For fans of the 1981 classic, the "cracked" case of the An American Werewolf in London
deleted scenes is a mix of legendary lost media and rare, restored footage. While some scenes are gone forever, others have resurfaced on high-end boutique releases like the Arrow Video 4K UHD The "Holy Grail" Lost Scene: The Tramp Murders
The most famous "cracked" case involves a notoriously graphic sequence where the werewolf brutally attacks three homeless men in a London junkyard. What happened:
Reportedly one of the most violent scenes ever filmed for the movie, it was intended to show the werewolf's power before the final Piccadilly Circus climax. Why it was cut:
Director John Landis removed it after test audiences reacted negatively, finding the violence too extreme even for a horror-comedy. Lost Media.
No visuals or audio are known to survive; Landis himself believes the footage is gone forever. Scenes Restored (or Nearly There)
Modern releases have fixed several "cracked" versions of the film that were previously missing key moments: The "Toast" Scene:
A brief, gruesome moment where Jack (Griffin Dunne) is eating toast, only for the chewed food to fall out through his mangled throat. This was originally cut to secure an "R" rating in the US but is restored on most modern Blu-ray releases. David’s Phone Call:
Due to a mastering error on some older 2-Disc Special Edition DVDs, a scene where David calls his sister before attempting self-harm was accidentally deleted. This has since been corrected on newer Universal Studios Arrow Video The Tube Station Chase:
While not "deleted," the pacing of the iconic Tottenham Court Road chase was significantly tightened from earlier cuts to maximize tension. Trivia: The "Cracked" Production Makeup Mishaps:
During the filming of Jack's "dead" scenes, actor Griffin Dunne accidentally ripped the foam rubber off the delicate werewolf puppet head. FX legend Rick Baker reportedly got revenge by using a backup head to jokingly "beat the crap out of" Dunne. Nudity Issues:
John Landis had to carefully frame the famous transformation scene because actor David Naughton was not circumcised, whereas the character, David Kessler, was written as Jewish. The "Tube" Thumb:
A persistent rumor suggests a cut scene existed where David spits out the thumb of a victim he killed in the London Underground. Where to Watch the Most Complete Version
To see the film as close to Landis's original vision as possible, collectors recommend the Arrow Video 4K UHD Restoration
. It restores the original mono mix and includes many of the gore shots (like the toast scene) that were censored in earlier theatrical and TV broadcasts. special effects used in the transformation scene or a comparison with the An American Werewolf in Paris
You're referring to the 1981 film "An American Werewolf in London" directed by John Landis. I found some information about deleted scenes from the movie.
According to various sources, including interviews with John Landis and special effects artist Rick Baker, several scenes were deleted from the final version of the film. Here are a few examples: an american werewolf in london deleted scenes cracked
These deleted scenes can be found on some special edition DVD releases or through fan sites and YouTube channels that specialize in movie extras and behind-the-scenes content.
Keep in mind that some of these deleted scenes might be hard to find or require specific permissions to access.
The search for a specific "Cracked" review of the An American Werewolf in London
deleted scenes suggests you might be looking for an article from the popular humor site Cracked.com, which often features "mind-blowing" or "disturbing" deleted scenes in its listicles.
While there isn't a single standalone review by that name, the deleted scenes of this 1981 horror-comedy are legendary among horror fans and often highlighted on sites like Cracked.com. The Infamous "Lost" Scenes
Most "reviews" of the deleted footage focus on three major segments that were cut to avoid an X rating or because they were too intense for test audiences:
The Tramp Killings: This is the "Holy Grail" of lost horror media. It reportedly featured the werewolf brutally dismembering three homeless men in a junkyard. Director John Landis claims it was cut after a disastrous test screening where the audience was too horrified to laugh at the later comedy.
The "Toast" Scene: A short, grotesque moment where Jack (Griffin Dunne), in his decaying undead form, tries to eat a piece of toast, only for it to fall out of his open throat.
The "Thumb" Scene: A brief shot during the final Piccadilly Circus rampage where David (as the werewolf) spits out a human thumb, likely belonging to the man he killed in the Tube. Why They Are Rarely Seen
Missing Footage: Unlike modern films where deleted scenes are on the Blu-ray, much of this footage is considered lost media. Only still photos of the "Tramp" scene and the "Toast" scene exist in behind-the-scenes books and documentaries like Beware the Moon.
