Forget a bad moon. There is no moon rising tonight, at least not one we can see, which makes it a perfectly safe evening to indulge in one of the greatest werewolf films ever made, An American Werewolf in London. Goofy humor mixes with vicious and shocking flesh-rending violence in this classic from 1981, courtesy of “Thriller” music video director and human shithead John Landis. (For more information on the latter designation, look up how actor Vic Morrow and two children died on one of Landis’ sets.) Evil work practices and awful offspring
notwithstanding, Landis had the gift, and this one’s a classic. Check it out at the Arcata Theatre Lounge at 6 p.m. if you’re game for some humor, carnage and a rare serious role from the late Rik Mayall of The Young Ones and Drop Dead Fred fame. Only $6 gets you in the door; $10 lets you leave with a poster.
This article appears in Sanctuary in the Storm.