10 Films You Won't Believe Were Released At Christmas

Release Date: 25 December 1997

This is less a sequel to An American Werewolf In London than a dystopian version of it, a vision of what might have been had it not worked as horror, comedy nor as an effects showcase. It is a prime example of everything that is wrong with soulless, by-the-numbers filmmaking and a grim warning to directors of what happens when you sell your soul for a mess of Hollywood potage.

John Landis showed a pretty good eye for life in foreign climes and never felt the need to give us a montage of British landmarks set to a Beatles tune or, God forbid, a cover version thereof, but the pinheads behind the camera are having none of that. According to them, France was built around the Eiffel tower, is full of exaggerated stereotypes, everyone says “Ooh la la” etc.

So it’s all of ten minutes before the main characters climb the tower, not as sightseers but as bungee jumpers (what a crazy comedy idea!) which enables our 'hero' to literally fall for Serafine (Julie Delpy), who’s about to jump to her doom. Turns out she’s a werewolf, so pretty soon he’s one too, then his dead friend returns as a ghost to tell him the curse must be lifted or he’ll remain in limbo blah blah blah…..