Director's Stance: John Landis has often stated that he believes the theatrical cut is the "director's cut" and that showing too much of the wolf would have ruined the suspense. Where to Learn More
If you want to dive deeper into the "Cracked-style" trivia about these scenes:
The Lost Media Wiki has a detailed breakdown of what exactly was filmed vs. what survived.
Arrow Video's 4K Restoration includes the most comprehensive documentaries on these missing pieces, though the actual footage remains unreleased. Where to find the still photos of the deleted kills? Other classic horror movies with famous "lost" scenes?
Beware of YouTube compilations labeled “deleted scenes” – many are fan-edits using production stills or audio outtakes. Legit cracked footage circulates only in private tracker circles and via a 2019 restoration project called “Wolfen Workprint.” The British Film Institute has confirmed no complete workprint exists in their archive.
The footage is rough – think 4th-generation VHS dub, heavy tracking lines, audio hiss, and occasional chroma shift. One scene (the nurse transformation) has a vertical crack-like artifact (hence the term) – likely a damaged telecine reel. Colors are washed toward sepia. Purists may find it unwatchable, but for fans, it’s a time capsule of Landis’s raw edit. For fans of the 1981 classic, the "cracked"
The Myth: In the final film, David transforms and kills a homeless man in the sewers. The Cracked Truth: The original kill was far more controversial. David, pre-transformation, hides in a seedy Soho porn cinema. He transforms in the back row. The intended victim was a lecherous man masturbating in the front row. The werewolf would have attacked him mid-act. Why cut? Universal Pictures threatened to give the film an X-rating solely for this scene. Landis replaced it with the sewer sequence two weeks into principal photography.
Conclusion The deleted scenes of An American Werewolf in London are less about regret and more about refinement. Each cut sharpened the film’s tone, pacing, and emotional focus — but they also left tantalizing remnants that keep fans hungry for more. Whether you crave the raw scraps of extra Jack mischief, a bleaker final act, or extended scenes that deepen David’s fall, the lost footage offers a fascinating look at how a horror-comedy classic was sculpted from a larger mosaic.
Related search terms: "An American Werewolf in London deleted scenes", "John Landis alternate ending", "Rick Baker unused makeup tests"
An American Werewolf in London (1981) features several notorious deleted scenes, including a homeless massacre sequence and a grotesque "toast" moment, largely cut to avoid an X-rating or due to test screenings. While full, finished scenes are rare, notable cut content includes extended, more explicit sequences in the love scene and specific subway moments. For a detailed breakdown of alternate versions, visit Behind The Scenes Saturday: An American Werewolf In London
John Landis’s 1981 masterpiece, An American Werewolf in London, is often cited as the perfect horror-comedy. It has the scares, the Rick Baker practical effects that changed the industry, and a lean, mean script that doesn’t waste a second.
However, if you’ve ever gone down a late-night rabbit hole looking for the "cracked" version of the film's history, you know that the version we saw in theaters was trimmed of some genuinely bizarre, gruesome, and even slapstick moments. Some of these deleted scenes were lost to pacing, while others were cut because they were simply too intense for 1981 audiences. 1. The "Bowl of Blood" Slapstick
One of the most famous rumors involves a cut sequence during the "Blue Moon" transformation. In the final film, David’s first transformation is a masterclass in body horror and agony. However, Landis originally filmed a beat where David, in the midst of his bones breaking and skin stretching, accidentally knocks over a bowl of soup or water, and the resulting mess is played for a dark, physical comedy beat.
Landis eventually cut it because it "broke the tension" too much. When your protagonist is screaming in pain as his spine elongates, having him slip on a wet floor felt a bit too Three Stooges for the tone he was trying to strike. 2. The Full "See No Evil" Monkey Sequence
In the theatrical cut, we see the "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil" monkeys during David’s fever dream. But the original cut featured a much more extended, "cracked" version of this nightmare.
