The Horror Comedy That Inspired "Love Bites"

 

“From the director of Animal House… Comes a different kind of animal.” That was one of the taglines advertising An American Werewolf in London, the supernatural horror comedy that partly inspired Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video and, of course, INK’s “Love Bites.” Here’s a look back at the John Landis masterpiece, released 45 years ago this month.

National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) and The Blues Brothers (1980) were massive comedy hits for writer/director John Landis, who came up with the story for An American Werewolf a decade before while working as a production assistant on the movie Kelly’s Heroes (1970).

An almost revolutionary blend of terror and dark comedy, An American Werewolf in London remains a crowning achievement in practical makeup effects, featuring a vivid werewolf transformation scene by Rick Baker that earned the film the first-ever Oscar for Best Makeup. Naturally, so much of what INK does sits at the intersection of horror and comedy, from the expansive lore around The Silence and odes to slasher classics, to the casting of beloved performers from Seinfeld, Weekend at Bernie’s, and Grandma’s Boy (to name a few) over the years.

“There’s so much horror, but there’s also a love story at play,” notes Spencer. Musically, “Love Bites” plays with an ethereal pop vibe at times, reminiscent of bands like The Pixies. The song features guest vocals from Chelsea Talmadge, who played Carol Perkins on Stranger Things.

Michael Jackson was so taken with An American Werewolf in London that he hired Landis to direct the long-form music video for “Thriller,” complete with its own werewolf transformation scene. Baker, who also worked on “Thriller,” went on to win several more Academy Awards, including statues for Ed Wood, The Nutty Professor, Men in Black, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.