If trying to get past the zombie-like Christmas shoppers in Oxford Street makes you want to scream, join us instead for a bit of seasonal horror therapy with our special Londonist screening of An American Werewolf In London.
We’ll be down in the sublime Underground Film Club beneath Waterloo train station for an evening of cathartic movie action. John Landis’s horror comedy is a bona fide classic and the incredible scenes of the hound from hell on the rampage around the sex shops of Soho and Piccadilly Circus look even better on the big screen.
Here's a clip of a commuter being chased through Tottenham Court Road tube station to get you in the mood for the mayhem:
You might think you know the film well, but we bet you didn’t know these lesser known factoids:
- Famous faces — you'll probably have noticed Rik Mayall playing chess with Brian Glover in the Slaughtered Lamb pub at the start, but did you spot John Altman aka Nasty Nick Cotton as a nice copper? Or Snatch’s Bricktop actor Alan Ford as a sarky cabbie?
- A royal pain in the ass — At the end of the film there's a congratulatory message to Prince Charles and Princess Diana on their marriage. Although the film was made in the same year as the royal wedding it was shot months before and the message is only there as an apology for the scene where the film's hero tries to get arrested by shouting: "Prince Charles is a faggot!"
- Thrilling monsters — The still-extraordinary creature designs by Rick Baker won the first ever Oscar for Best Make Up and both Baker and director Landis teamed up again two years later for Michael Jackson’s Thriller video (OK, you probably did know this, but it’s still cool).
Alongside the movie, there’ll be a bonus short about a seductive ghost that lives in Peckham. Also within the amazing Underground Film Club complex you can play a round at Birdies Crazy Golf or grab exceptional food and drink from the gourmet stalls and cocktail bars.
An American Werewolf In London is on Monday 14 December at 8pm. Tickets £15 (food, drink and golf are all extra).
Londonist is also screening Shakespeare In Love on 21 December at 8pm — more on that later, but you can book tickets here.
