American Werewolf in London is one of my all-time favorite films. Not just in horror but in any genre. I easily consider myself a werewolf fan. It’s a fantasy-horror story that’s been told for hundreds of years. From The Wolfman to The Howling, we have a ton of excellent werewolf stories to indulge ourselves in. Prepare yourself to add another to your watch list.

Matthew van Ginkel’s 30TH NIGHT is just as bleak and depressing as pretty much any other werewolf story except it’s completely original. 30TH NIGHT creates its own pathway into the genre with the setting alone. Based in an all women’s prison, Megan (Laura Burke), the primary character is charged with the murder of her husband after discovering his body beside her in their bed. When the film began I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into and they did an excellent job of keeping everything under wraps until the big reveal.

The effects in this film were fantastic. I don’t think it could be easy to pull off a werewolf transformation scene without making it look hokey. However, they did it well and I appreciated it. Long nails being forced out of human fingertips, the bending and twisting of the body. It’s quite depressing to see a human being forcibly transformed into a murderous creature without obvious consent and, as I said, they nailed it.

Matthew van Ginkel and his team truly created something unique that also held to the same historical storytelling as previous films and stories that have paved the path into the werewolf genre. If you have a chance to watch 30th night I couldn’t recommend it enough. With a run time of under 9 minutes, it’s honestly an eye-opener into what can be accomplished within a short film.

Stay Haunted,

Devin

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Devin March

Co-Host at GoreLords Podcast

Devin is a contributing writer for Nightmarish Conjurings and one of the three Co-hosts of the GoreLords Podcast. In his spare time (when it exists) he's usually cuddled up to his wife binge-watching a TV series, checking out new indie horror films or more recently playing Nintendo Switch. Devin is a huge fan of horror and macabre and it shows in his household. There is a room in his house dedicated to VHS tapes, Disneyland, Vintage Halloween and 80's horror.

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Latest posts by Devin March (see all)

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