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'Emotion, pain and torture': The grisly American Werewolf in London scene that took horror to new extremes

John Landis's horror-comedy classic was released 45 years ago, but its key sequence still astonishes – and its make-up maestro, Rick Baker, won the first Oscar in a new category.

'Emotion, pain and torture': The grisly American Werewolf in London scene that took horror to new extremes

TL;DR

  • The 1981 film 'An American Werewolf in London' features a groundbreaking werewolf transformation sequence.
  • Rick Baker's practical effects for the transformation won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Make-up and Hairstyling.
  • The film's innovative techniques and emotional depiction of the transformation set a new standard for horror cinema.
  • The scene's realism and Baker's multi-disciplinary approach (make-up, prosthetics, animatronics) were revolutionary.
  • The film influenced subsequent horror-comedy films and music videos, including Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'.