Kian

I've tried to watch a few of [Scorsese's](http://letterboxd.com/director/martin-scorsese/) newer films ([The Departed](http://letterboxd.com/film/the-departed/), [The Wolf of Wall Street](http://letterboxd.com/film/the-wolf-of-wall-street/)) and they just don't sit right with me. I start them, I appreciate them, but I get bored. However, this earlier work contains some of the greatest work of any director. *Mean Streets *is a very loosely structured film with a great cast, beautiful shots, and a harshly impactful ending. The opening credits are so damn good as well. Tremendous.> ***"You don't make up for your sins in church. You do it in the streets. You do it at home. The rest is bullshit, and you know it."***

Getting really excited to see [James Acaster](http://letterboxd.com/actor/james-acaster/) live next Friday, so I watched one of his highest rated routines. It's always good to watch this guy once it hasn't **Bean** a great day. Recommended.

There is a reason this film is my most avidly rewatched of all time and it's because of how the enjoyment doesn't change after each viewing. *An American Werewolf in London *is a film that has always meant so much to me and my family, being introduced to it at a much too young age. Except for possibly [](http://letterboxd.com/film/the-wolf-man/)[The Wolf Man](http://letterboxd.com/film/the-wolf-man-1941/), this is definitely the most iconic werewolf film of all time. The opening credits showcasing the Yorkshire Moors perfectly illustrates the rural aesthetic of the small village, with Bobby Vinton's Blue Moon fitting the introduction. The exclusion of the two students really beams eerieness from the locals, as well as their removal of the pair once addressing the pentagram. The cry of the wolf is so cool, being a combination of several reversed animal and locomotive sounds. It booms through the barren fields, installing fear into the villagers. I'm so thankful that [Rick Baker](http://letterboxd.com/makeup/rick-baker/) left [The Howling](http://letterboxd.com/film/the-howling/) to do the effects for *American Werewolf *instead because wow the makeup is remarkable. Watching the progression of Jack's living corpse is so disgusting yet interesting to follow, starting as simply an attacked man and evolving into practically a skeleton with flesh barely clinging on. The werewolf transformation scene may be the greatest moment in horror, an unnerving few minutes of stretching and growing whilst seeing David's reaction through the slow process. And once again we have Blue Moon (this time the Sam Cooke rendition) contrasting the horrific events with the charming tune. The sequence of the separate London civilians being killed is so interestingly done. All the kills are mostly off screen but you don't need to see them because of the immense suspense piled up during the wolf stealthily approaching. The highlight of the vignettes is obviously the underground scene. You follow the poshest bastard you'll ever see as he sprints through surreally empty corridors. Until the end, you don't see the creature, travelling in its steadicam point-of-view. Then, you have the fabulous shot of him led down in the rising escalator whilst it creeps onto screen for the first time. I always find the greatest criticism of the film to be the ending. Couldn't disagree more. It has great build up, starting with the grand massacre in Picadilly Circus with pure chaos distributing through the late-night roads from one animal. It's then the last moment Alex shares with David, still seeing the human in him no matter how deformed he has become. But that doesn't change the fact that he is now an animal with no pity or remorse. No, it doesn't make sense how the police managed to shoot around Alex and hit David, but whatever. It's worth it for that hard cuts to the credits. And it works as a reference to the classic werewolf films where the film would end as soon as the wolf died. And one last time, Blue Moon plays, now the tonally different Marcels version to contrast the painful finale. Overall, *An American Werewolf in London *is the quintessential wolf film, often dubbed the first film to successfully blend horror and comedy. The practical effects are still some of the greatest ever, the soundtrack is extremely clever and matches the film so well, and the porn film is absolutely hysterical when you listen to it. Yes, I would go as far as to call this classic a masterpiece!> ***"A naked American man stole my balloons."***

*The Wolf Man *is undoubtedly an extremely important film, crafting all folk lore associated with the creature. Despite not being a massive fan of the design, the werewolf is nevertheless pretty creepy. And the ending is really sudden isn't it? Even a bit comedic. Recommended.