Moonstalker

Oh Moonstalker. We could have had the world, could have had something beautiful. But sometimes these things aren't meant to be I guess. In terms of set up Moonstalker has everything there, dumb but somewhat likable cast, threatening killer with sad, chilling back story, snowy woodland setting, lots of death, it should be a winner and almost is. But the almost that the film falls into is a giant gap, wide enough to be well, a bit crap. The problem is that up to around the hour mark, the deaths are mostly off screen or bloodless and don't have enough in the way of set-up to make an impact despite being tame. The effect is of a tease and after a while it just gets really irritating, I don't necessarily care about bloodless or off screen kills so long as the presentation is germane to the film, but here gore was clearly necessary and for the most part just not really present. Sad thing is, when the film gets to the final block it warms up miraculously, slings a bit of bloodshed, mean spirit and even tension, fairly solid stuff that comes off multiple clicks higher than the rest of it. Still, there are little perks to the film as a whole. For one it pulls a fairly ballsy turn out of the first block and the heroine only gets introduced halfway through or so, plus it has no issues with randomly offing characters, making for some element of surprise, especially when more likable characters get nixed. For another there's a great bit of counter-intuitive costume design as the killer switches from creepy potato sack mask and neck chain get up into some gear nicked from a cop, immediately going from mildly unsettling to a down-market Psycho Cop riff. Oh and the repetitive, claustrophobic score has a certain punch. I think the characters are maybe the best thing here though, in a lot of these films the characters are nothing more than sacks of meat for the offing, but here a lot of them are actually pretty fun to spend time around. Which isn't to say that ultimately they aren't sacks of meat for the offing, but you know what I mean. For instance there's Bobby (Alex Wexler) a dorky sort of a guy who wants to get laid and miraculously for such a character, manages to ramp up a bit of sympathy. Then there's Regis (John Marzilli), running his wilderness survival training camp with drill sergeant demeanour and raising smiles along the way. The name of his girlfriend slips me but she's funny too, with a tigrish sexuality to her. The ladies of the piece are all pretty attractive and charming actually, which is handy. And towards the end, (sadly too late) we get a police officer who knows the score, played with fevered intensity by a Neil Kinsella. Its a fun bunch of people and I reckon the film would have been a lot better had it dropped the height of the body count and just hung around with them, gotten into their personalities and interactions. Sadly 'twas not to be, and so things are about two thirds 4/10 level frustration and one third low 6/10 chintzy fun. Feck it, I'll give a generous 5/10, its better than a poke in the eye with a wet stick so those who just have to watch it (you know who you are) won't have serious problems.

It's a shame that this film is not currently available on any video format because it is actually an enjoyable piece of '80's horror. The night winter forest locations look great and the cast appears to be having a fun time making the film. The females in the cast are all attractive and fine actresses, and some of the men (specifically detective Taylor and Harry, the father) are just plain hilarious. The gore effects are primitive but serviceable, and there are moments of genuine emotional connection between the characters that was rare for the genre at that post-"Halloween" time. Watching this film brings one back to a more innocent time when real effort was put into the exploitation genre.

Flawed but fun typical 80s slasher. The film started out with a family and then we are introduced to "Pop". The family ends up hanging out with Pop the night they met him and Pop tells us the story of what happened with his son - but not the full story. Pop acts weird, the family leaves him, Pop goes inside his camper and we meet his son Bernie. Bernie is tied down with a chain, in a straight-jacket and special mask. Pop lets Bernie go to kill the people so they can steal their stuff. Bernie kills the family, Pop falls over and dies of ? (fright they said in the film but I thought maybe a heart-attack?) -- anyway Pop is dead and the killer Bernie is on the loose.

Next we are introduced to the main characters of the film. The main characters are part of some wilderness camp thing going on. Bernie makes his way to them and kills most all of them. Cops are also in the campgrounds investigating the murder of the family and Pop. And that's about it - minus the ending where the killer Bernie stole the cop's jacket and vehicle then drives way leaving it open for a part 2 or to simply show viewers he's still alive.

It's an okay time waster film, not grand but a watchable slasher. It has a few story flaws that most viewers will notice quickly but is a "B" slasher - and we all know what to expect of most of them.

Another reviewer mentioned the music of the film is similar to that of the classic Halloween 1978 - and that is true!! This film is not nearly as good as Halloween '78 but an alright watch.

5/10

In a straight-jacket, hood, chains and brandishing an axe, Moonstalker's crazed killer Bernie makes for a memorably imposing maniac, which is why it's a shame when he swaps this distinctive garb for a cowboy hat, dark glasses and and a plaid shirt. But even though he loses a lot of his mystique with this change of outfit, the drooling psycho remains as mean as ever, killing off most of the film's cast before the closing credits. Along the way there's quite a bit of hokey gore (rubbery body parts and splashes of blood), just a little female nudity (one of the girls strips off to take a shower with a young man), and, with the film taking place at a wilderness counselor's camp on a snowy mountain, lots of sitting around camp fires (in the film's most macabre moment, even the dead enjoy a sing-song around a roaring fire).

It's certainly no classic, but as low-budget late '80s slashers go, you could definitely do a lot worse than Moonstalker: the film is never boring, the sub-zero setting is a nice change from the traditional summer camp, the characters are likeable (the girls are all very pretty, which helps), and no-one is safe, which makes it one of the less predictable examples of the genre. Only the score really disappoints: it's a third-rate rip-off of John Carpenter's iconic music for Halloween.

In MOONSTALKER, a group of young, partying campers are slaughtered by an ax-wielding maniac.

Some time later, a family arrives in their camper. Soon, an old man arrives in a gigantic Cadillac, pulling a trailer / camper. Is it any wonder why the alternate name of this movie is "CAMPER STAMPER"?

Horror erupts, when the oldster tells the unwary family about his "nervous" son, Bernie. Let's just say that the family vacation is over! Add in a nearby team of camp counselors, and the mayhem continues.

In all honesty, this movie is far more enjoyable than one might expect. The characters range from goofy to zany. The killer is ludicrous, yet entertaining. The plot is typical slasher fare, but doesn't take itself too seriously.

GOREHOUNDS TAKE NOTE: The gore / blood level is minimal, with the deaths occurring mostly off-camera. Although, there is the occasional arm or leg thrown around.

EXTRA POINTS FOR: The Sheriff's office, full of ten-gallon hats on half-gallon heads!

P. S.- You'll never hear "She'll Be Comin' 'Round The Mountain" in quite the same way again. Ever!...