The monkeys were intended to be more interactive and menacing, leaning into the surrealist dread of David’s deteriorating mental state. These shots were shortened to keep the nightmare sequence frantic and jarring rather than lingering and hallucinogenic. 3. More Gore in the Piccadilly Circus Massacre
The climax of the film in Piccadilly Circus is already a chaotic mess of car crashes and flying glass. However, several beats of "gratuitous" gore were trimmed to avoid an X rating.
Specifically, there were shots of the werewolf literally tearing into bystanders that were deemed "too much" for the pacing of the finale. Rick Baker’s team had created several "meat" props and blood-rigs for the crowd that only appear for a fraction of a second in the final edit. Fans have spent years looking for the "Cracked" vault footage of these extra kills. 4. Jack’s Increasing Decay
While we see Jack (Griffin Dunne) progressively rot throughout the film, there were additional lines of dialogue and close-up shots of his decomposition that didn't make the cut.
One deleted beat involved Jack describing the "sensations" of being a walking corpse in much more graphic, stomach-turning detail. The producers felt the humor of Jack’s undead state worked better if the audience wasn't too busy vomiting at his exposed ribcage. 5. The Extended "Blue Moon" Ending
The film is famous for its abrupt ending—David is shot, he reverts to human form, and the credits roll instantly to "Blue Moon."
There was a slightly longer version of this scene where the crowd’s reaction was more pronounced, and Alex (Jenny Agutter) had a few more seconds of dialogue or reaction. Landis opted for the "hard cut" to credits because it felt like a punch to the gut. It’s one of the most effective endings in cinema history, but seeing the "cracked" version of a more traditional, lingering ending makes you appreciate the final choice even more. Why Were These Scenes "Cracked" From the Final Product? Longer version of the werewolf transformation scene :
In the world of film editing, "cracked" usually refers to the moment a director realizes a scene doesn't fit the puzzle. For Landis, An American Werewolf in London was a tightrope walk. Too much gore, and it’s a slasher; too much comedy, and it’s a parody.
The deleted scenes reveal a version of the movie that was messier, weirder, and significantly more experimental. While we may never see a "Director’s Ultra-Gore Cut," the legend of these missing frames continues to haunt horror forums and fan sites to this day.
While An American Werewolf in London (1981) remains a horror masterpiece, several fascinating scenes never made it to the final theatrical cut. Some were removed to keep the pacing tight, while others were so intense that test audiences found them distracting. The Infamous Lost "Junkyard" Scene
The most famous "lost" footage involves the brutal killing of two tramps in a London junkyard.
The Content: In the scene, the werewolf attacks and kills two homeless men. Because this was removed, the theatrical version simply cuts to the next scene.
The Controversy: Test audiences reacted so negatively to the gore that director John Landis decided to cut it entirely.
Current Status: It is widely considered lost media. Director John Landis later expressed regret over removing it, but no known video or audio footage is believed to exist. Some crew members have even disputed whether it was actually filmed or if it remains buried in studio vaults. Toned-Down Content for Ratings
To secure an "R" rating in the U.S., several other moments were shortened or altered:
The Love Scene: The romantic sequence between David and Alex (Jenny Agutter) was edited for length and explicitness.
Toast and Gore: A quirky, gross-out moment where food falls out of the undead Jack's shredded throat while he's eating toast was removed.
The transformation: While legendary, Rick Baker was reportedly disappointed that some of the detailed facial transformation shots he worked on were cut or used only briefly. Trivia & "Hidden" Scenes
See You Next Wednesday: The fictional adult film David and Jack watch in the cinema was a fake movie-within-a-movie directed by Landis specifically for the film—a recurring gag throughout his career.
Real Wolf Interaction: One "missing" element wasn't a cut scene but a safety measure; when David Naughton was filming the zoo scene naked, he was in a cage with real wolves that had been heavily fed beforehand to ensure they wouldn't attack him.
Alternate Audio: In some early 1990s TV broadcasts, "Moondance" by Van Morrison was replaced with "Happy Together" by The Turtles during the love scene.
For more deep dives into horror history and deleted scenes, you can check out lists from sites like Cracked.com or MovieWeb for behind-the-scenes facts.
It sounds like you're looking for deleted scenes from An American Werewolf in London (1981), specifically content that is “cracked” — likely meaning cracked / unlocked / extracted from a DVD or Blu-ray source.
Here’s what’s known to exist: