Black Moon

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.

"I Walked with a Zombie" may not have been the first Voodoo film adapted from Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre," which is not surprising when you consider the West Indies was where Edward Rochester courted his mad wife. Perhaps it's a stretch, but "Black Moon" seems to contain several plot elements from Bronte's novel as Stephen Lane—whose West Indian born wife is drifting into madness—forms a close personal bond with his secretary.

When the wife (Dorothy Burgess), under the influence of a Voodoo curse, returns to her childhood home in the West Indies, Lane's secretary (Fay Wray) accompanies her. Lane (Jack Holt) soon follows. Here the secretary becomes a substitute mother for Stephen's child, recalling a similar relationship between Jane Eyre and Edward Rochester's ward Adele. Also, Stephen, like Edward Rochester, can finally have the woman he truly loves only when his wife dies as a result of her madness, in this case leading a native uprising.

Judging from other comments about this being a good example of pre-code horror, my expectations were high. But the director and writers never adequately explored the terror of situations. There are no build-ups of suspense. Things just happen. People are found dead after the fact. Killings and Voodoo sacrifices that happen on-screen are clumsily directed. Nevertheless, performances are uniformly good, the script is literate, and there are a few moments of cinematic art. The print I saw on Turner Classic Movies is very clean; and I was impressed by Joe August's cinematography in the scene in the tower as it filled with smoke from the burning tunnel. The interplay of light and smoke created an eerie atmosphere that I wish had been made more of.

I didn't expect too much from this film due to the simple fact that I'd never heard of it, but on a recommendation, I took a look at it and to say that it did not disappoint is an understatement! If you are a fan of 1930's horror films, this one has it all. The incessant background drumming on the island of San Christopher (Haiti) heard throughout 90 percent of the movie is wholly pervasive and will get your heart pumping at an increasingly frenzied pace right up until the closing credits.

This is one of the last of the pre-code pictures and it hold nothing back. Jack Holt, Dorothy Burgess and, especially, Fay Wray give fine performances. No comic relief here; this is all played for horrors and suspense! Director Roy William Neill (of "Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man" fame) does a commendable job of keeping the pace of the film frantic, yet tight. Too many "zombie" pictures just sort of plod along, but this one (though technically "voodoo", rather than "zombie"-themed) is non-stop, edge of your seat kind of fare.

As a fan of the genre, what a delight to "find" this movie and more so to have it exceed all of my expectations. Fay Wray made several other renown horror films in the 2 year period preceding "Black Moon": "The Most Dangerous Game", "Doctor X", "The Vampire Bat", "Mystery of the Wax Museum", "The Clairvoyant", and, oh yes, a little movie called "King Kong". "Black Moon" holds its own along with all of the aforementioned films.

While Black Moon tends to be met with some harsh criticism for its outdated themes, values, and morals, today it stands as a fascinating relic of its time. Though some might argue that its portrayal of racism and cultural misunderstandings feels uncomfortable by today's standards, the film nonetheless represents important historical themes that still hold significant relevance. Its eerie atmosphere and compelling narrative make it an unsettling yet captivating experience, one that deserves more acceptance from film enthusiasts and critics alike.

The film doesn't linger. Its one-hour and eight-minute runtime keeps the audience engaged and the story steadily churning along. The tension between the whites and the blacks feels hauntingly plausible, as it highlights how feelings of resentment, power, and fear can fester and manifest in destructive ways, epitomized by the concept of "Mob Rule."

In today's world, which hasn't entirely improved, we've tried to create diversity and inclusion for all types of people, but we have somehow lost ourselves in the process of understanding the lessons history can teach us.

Black Moon isn't just a product of its time; it challenges us to reflect on the uncomfortable truths that still echo in our world today.

As already discussed the film features a fair share of racism, white superiority, and the mystique of "voodoo." These elements, while still uncomfortable today, would likely have been utterly terrifying to audiences at the time, as many of these themes were rooted in fear of the unknown.

Moving from the racial tensions in the film to its portrayal of fashion, one thing is clear: the clothing of the era is undeniably elite. We've never come close to matching that style and elegance in the last hundred years.

As for the film itself, which is full of dark mystery and intrigue, Black Moon doesn't explain the details of the beliefs of the natives but still provides enough clarification on their objective: human sacrifice, heightened by the haunting beat of the jungle drums.

Riddled with "tobacco smoke and hair tonic," Stephen Jack Holt plays a successful businessman whose powerful, unbreakable bond with his daughter Nancy is at the core of the film.

The film also likes to bring in a vague undertone of the Secretary Gail played by Fay Wray and her romantic interests in the father Stephen, her motherly and protective instincts and caring nature make her a highly valued women.

Dorothy Burgess who plays Juanita seems a bit off from the beginning, she harbours immense traits of a split personality with hidden anger and resentment. And with the slow beat of the drums transforms from mother and wife, to a voodoo queen in the full moon.

In the last twenty minutes, I felt tense and anxious. I sat in utter anticipation that the worst possible outcome was about to occur. Very few films make you feel emotionally engaged, but when young children are involved, and as a relatively new father, it hits a new type of agonizing fear.

Nancy who goes through that traumatic experience in the final scenes with her mother Juanita, I felt heartbroken for the level of trust that may never return after an ordeal so insatiably cruel.

If that were my Daughter, I would have, without hesitation, confronted the situation and all those involved with overwhelming force, seeking retribution for every native involved in such a heinous act of barbarism.

Overall, Black Moon is an enticing film that deserves a little more recognition, offering valuable historical insights that still appeal today, and I'm glad it hasn't been totally erased from history, but I fear it will never get its proper appreciation.

7/10.

Black Moon (1934)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Twenty-plus years after her parents were murdered in a voodoo ritual, a woman (Dorothy Burgess) travels back to the native land where the people there want her to start up as their leader. The woman's secretary (Fay Wray) wires her husband (Jack Holt) to come and try to save her but it might be too late. This forgotten horror film from Columbia falls somewhere between WHITE ZOMBIE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE so fans of those two films will certainly want to check this out. As far as I'm concerned, I'm not a major fan of all three films as I think they all have a great atmosphere but in the end their stories just aren't strong enough to carry the films for me. There's a lot of stuff that does work here with the biggest plus being the atmosphere created by the director. We really get the feeling as if we're on this island surrounded by the strange locals and in the middle of something evil. There's no fog machines but that doesn't keep Neill away from delivering the goods as the dark tone of the film also hits on something that the Val Lewton films would eventually do and that's the use of shadows. Another plus is some fine cinematography as well as a nice performance by Holt. Wray, the original Scream Queen, is good too, although, as usual, she isn't given enough to do. What doesn't work, for one, is the performance of Burgess who is easy on the eyes but her character is badly underwritten. Another problem is the actual screenplay that really doesn't offer any twist or turns up until the very end when the movie does go in a direction that you wouldn't normally expect.