John Landis’s 1981 masterpiece An American Werewolf in London perfectly balanced pitch-black comedy with visceral, groundbreaking horror. Rick Baker’s legendary, Oscar-winning special effects transformation sequence set a new standard for cinema. However, the theatrical cut we know and love is actually shorter than Landis’s original vision.
One of the most famous entirely excised subplots from the film involves a bumbling London police officer and a high-class call girl. Set during David’s second night as a werewolf—the night he wreaks havoc across London—this sequence was designed to inject more of Landis’s trademark slapstick comedy into the narrative.
Director John Landis removed it after test audiences reacted negatively. Some sources suggest the sequence distracted from the main story, much like the famous "Spider Pit" scene from King Kong . an american werewolf in london deleted scenes
Despite the overwhelming desire for a complete, uncut version of the film, the deleted scenes remain frustratingly difficult to access officially. The chart below summarizes the availability of deleted and lost material across various releases:
: Most modern Blu-ray editions are "complete" regarding the phone call and the primary theatrical violence, though the Jack "toast" scene remains largely relegated to production stories. For collectors, look for the Arrow Video Limited Edition , which includes extensive documentaries like Beware the Moon that discuss these lost scenes in detail. Rick Baker created the makeup for the transformation scenes that make it into the movie? John Landis’s 1981 masterpiece An American Werewolf in
The legendary transformation scene almost had a very different tone. Rejected Score
This scene was actually included in the original theatrical release but was famously missing from certain Region 2 Special Edition DVDs due to a mastering error. It is restored on most modern Blu-ray releases. Other Notable Edits One of the most famous entirely excised subplots
Special effects wizard Rick Baker filmed significantly more footage than what appears in the final seven-second transformation.
John Landis’s 1981 masterpiece An American Werewolf in London successfully blended horrific gore with pitch-black comedy. Rick Baker’s groundbreaking, Oscar-winning transformation effects set a new standard for cinema. Decades after its release, film historians and fans remain fascinated by the footage left on the cutting room floor.