20 Best Cult Movies Of The 1980s

John Landis was perhaps best known as one of the great comedy directors of the 1980s, his filmography including such classics as The Blues Brothers, Trading Places and Coming To America (the latter two of which helped secure Eddie Murphy's place as one of the highest paid actors of the decade).

Landis also ventured occasionally into horror, with his 1981 cult classic An American Werewolf In London standing out as perhaps the best werewolf movie of all time. Recounting the experiences of two American tourists, David and Jack, who are attacked by a werewolf while out on the Yorkshire moors, An American Werewolf In London isn't without Landis's trademark humour to take the bite off the horror thrills.

But when it comes to the horror elements, Landis handles them perfectly. The atmosphere of the opening sequence on the moors paves way for a gore-filled finale, as David goes on a rampage through a busy evening in London. It's perhaps unusual that an American director succeeded in making a horror film which feels so distinctly British.

Special mention goes to Rick Baker, the visual effects maestro responsible for the incredible werewolf transformation sequence which arguably hasn't been bettered since. Baker's prolific career has seen his work on a wide range of movies, picking up a record breaking seven Academy Awards for Best Makeup.