RM - An American Werewolf In London Deconstruction

Name: An American Werewolf In London
Director: John Landis
Year Released: 1981
Budget: $10,000,000
Takings: $20,445,527 (USA)

Universal
PolyGram Pictures
A Lycanthrope Films Limited Production

For Jim O’Rourke black screen with white text – binary opposite.
Fades in to a establishing shot 0:30
Non-diegetic music starts at 0:36 – producer credits fade in to the bottom central.

Shot fades out whilst another shot shots in – still showing the scene.
Shot of moor plus calm music with white text of the film title binary opposite as werewolf isn’t the previous mentioned.
Song has the lyrics blue moon signifies/anchors what is to come.
Several establishing shots whilst credits of cast/crew fade in and out.
All establishing shots are calm and peaceful reflects the song which is being played although very rural and no help if there is trouble,  common convention of horror films.

2:20 shot of road and at 2:29 first sighting of object with headlights – shot stays the same until the vehicle reaches the camera’s foreground, music fades down and replaced with vehicle’s engine, camera pans to follow the vehicle stopping at a junction. Slightly shaky camera work, point of view (PoV)/realism. (End of first scene and no shots of people i.e. no close-ups etc. – 3:00)
Match on Action as farmer opens the back of the pick-up truck to reveal protagonists surrounded by sheep.

Medium close-ups of both the two protagonists. Followed by a two shot of the pair exiting the vehicle which turns into a group shot as the farmer enters the shot as all three close the back door(?)

Again match on action to a side shot of all three members shown, medium shot, medium angle, panning involved + tracking also used but used to move backwards to allow the three cast members to access the side of the pick-up truck. Farmer wearing stereotypical clothing compared to the binary opposites of the two protagonists whom wear big waterproof jackets and jeans whilst carrying massive rucksacks.


Suddenly dialect at 3:36 anchoring the location the two protagonists are wanting to go. Farmer exists the shot (same as the one previously mentioned). This is part of a Shot-reaction-shot between the two protagonists and farmer. Issues warning to stick to the roads and not to go on the moors – Signifies what to come? Humour added “You have lovely sheep” and “Bye girls”. Binary opposite to black humour which could come in later. Long takes used although a wide variation of shots used. Further use of tracking (again backwards plus shaky camera work, adds to the realism) Pans in front of the two protagonists – shot ends with a binary opposite to the jokes about the sheep with the same person saying “Those sheep shit on my pack” fade out + fade in to the opening shot again. Protagonists enter shot camera tracks, appears that the two protagonists have listened to the farmer + wind – tension building? Two protagonists talking about one of his girlfriends in a sexual manner and her body. Changes to a shot behind the pair looking where they are going extreme long shot with characters in the mid-foreground, camera suddenly stops behind the pair. Pair walk out of along the road and out of shot; shot fades out with the pair telling “Knock Knock” jokes 5:38