An American Werewolf In London Deleted Scenes Access
One of the film’s most terrifying sequences involves David waking up naked in the wolf cage at the London Zoo. However, an entire sequence was filmed showing his journey to the zoo.
After transforming back into a human, David was originally shown wandering through the London Underground (the Tube) wearing a stolen raincoat. He tries to navigate the subway system while dealing with the shock of his transformation and the fear of being recognized. It was a sequence intended to bridge the gap between the night of the killings and the morning at the zoo, but it was cut for pacing reasons—the audience didn't need to see David struggling with public transit to understand his disorientation.
The film famously cuts from David’s first transformation to the next morning’s nude romp at the zoo. The original script had a bridge scene.
An American Werewolf in London remains a masterpiece precisely because of its restraint. While fans clamor for a director’s cut containing these lost scenes, John Landis has been famously stubborn. He has stated that the theatrical cut is the only cut. However, in 2019, a workprint was discovered in a private collector’s basement containing grainy, silent footage of the "Hospital Ward" scene.
Until Universal decides to release a 4K box set with these fragments (don’t hold your breath), the deleted scenes of An American Werewolf in London remain exactly where they belong: howling in the dark, just outside the frame, waiting for the next full moon to rise.
Did we miss a scene? Some fans swear there is alternate footage of David shooting himself with a silver bullet. That, however, is a myth from the novelization. Stay off the moors.
While there is no official "Director's Cut" of An American Werewolf in London
, several scenes were removed or shortened to satisfy censors and test audiences. Most of these remain lost, though some have been partially restored in modern home video releases like the Arrow Video 4K/Blu-ray. 🐺 The "Lost" Scenes
These sequences were filmed but removed before the final theatrical release.
The Tramp Killings: The most famous "lost" scene involved the werewolf attacking three homeless men in a junkyard. It was cut because test audiences found it too distracting and intense; no audio or video is known to survive.
Jack’s Toast Scene: An extra shot of the undead Jack eating toast was trimmed for the R-rating because food was seen falling out of his mangled throat.
Extended Sex Scene: The love scene between David and Alex was originally longer and more explicit, but was toned down to avoid an X-rating.
Alternate Transformation Score: While not a deleted "scene" per se, composer Elmer Bernstein originally recorded a traditional horror score for the transformation. Landis ultimately replaced it with the upbeat "Blue Moon". 📺 Home Video Variations
Mastering errors and regional censorship have caused certain scenes to "disappear" from specific releases.
The Phone Call Home: David calls his sister Rachel to say goodbye before his suicide attempt. This scene is missing from some Region 2 DVD Special Editions due to a mastering error.
The Dead Werewolf: In the original UK broadcast, the final shot of the dead werewolf reverting to a naked David Kessler on the moors was edited out.
Soundtrack Changes: In the early 90s, some TV versions replaced Van Morrison's "Moondance" with "Happy Together" by The Turtles due to licensing issues. an american werewolf in london deleted scenes
💡 Collector's Tip: If you are looking for the most complete version, stick to the Arrow Video or recent Universal Blu-ray/4K releases, as they restore the phone call scene and offer the original mono audio mix. Alternate versions - An American Werewolf in London - IMDb
Here’s a concise guide to the deleted/alternate scenes and useful features related to An American Werewolf in London (1981):
Key deleted/alternate scenes and fragments
Where these appear (editions/features)
Useful features to look for when searching releases
Practical tips for finding them
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John Landis's 1981 masterpiece An American Werewolf in London is celebrated for its groundbreaking practical effects, but the film that reached theaters was slightly different from the director's original vision. Several scenes were removed to avoid an X-rating or because they distracted from the main narrative. The Lost "Tramp Killing" Sequence
The most famous "holy grail" of deleted footage is the junkyard attack on three homeless men. While the film currently cuts from the werewolf's emergence to the next morning, Landis originally filmed a highly graphic sequence showing their deaths.
Reason for Removal: Test audiences reacted negatively, finding the scene too distracting and overly brutal compared to the rest of the film.
Status: Considered lost media. No known video or audio survives, and Landis has expressed regret over its removal. Because the footage is gone, viewers can only guess how the "ghostly" versions of the tramps in the cinema scene actually died. Shortened Transformation & Gore
Rick Baker spent nearly ten months and $300,000 developing the legendary transformation sequence, creating multiple "change-o" heads and limbs.
While An American Werewolf in London (1981) remains a horror masterpiece, director John Landis was forced to cut several scenes due to studio pressure for an "R" rating and negative test audience reactions. Most of this footage is now considered lost media, as no visual or audio recordings have surfaced in decades. Major Deleted & Lost Scenes
The Tramps' Death (The Junkyard Scene): This is the most famous "lost" sequence. It featured the werewolf attacking and killing three homeless men along the Thames. Test audiences found it too distracting and intense, leading Landis to remove it entirely. Landis later expressed regret for this cut, as it left viewers wondering how the tramps died when they appeared as ghosts later in the film.
