While horror icons like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees were created in the '80s, one of the most famous werewolf movies was likewise released in that decade. John Landis may be recognized for his comedies like The Blues Brothersand National Lampoon's Creature House, but the director is also respected in the horror genre cheers to An American Werewolf in London.

The movie stars David Naughton and Griffin Dunne as ii college students that are attacked past a werewolf while touring Great britain. Landi'southward moving picture is 1 of the most well-known werewolf movies ever made cheers to its unforgettable werewolf transformation scene, just other things about it might exist unknown to fifty-fifty the biggest horror buffs. Here are 10 things you probably never knew almost An American Werewolf in London.

10 Information technology Was The First Flick To Ever Win An Oscar For Best Brand-Up

In recent years, films like Vice, Darkest 60 minutes, and Suicide Squad won the University Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, just the category was actually created back in the '80s. The first person to win the award was Rick Bakery for his work on An American Werewolf in London.

The film went up against the forgettable Heartbeeps, which had some interesting makeup from Stan Winston. In the years since then, the category has been a role of every Oscars anniversary and two films have fifty-fifty won Honorary Awards: vii Faces Of Dr. Lao (1964) and Planet of the Apes(1968).

nine Dr. Pepper Commercials Helped David Naughton Win The Lead Role

Naughton acted prior to An American Werewolf in London, but his role as David Kessler was no doubt the biggest role of his career. Before this role, Naughton had small roles in Boob tube series like Planet of the Apes and Makin' It, but he was also known for being in Dr. Pepper commercials.

Previously, he appeared in commercials for the soft beverage for 4 years, which he says helped him land his career-making role. Landis apparently hired him later on one interview and Naughton revealed that it was because Landis had seen him in the Dr. Pepper commercials.

8 Naughton Was Really In The Muzzle With Real Wolves

An American Werewolf in London is known for its incredible practical effects, but i scene used alive wolves. Subsequently he transforms back into a human, David finds himself in a zoo's wolf exhibit. Real wolves were used and David Naughton was really naked.

The wolves were already fed, but that didn't make the situation any less frightening. Although he wanted to become out of the cage quickly, he had to leave the cage slowly because the trainers told him to not brand whatsoever sudden movements. The trainers were also female, which predictably made Naughton even more uncomfortable.

vii Naughton's Mom And Dad Came With To The Premiere

Naughton was thirty years erstwhile when An American Werewolf in London premiered, but his parents still accompanied him to the opening. When asked for their opinion, they had a tough time answering.

He later on explained, "Aye, they got over it eventually, simply it was the initial surprise of having your son involved on the screen. I couldn't even say if they liked the film or non. They were only in shock. I thought, well, that was successful and so, we achieved our mission."

Griffin Dunne'south female parent was also deeply disturbed, likely considering she saw her son as a decomposing corpse throughout the film.

6 Rick Baker Passed Up Working With Steven Spielberg

Following the failure of his comedy 1941, Spielberg started working on a new alien film based on research done for Shut Encounters of the Tertiary Kind. Without reading a finished script for a film chosen Dark Skies, Baker created a monstrous design for the conflicting.

Afterwards getting sidetracked with Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg returned to working on Nighttime Skies and wanted to get in more light-hearted. Irritated that his piece of work was going to be thrown out and the fact that he was working on An American Werewolf in London, Baker passed on continuing with Eastward.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.

five The Championship Could Take Been An American Werewolf In Paris

While many movies film on location nowadays, information technology was tough for An American Werewolf in London to shoot in England. John Landis was able to become a work let for himself, but information technology was tougher for Naughton and Dunne. The British Trade Union wanted Landis to hire two British actors for the atomic number 82 roles, but Landis wanted Americans to play the American roles.

Naughton revealed that Landis considered titling the film An American Werewolf in Paris to avoid the red tape. Somewhen that movie came to fruition, however Landis wasn't involved with 1997'south An American Werewolf in Paris.

4 Dan Aykroyd And John Belushi Almost Starred

Despite pushback from the British Equity, Naughton and Dunne starred in An American Werewolf in London, but that nearly didn't happen. Executives from PolyGram wanted Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in the lead roles, simply Landis wouldn't go for information technology. Landis wanted to cast newer actors in his film, plus Aykroyd and Belushi were already busy filming the picture show Neighbors.

Upon the film's release, people idea the film would be a comedy given Landis' previous work. Many were shocked when it turned out to exist scary, which would have been even more shocking if Aykroyd and Belushi headlined it.

3 Michael Jackson Wanted Rick Baker For Thriller Because Of This Movie

While Landis was making a proper name for himself in the 80s, Michael Jackson had already become a superstar in the music industry. After Jackson saw An American Werewolf in London, he wanted Rick Baker to do the special effects for his music video Thriller.

The short included several zombies, which Bakery created for the music video, simply it was also directed past John Landis. Michael Jackson'south Thriller would mark Landis' beginning-ever directing gig for a music video, but would piece of work with the Male monarch of Pop once again in 1991 for the music video of the song Blackness or White.

2 John Landis And Rick Bakery Both Have Cameos

Landis and Bakery had their easily full with An American Werewolf in London, but they yet found the time to cameo in the film. Landis appears towards the terminate as a man who is thrown through a window afterwards existence striking past a motorcar.

Bakery, on the other mitt, has a more memorable part as one of the Nazi werewolves during David's nightmare. He plays the Nazi werewolf who cuts David's pharynx open. The 2 were some of the most important people to work on the movie, so information technology's not that surprising that they were able to get flake roles.

1 Rick Baker Near Worked on The Howling

For years, Landis talked about making An America Werewolf in London. Baker was always on board for the projection, just at one point he got tired of waiting and decided to piece of work on The Howling instead.

The director was reportedly furious that Baker had taken some ideas for his movie to The Howling, though Baker after gave in and worked on Landis' picture instead. Rob Bottin took over for the special effects on The Howling, but a lot of the designs still looked incredibly like to those used in Landis' werewolf feature.

Next: John Landis Brash Max Landis Against American Werewolf Remake

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About The Writer

Christopher Fiduccia (1115 Manufactures Published)

Christopher is a news writer, editor, and senior trainer at Screen Rant. He graduated from Stone Valley Higher in 2018 with an Associate of Arts degree and a Media Product Specialist certificate. Later on running his own moving picture blog for over five years, Christopher joined the Screen Rant team in 2018 as a list writer. Christopher is a sucker for '80s horror and giant monster movies just has covered a wide range of topics during his employment at Screen Rant.

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