues Brothers, I am being given the opportunity to make my werewolf film. I am very pleased to be given the opportunity, because it’s something which has intrigued me for so long. I just hope I bring it off.”
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