dougdoepke At a time (1934) when horror films filled the screen with Universal's neck-biters and plodding giants, there's this little voodoo obscurity from Columbia studios. It's a genuine oddity, more closely related to the great Val Lewton atmospheric series of the 40's than the genres of the 30's. Seems an upper-class lady (Burgess) returns to Haiti following a voodoo curse placed upon her as a child. Going with her are her husband (Holt), nanny (Wray), and daughter (Collins). The island is a dark place and soon the lady begins acting strangely. Is it the bygone curse or some other malign influence.I'm not surprised that Lewton's I Walked With A Zombie (1943) references this film in its screenplay (IMDB). There are many parallels, especially in mood and setting. Moon, however, lacks the coherence and general impact of the later film. Nonetheless, there are many unsettling moments—the first voodoo ceremony where Burgess twists and leaps to the accompaniment of a resounding drum beat. In fact, the crowd scenes featuring natives in synchrony to the incessant beat are especially effective. However, the story itself never really gels into a riveting whole. Perhaps that's because the focus shifts too often, splitting the story into threads that tend to scatter the suspense. Still, the movie's definitely worth catching up with, and may even surprise viewers considering its general obscurity.

MauveMouse These old voodoo films are strange fruits, I love them a lot though they're not particularly respectful towards the aboriginal population inhabiting the exotic far-away places which in the era were mostly fictionalized as destinations of great adventures but especially of great dangers. Blatantly racistic, and terrifyingly simplistic in their exploiting of the occult edges of voodoo as weapons of the natives, seen as barbarian beasts, against the white race, they stand as fascinating curiosities of the horror and mystery cinema of their times. Years before I Walked with a Zombie, we have here a white woman ''zombified'' in the original and accurate meaning of the term, hypnotized, drugged, and occultly manipulated into a being of voodoo folklore, a bloody queen performing dreadful rituals which include human sacrifices. There is no sympathetic approach towards the so-called ''savagery'' of the natives, so, by immediately associating with them, the white woman is seen as an enemy turning against her race, beyond redemption for her family and friends. Even her husband turns against her while she fiercely embraces the islanders' ways. For those who believe old black-and-white films are tame, there's a lot here to make one's skin crawl, including matricidal intentions which I consider it to be the most terrifying element of the film. In a role that's too small for her talent and charisma, Fay Wray is, as always, a delight on screen though her character is diminished in intensity by the restless lady of the house who metamorphoses into a murderous voodoo priestess. It is obscure compared to other classics of the genre, White Zombie or I Walked with a Zombie but it stands on its own and delivers a frightening, completely politically incorrect, tale of exotic voodoo mysteries

MARIO GAUCI Until only a few months ago, I had never even heard of this one – despite the involvement of director Roy William Neill (THE BLACK ROOM [1935]) and the era's foremost "Scream Queen" Fay Wray! Interestingly, it supplies the logical bridge between the distinctive Gothic and psychological backdrops of the two most notable early voodoo-related films – namely WHITE ZOMBIE (1932) and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943). The atmosphere here is similarly thick, without the need to resort to an actual prowling or possessed creature: indeed, having the lady concerned – very well played by Dorothy Burgess – actively believe in the power of voodoo (that is, until she sees the error of her ways on being asked to perform the ultimate sacrifice!), provides the biggest chill in this case! Incidentally, the two central female characters (with Wray being, naturally, the wide-eyed heroine) not only create the requisite contrast but make up for the rather uninteresting male lead – burly Jack Holt! Perhaps not a classic of the genre, then, but a perfect example of "a film that has fallen through the cracks"; in fact, the copy I acquired is a hazy VHS-sourced recording of an old TCM screening.

Scarecrow-88 Made in the same year as White Zombie, and a few years before I Walked with a Zombie, was Black Moon, a more obscure little chiller directed by Roy William Neill(..most notable for his Sherlock Holmes movies)regarding a New York businessman's daughter in danger of being sacrificed in a voodoo ritual due to his wife's association with San Christopher island natives.Jack Holt stars as Stephen Lane, the businessman who allows his wife, Juanita(Dorothy Burgess), along with daughter Nancy(Cora Sue Collins), nursemaid Anna(Eleanor Wesselhoeft), and secretary Gail(Fay Wray) to return to San Christopher, her homeland where she grew up under the corrupt influence of Ruva(Madame Sul-Te-Wan)and voodoo priest, Kala(Laurence Criner). Poisoned with their beliefs and power, Juanita becomes their priestess, under the spell of the voodoo drums, Nancy is to be sacrificed at the rising of the full moon. Stephen answers the wire of Gail to come to the island where danger awaits and he will join forces with Dr Raymond Perez(Arnold Korff)who runs a plantation which has been on San Christopher for generations, attempting to cull the restless, hostile natives who have started to stir away from civility due to Juanita's reemergence. Gail, as it turns out, is in love with Stephen and Juanita can no longer escape the beat of the drums, her decision to return home placing her own daughter in jeopardy.This could be seen as possibly racist as the black natives are evil, willing to do whatever it takes in order to sacrifice someone for the full moon. Any attempt to get Juanita off of the island, or to fight against their influence is met with murder. Anna, who voices her anger towards Ruva when she attempts to nursemaid Nancy, for instance, is found dead in a lava pit nearby the plantation. A message operator, who sends word by wire to other locations, is found hung. Juanita actually attempts to drug Stephen and somewhat willingly offers her daughter(..this is where she actually fights against the voodoo curse which summons her)for potential sacrifice. A revolt entraps Stephen, Perez, Gail, and Nancy in a tower, along with McClaren(Clarence Muse), a black shipboat captain who lost his girlfriend to a sacrificial voodoo ceremony..this ceremony, establishing the frightening lengths the natives would go to appease whatever god they serve, is disturbed by Stephen who attempts to stop the sacrifice by shooting Kala. The suspense is surprisingly built well, using the voodoo drums, often heard in the background, as a constant presence to unnerve the viewer, recognizing the threat and how real it is to the lives of those foreign to the island(..not to mention, Perez, whose death would, in turn, release the natives to overtake San Christopher). Interesting is how the natives are shown in a negative light, but if one dwells on their oppression(..the island being occupied by white man Perez who abusively barks at the natives when they host a welcome party for Juanita)you can see why they would seek to rebel against Perez. Fascinating portrayal by Burgess, her Juanita wrestling with feelings towards both sides, eventually motivated towards the natives and their voodoo, unable to resist. Wray is simply lovely in a supporting role, a kind-hearted soul who wards off her devotion and love for Stephen, her accepting the trip to San Christopher as a favor to him actually saving Nancy's life due to her message for him to come to the island. Some striking B&W photography, including some stunning shots of Burgess, her face emoting the pull of the natives' power. A curio for fans of movies about voodoo and it's use as a weapon..not quite as atmospheric as White Zombie or I Walked with a Zombie, but has it's moments.