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In terms of broad slasher films, MOON STALKER did not emerge as the brand new HALLOWEEN (even though the director seemed to want it too, considering the equally similar music) so I would be surprised if it won any accolades. Having stated that, this film from the late 1980s is a rather nice ride when all aspects are considered as it is an entry in the slasher category.
Although there are very few, if any, known slasher films coming out of Nevada, there are certainly lesser still being produced at the very start of winter. Somehow the people working on MOON STALKER chose this as an option, so lets see how that goes. The film begins with a prologue that is almost impossible to read, featuring someone with an axe looking at a group of teenagers with forced, awkward laughter around a campfire. This happens before the very graphic killing off screen of a pair of campers trying to hide some sausages. For the record, are there any guests that do not need to hide sausages?
Next, we meet a family that has gone on bonfire camping in the snowy wilderness for their vacation. They are quite a mix, emphasizing joyously to the point where they are almost parodying everything. And it reaches its climax with the father ignoring every single kid wishing to head over to LA. The father from the outset of the family camping movie nixes that idea as the place is “… full of winos!” He nixes that idea and in turn strats reeling compliments directed towards the child rather spectacularly and annoying daughter. She could very easily beat Holly in TROLL 2. Meanwhile, the mother puts on bizarre clothes these days and looks like Toyah, then starts covering herself with a duvet and watch soap operas on the portable television.
At least they are savoring the peace and quiet until some fellow campers arrive at the scene. At first, the old-timer, Ben (Tom Hamil) is being driven off by the father. However, after learning that Ben is quite friendly, they wind up having cake by his campfire, where he shares some dreadful insights about his son Bernie (Blake Gibbons) who apparently suffers from severe psychological problems. Simultaneously, he is busy sharpening his ax. The family leaves him to his thoughts while Ben retreats into his camper van where, for the first time, we see his son tightly chained in a straitjacket, mask on. As he describes the family‘ fortunes’ to the son, Ben becomes super green with envy, especially when they mention the microwave oven. But worst of all, around them like he is getting possessed, arms flailing, unable to locate himself. Ben tells the son that he can do him a favor, which is what he does best, gets killed by a heart attack before using the glorious microwave oven. Karma, it is a total ass.
Well, until Pops comes along, my last hope for the family is to keep Bernie away from other campers, but he has no intentions of doing so.
There happens to be a camp for wilderness councilors nearby which creates an opportunity for Bernie. He goes to the camp after murder a jock, steals their clothes, and goes for the camp under the silvery moon.
When I say MOON STALKERI is sure not winning any prizes for originality, I mean it in every single way. It is indeed a bad movie. Even purely from the artistic vision, it has fun recycling the cliches of the camp slasher. Its quite similar to FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 and MADMAN. One of the characters in the film has a bunched up hairdo which is quite similar to a scene in the film where a Muffy The pooch pops up. Most of the movie happens in the wilderness camp where a group of new conscripts are ready to embrace the freezing weather to have some fun. It appears as if the weather is frozen. To every single person at the camp other than the killer, they decide to couple up for a little x rated action that ends with them on the sharp end of the characters axe.
Head counselor Ron (Joe Balogh) and newbie Debbie (Jill Foors) stand out from the crowd, but, to some extent, the sub-zero temperatures have an aphrodisiac like effect when, rather strangely, Ron prancing around in a speedo means they are sheding clothes infront of a fire (which is roaring). When the temperatures drop, the two lose their senses too. Who wouldn’t?
The campfire is surrounded by Ron’s friend Bobby (Alex Wexler), who is the classic joker trying to flirt with any girl he sees. Bobby has a knack for telling stories, and around the fire he tells the story of Bernie a kid who was spoiled and used to feed the deer and chop wood for fun and, who, after the lost his mother went ensured during a struggle for a new road, murdered everyone in his way out of madness (in the name of protecting the forest). All of the wilderness counselors are terrified. Even the news from the local police that announced a family chop-happy slaughter wasn’t enough to scare them into putting their bulky knits back on.
Unlike most slasher films of the late 1980’s, MOON STALKER is shot on 16 mm film, rather than on video, which makes it unique. It may not be completely fair to say that it was well polished, but the film certainly has some charm to it, pretty similar to the early 1980’s slasher films. It definitely doesn’t compare to all the by the book STV slasher movies that infested the market during the time it was filmed. There is powerful imagery in secluded snowy mountain ranges. Sad to say, but the filmmakers do not maximize the power of the cold region, by not having enough long range shots that could display the beauty of the surrounding nature and provide the movie with an exaggeration of isolation.
Almost every player of MOON STALKER deserves praise for the stiff nature of the game, and given the creative knit sweaters that are from the 80s, there is plenty of room for interpretation. However, it has its edge cases that have enough cringe to be tolerated. And then, there are the splendid set pieces of the killer, who actively sets the stage for manipulating the police and the final girl of the film, alongside the wooden plank set with the dead campers. The movie’s execution when the scene is set also felt very unique. With the highest body count limit of 18 frozen corpses, the film’s kills get serious points. However, most of the kills happen off screen, making it feel like it was filmed on a low budget.
Considered one of the most appealing elements is the killer’s disguise: the strait-jacket and strange hood. Oddly, the strait-jacket is only worn during the first ten minutes of the film’s screen-time which is followed by the killer’s entrance. Once in place, he changes into a most unimpressive stetson and dark glasses which neither provokes laughter nor terror. Even more puzzling is that Gibbons – who portrays Bernie – had no lines whatsoever, but his character attained significant fame in the years endowing him with the most successful post-film career among the cast.
The fate of MOON STALKER remains vague. While it is advertised as coming from American Cinema Marketing, I have not come across any proof that it was released in theaters (even though regional restrictions allow for this possibility). Its production company Fame had it listed among three films for distribution as “low-budget theatricals” in 1990. Like many other cinematographic ventures of that time, this too was released on video in America only to vanish later from being talked about altogether, before a Swedish company finally released it on DVD in 2005 with some extra material.
Although MOON STALKER may not be the crowning glory of slasher films, it still delivers some hilarious popcorn entertainment. If you can track it down, this movie serves as a perfect example of the film-thrills that come from the 1980’s. It can easily qualify as a slasher movie due to its effortless display of slashing, however, get ready for chunky knitwear and a full moon warning beforehand.
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