American Werewolf In London

[Anahki]

Originally Posted by Dr. Otto

As I've grown older, I've gradually found the movie less appealing. Its weird tone never clicked with me, and I'm increasingly put off by the pessimistic attitude of the characters. (Notice how nobody even suggests the possibility of a cure for David?) I'm not asking for horror films to be "Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer," but come on; even Bram Stoker had the heroes destroy Dracula in the end.

Well, in my case I've precisely followed the opposite path as I grew older, and I became to appreciate the details of the movie and not just the FX or the plain broad story, but also the irony and the mirror that reflects the fantasy or horror movies into the reality. In fact, one of the strongest points for this movie is precisely the fact that even being an american movie, the result is hard and crude. No catharsis, no happy ending... precisely one of the best things of the 80's horror movies were the "cliché endings" with the monster re appearing on screen after the supposedly happy ending.
To name the opposite example, one of the weakest point of An American Werewolf in Paris was the semi happy ending. And isn't it a worse curse when you cannot get rid of it? Think of it, becoming a bloody beast during the full moon is bad, but having the hope for the cure and finding out that there is no cure in the end... it would be devastating. It is the perfect combination of physical and psychological horror, and connecting to similar werewolf movies, it could be the excuse to justify that a human werewolf would commit suicide or deal with his/her condition and become... evil.
If you want another similar example about what I am trying to communicate, just have a look at the Martyrs movies, the french and the american version, and then tell me which of them was more unsettling .