An American Werewolf in London 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

An American Werewolf in London 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by John Landis ('Trading Places'), the 1981 classic tale of a young man who turns into a werewolf returns to 4K UHD disc in the new 'An American Werewolf in London: 45th Anniversary Limited Edition SteelBook 4K' courtesy of Universal. The film stars David Naughton ('Hot Dog') as the ill-fated traveler, along with Jenny Agutter ('Logan's Run'), John Woodvine ('The Devils'), and Griffin Dunne ('Johnny Dangerously'). The release brings forward all of the legacy material from a previous Universal Blu-ray edition, and includes on new 30-minute extra. The 4K UHD presentation with Dolby Vision is accompanied by a new Dolby Atmos track that is unique to this release. As was the case with the wide release of this title, a Blu-ray disc identical to the one found in 'An American Werewolf in London: Restored Edition', and a Digital Code redeemable via Movies Anywhere are also included. Please scroll down to the 'Special Features and Extras' section below for a discussion of the new SteelBook.

An American Werewolf in London 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For comments concerning the 2160p presentation of this classic monster monster movie, please follow this link.

An American Werewolf in London 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Thoughts about the new Dolby Atmos audio track included on this 4K UHD disc can be read by following this link.

An American Werewolf in London 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Several previous releases of this title sought to focus on the image of the two ill-fated young men, David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne), as they nervously trek through the spooky nocturnal moors after leaving the warm and dry environs of the The Slaughtered Lamb, a surprisingly off- putting pub in Northern England. And why not? An errie full moon, David's bright red puffy coat, the the two men's nervous faces certainly catch the eye and offer clues about what thrills await potential viewers. Rather than relying on subtlety, the new SteelBook recognizes why the film made such an unforgettable impact on viewers upon it's original release, and for that matter, still makes an impact today - Rick Baker's chilling creature effects. It's the lamentable and terrifying werewolf, seen so sparingly throughout the film, that is the focal point of the SteelBook's cover. His mouth open and his fangs bared, he seems to howl at the full moon which looms behind him. The film's title, in a juicy, dripping blood red, can be found superimposed over its cratered surface. But traditionalists need not fear, for on the reverse, the frightened Jack and red puffy coat-clad David are front and center, while behind them, a shadow-laden London skyline's spires poke up at the heavy and dreary clouds above. Universal's logo is located in the bottom left corner, and a product number is found in the lower right. The spine is a simple black field with the film's title (in white) found in the center, with Universal's logo at the bottom as is the norm. The SteelBook has a slick glossy finish which will will show fingerprints from normal handling due to the predominantly dark color palette, unless a modicum of care is taken. There aren't any embossed or debossed elements.

Opening the SteelBook, the tabs on the left hold the Digital Code. On the right side, the 4K UHD disc and the Blu-ray disc are stagger-stacked, each on its own hub, with the 4K UHD disc on top. Removing all of the contents reveals a panoramic two-panel image from the film of David seated the porno theatre in Piccadilly Circus next to badly decomposed Jack. The pair converse as the suggestive sounds of the fictitious adult film 'See You Next Wednesday' are heard as the underscoring. It's an unusual and memorable scene from just before the film's climax, with the loneliness of the seedy theatre mirroring the newly isolated nature of David's existence. Once again, the image showcases the creature effects that occasionally but impactfully receive the film's focus.

An American Werewolf in London 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

That the film deserves a spot on the shelf of every horror fan goes without saying. Whether or not this release warrants a spot is a slightly trickier question for a few reasons. For those who have already acquired the previous Arrow 4K UHD release in either of it's forms, but especially the stacked Limited Edition, the addition of a Dolby Atmos track and one 30-minute extra may not be enough to warrant a purchase. But the striking new SteelBook packaging may be an extra incentive for collectors. For those who haven't upgraded the film to 4K yet, the choice is potentially a bit easier, though the Arrow disc does have the Mono track and some supplemental material that isn't found here. And then, let's not forget the Digital Code that is included with Universal's SteelBook release and the importance or value one places on that. Those who have Arrow's LE Blu-ray release are perhaps in the best position, as this release provides an excellent 2160p presentation along with the Dolby Atmos track and the new vintage extra, and buying this iteration would give them the best of all available releases. The complications and conundrums that come with multiple releases of the same title in the same formats by different companies aside, though, one thing is clear: Universal's new An American Werewolf in London: 45th Anniversary Limited Edition SteelBook 4K is very highly recommended for SteelBook fans and/or those seeking Universal's release of the film..