Jack and the Toast: An extended scene of the undead Jack (Griffin Dunne) visiting David in the hospital included a moment where a piece of chewed toast fell out of his torn throat. This was removed to secure an R-rating in the U.S.. One of the film’s most terrifying sequences involves
Extended Sex Scene: The intimate scene between David and Alex was originally longer and more explicit but was toned down to avoid an X rating.
David’s Phone Call Home: David calls his family in the States before his suicide attempt. While this scene is included in most modern versions, it was accidentally omitted from certain Region 2 DVD releases due to a mastering error. Detailed transcripts show David speaking to his sister, Rachel, and asking her to tell their parents he loves them. Alternate Versions
Music Changes: A 1990s TV broadcast in Detroit famously replaced Van Morrison's "Moondance" with "Happy Together" by The Turtles during the love scene.
UK Broadcast Edits: Some early UK television versions edited out the shot of the dead werewolf in human form on the moors at the end of the film. Behind the Scenes Trivia
The Nudity Issue: Landis avoided full-frontal shots of David Naughton during the transformation and dream sequences because Naughton was not circumcised, which contradicted his character, David Kessler, being written as Jewish.
Transformation Regrets: Landis actually felt the iconic transformation scene was too long. He admitted to spending extra time on it simply because he was fascinated by the quality of Rick Baker's Academy Award-winning effects.
An American Werewolf in London is celebrated as a masterpiece of practical effects, its production history is famously haunted by "lost" footage that director John Landis trimmed to secure an R-rating or improve pacing. The "Tramp Killing" Scene
The most famous deleted sequence involves the werewolf attacking three homeless men in a junkyard. The Details
: In the finished film, the werewolf’s first London rampage is mostly off-camera until the subway attack. This deleted scene was reportedly extremely graphic and showed the creature dismembering the men. Why it was cut
: Test audiences reacted with visceral disgust, and Landis felt it "stopped the movie dead" because it was too gruesome compared to the dark humor found elsewhere. : This footage is considered lost media
. No audio or visual recordings are known to exist outside of production stills. Jack’s Undead Breakfast
A smaller but memorable cut involved the second appearance of David's undead friend, Jack Goodman. The "Toast" Scene
: As David eats breakfast in Nurse Price’s apartment, an increasingly decayed Jack appears. In a cut portion of the scene, Jack attempts to eat toast, but because his throat is shredded, the chewed-up food falls out of his neck wound. The "Thumb" Scene
: Some fans and crew members recall a cut shot where David spits out the severed thumb of his subway victim, Gerald Bringsley, during the morning-after recovery. Reason for Cut
: These were primarily removed to satisfy the MPAA and prevent the film from receiving an "X" rating. The Missing Phone Call
In some versions, including certain UK DVD releases, a poignant scene of David calling home was omitted due to mastering errors. Did we miss a scene
: David stands in a red phone booth and calls his young sister, Rachel, in the United States. He tells her he loves her and asks her to tell their parents the same, essentially saying a final goodbye before his planned suicide. Significance
: This scene is considered critical for David's character development, showing his desperation and the humanity he still possesses before the final transformation. Where to Find "Uncut" Versions
While there is no "director's cut" that restores the junkyard scene (as it no longer exists), modern releases have restored other elements: Arrow Video 4K/Blu-ray
: Restores the phone call scene and offers the original mono mix. Standard Blu-ray
: 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?
Reports on the deleted scenes from the 1981 classic An American Werewolf in London
reveal a significant amount of "lost media" and edits made for pacing or censorship. Director John Landis originally included sequences that were either too graphic for test audiences or were trimmed to maintain the film's R-rating. The Most Infamous Lost Scene: The Tramp Killing
The most famous deleted footage is the "tramp killing" sequence, which featured the werewolf attacking and dismembering several homeless men in a junkyard.
The Details: Landis describes the scene as extremely graphic.
Reason for Cut: Test audiences reacted negatively, finding the violence distracting from the film's core narrative.
Current Status: This footage is widely considered lost. No known video or audio recordings exist, and it has never been included in home media releases, including 4K restorations. Censorship and Tone Edits
Several other scenes were trimmed to satisfy the MPAA and international distributors:
The Sex Scene: The original love scene between David (David Naughton) and Alex (Jenny Agutter) was notably longer and more graphic. It was toned down in the U.S. theatrical version and some international releases.
Undead Jack: A small but famous cut involved Jack's (Griffin Dunne) appearance. A shot of him eating toast while undead—with food falling out of his open, mangled throat—was removed to avoid an X-rating.
Extended Gore: Various attack sequences, particularly the climactic Piccadilly Circus massacre, contained more visceral gore that was trimmed for theatrical release. Character and Contextual Cuts
Beyond the gore, some character-driven moments were removed or edited:
In the hospital, after David’s nightmare, Nurse Alex Price (Jenny Agutter) had a longer speech about her own isolation.
An extended version of the "Stay off the moors" scene included more explicit foreshadowing.