An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)
(In French, On Cable TV, April 2020) There’s a reason why An American Werewolf in London is still ranked as one of the finest horror-comedy films of all time and why no one ever talks about An American Werewolf in Paris, and it’s not mere Anglophilia. Part of the reason is because of sheer talent—the first film is from John Landis, while this one seems to come straight out of the studio’s sequel-extrusion department. The first is bold and crazy in its choices, whereas the second apes the first without too much conviction. The first has the guts of a memorable ending, whereas this one settles for an off-the-wall climax. The first has some incredible practical effects, whereas the second is stuck at the infancy of the CGI age. At least the second has a young and very cute Julie Delpy in an unusual horror-comedy role… but it’s not enough. An American Werewolf in Paris very clearly apes the first film, especially with its visions, but without quite recapturing what made it special. Seen from 2020, the film feels increasingly dated in its choices, musical or otherwise. It’s not, to be specific about it, that terrible of a film—you can watch it easily enough—but it’s a noticeable step down from the original and a mediocre film (at best) in its own right.