The iconic transformation scene from the 1981 horror-comedy masterpiece 'An American Werewolf in London' remains a pinnacle of practical effects cinema. Starring David Naughton as the cursed American backpacker David Kessler, the scene depicts his first agonizing transition into a lycanthrope within a brightly lit London flat. As Sam Cooke's 'Bad Moon Rising' plays in the background, David’s bones audibly snap and stretch—a feat that earned Rick Baker the first-ever Academy Award for Best Makeup. In the meme world, this visceral sequence is frequently used to symbolize a dramatic, often painful, and involuntary personality shift or physical change. It represents those moments when a minor inconvenience or a sudden burst of energy triggers a 'total beast mode' transformation. Popular caption ideas include: 'Me when the pre-workout finally kicks in,' 'When the direct deposit hits and I forget how to act,' and 'Transitioning from my professional work voice to my real voice the second I hang up.'