Bad Moon (Blu-ray)
Starring Michael Pare, Mariel Hemingway, Mason Gamble
Directed by Eric Red
Distributed by Scream Factory
For the past twenty years, I have championed Bad Moon (1996) to anyone that will listen. I read the novel, “Thor” by Wayne Smith, and loved it. I also happen to be one of the very few folks who caught the film in theaters, when it was released the day after Halloween and spent a whopping two weeks on screens before being unceremoniously pulled. Back in those days it took forever for a film – especially one so derided – to reach consumer hands. In 1997, I almost bought a VHS copy while on vacation in NYC, only for my wallet to crumble under the weight of a $79.99 price tag. As soon as a friendly price point came about, I snatched it up. Ditto for the DVD, which I had Michael Pare sign when he was at a Fangoria Weekend of Horrors (remember those?). The point of this rambling is to show I have given many a shit about this film for a long time and now, thanks to Scream Factory, it is finally getting its home video due.
After a savage werewolf attack in the jungles of Borneo leaves his girlfriend dead and his shoulder badly clawed, Ted (Michael Pare) hightails it back to the wilderness of Canada. He lives a quiet, secluded life by the lakeshore, but when a rash of suspected animal killings brings the cops just outside his door Ted decides maybe some time away with family might be a good idea. His sister, Janet (Mariel Hemingway), is a lawyer and single mom who lives a couple hours away with her son, Brett (Mason Gamble). The “man” of their house is a large German Shepard named Thor, and he is very protective of his humans. Ted arrives and Janet is overjoyed, but Thor can sense the beast within him. During one of Ted’s late night “runs” Thor quietly follows, finding Ted’s lycanthropic side unleashed and handcuffed to a tree.
Thus begins a literal pissing match between the family protector and the family interloper, with many tense moments of alpha posturing. When a shift conman who had tried to pull a scam on Janet earlier that week comes back to attack Thor, he meets the clawed end of Tedwolf’s pointy fingers. Cops, however, suspect Thor may be to blame. After another stare down between Ted and Thor ends with the dog latching onto his arm, Janet makes the difficult decision to have Thor taken away to be put down. With his nemesis out of the picture, Ted is now free to keep on being a wolfman without fear of reprisal. But when Janet makes a discovery that puts her in jeopardy, Thor might be the only chance she has.
The family dynamic is the crux of this story, but the real focus is on the only member that can’t speak, Thor. Just as Wayne Smith’s novel was written from the dog’s point of view, this film keeps Thor at the center of all the action. Primo, who plays Thor, gives the best performance by a canine I’ve ever seen, which is amazing when you hear Eric Red explain how difficult he was during the shoot. The Leone-esque staring contests between Ted and Thor are super intense, as though either could explode at any moment. Watching how the dog does its own detective work on Ted, how it lords protectively over Janet & Brett, is amazing when you consider the kind of limited direction a puppy can take. Red used three dogs while making the film, but the bulk of the shoot was all Primo. Even the fights between Thor and Tedwolf are expertly staged and shot with realism.
Werewolf movies, historically, are a tough subgenre to do right. Even with a good story, it can be extremely easy to botch the special effects and now your film is in the toilet. I remember reading an old issue of Fangoria where they showed off some concept art for the upcoming An American Werewolf in Paris (1997) and it looked incredible. We all know what was seen in the final film, though. Bad Moon is consistently lauded for its werewolf effects and with good reason, because the design created by Steve Johnson is easily one of the best ever seen on screen. Even the film’s detractors have to admit the animatronic special effects are a major highlight. The wolf here is physically imposing and very beastly, the face so expressive and fierce. Why isn’t there an action figure?
The only downside to the werewolf effects work is a 20-something-seconds shot of Ted digitally transforming. It looks absolutely terrible. Eric Red’s director’s cut – that appears for the first time here on this disc – makes one minor change to the film: it completely removes that sequence; and the film is all the better for it.
Running at a tight 79 minutes (76-ish minus credits), Bad Moon is a sleek film that tells a good tale without overstaying its welcome. After finding few fans during its theatrical run, it has been nice to see a decent cult following grow in the ensuing twenty years since release. Scream Factory’s Blu-ray release should help expand that audience further, giving me more people to nerd out with over this underrated gem. Those of you who have been fans for a decade or two will revel in the bonus materials you have wanted for so long.
One word can describe the 2.40:1 1080p image: picturesque. Shot in the wilds of Canada, the vistas and woodsy environments look gorgeous in high definition, like a Discovery Channel special with werewolves. Red shot the bulk of his film in daylight, allowing for a consistently vibrant picture filled with bright colors, earthy textures, and rustic hues. There is an appreciable level of depth to the image, too. Definition is exquisite, with many fine details evident in the frame. Black levels are rich and stable, allowing for maximum contrast during moonlit scenes. And, yes, the practical effects easily hold up under the scrutiny of HD. One of Scream Factory’s best looking titles ever.
The English DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound track is equally strong, with excellent levels and powerful bursts of action when Tedwolf attacks. Dialogue comes through centered and clear, while Daniel Licht’s serene score carries nicely throughout the multi-channel allotment. An English 2.0 stereo track is also included. Subtitles are available in English.
On the director’s cut, writer/director Eric Red provides a commentary track, while on the theatrical cut you can expect to hear one from Red along with actor Michael Pare.
“Nature of the Beast” – Red, Pare, special effects artist Steve Johnson, actor Mason Gamble, and stuntman Ken Kirzinger are each interviewed here, providing all of the information fans of the film have waited years to hear. Everyone has some good anecdotes but it is Red who provides the bulk of the good stuff. This is a great piece and an absolute must-watch for fans.
“Unrated Opening Sequence” – Sourced from VHS, expect to see a little more blood and boobs during the opening attack.
A (terrible) theatrical trailer is included along with three storyboard sequences in HD: “Transformation Sequence Storyboards”, “Thor/Werewolf Fight Storyboards”, and “Thor Stares Down Uncle Ted Storyboards”.
Special Features:
- High-definition theatrical cut of the film plus a NEW Director’s version supervised and approved by Eric Red.
- NEW Nature of the Beast: Making Bad Moon featuring interviews with writer/director Eric Red, actors Michael Pare and Mason Gamble, Special Effects Make-up artist Steve Johnson and stunt coordinator Ken Kirzinger
- NEW Audio Commentary with writer/director Eric Red (Director’s version only)
- Audio Commentary with writer/director Eric Red and actor Michael Pare (Theatrical Cut)
- Unrated opening scene from the Director’s first cut (Sourced from VHS)
- 3 Storyboard sequences
- Original Theatrical Trailer
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Bad Moon
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Special Features
Categorized:Reviews
