Happy Monster Monday! Today’s monster comes from one of my favorite movies: An American Werewolf in London. David (David Naughton) and Jack (a scene-stealing Griffin Dunne) are backpacking through England when they are attacked by a werewolf. Jack is killed; David survives, but he now carries the curse of the werewolf and begins to transform and kill people when the moon is full. Jack appears to David to explain what’s happening to him, saying that David should commit suicide to free Jack from the limbo he is in due to the werewolf curse and to prevent any further murders. Ultimately, David is killed by police when he transforms yet again and wreaks havoc in the streets of London.

Writer-director John Landis deftly combines terror, pathos, and wry humor into a film that ranks among the very best that the horror genre has to offer. Rick Baker’s effects are amazing — David’s onscreen transformation is deservedly legendary, and Jack’s increasing state of decomposition throughout the movie is genius. Please enjoy:

(The video is NSFW, as there is some brief nudity.)

Have a good week, kiddies, and beware the moon.