Moonfire

Quite erroneously, many critics believe "The Room" to be greatest, best acted, directed and thematically consistent film ever made. In fact, this credit goes to "Moonfire". How this film didn't win every category at the 1970 Academy Awards is a sad indictment of an industry which rejects films merely because no sane person would willingly sit through to completion. Adjusted for inflation, the budget of this film was the equivalent of $1.38 million US dollars. On that money, lesser films like "Sex, Lies, and Videotape" could only wrangle up a meager $24 million and an Oscar. Truly, if you are searching through a thrift store offering 20 cent films, there could be no better choice than "Moonfire".

As I write this, MOON FIRE's director is the only person to write about the film on IMDb. I saw it on Phoenix, Arizona television in the early 1980s, and was quite taken with it. In fact, it was shown quite regularly on broadcast TV then, and I watched it more than once. I am saddened that I have never found the film on video, nor have I ever found a recording of Marty Robbins' song, "Wheel of Life", used as the theme music for the film. My only quibble with the film is with the use of Richard Egan; he is introduced as the star at the beginning of the film, then suddenly and unexpectedly disappears until the final sequence (indicating some production problems with him, perhaps?), yet he received star billing. Overall, one of my favorite low-budget films, and one I haven't seen in 20 years, and would love to again. Michael Parkhurst, where are you?

Michael Parkhurst wrote, produced, and directed this very early example of the "trucksploitation" genre that simply exploded during the 1970s. His is a daffy plot; it's all over the place, involving a missile launch, a kidnapped pilot, a Nazi hiding out in Mexico, various (stereotypical) Mexican bad guys, and a biker gang! The late, great character actor Charles Napier, a favorite of Russ Meyer and Jonathan Demme, plays Robert W. Morgan, a trucker hired to transport what he's told are aircraft parts to an undisclosed location. His traveling companion on this quest is an "insurance policy" of a man known only as "The Farmer" (boxing legend Sonny Liston).

I wouldn't necessarily consider this a very good movie, but its story and story threads are just interesting enough to keep one watching. It is true what people have said: the top billed Richard Egan just sort of pops in and out of the tale, despite being touted as the star attraction. Really, this is Napiers' show, and as he's shown in later 80s B pictures like "The Night Stalker" and "Deep Space", he did have what it takes to carry a film. Liston is just sort of there, not even having much of a presence. The supporting cast is solid enough: Dayton Lummis, Joaquin Martinez (who gets an "introducing" credit), Richard Bull, William Wintersole, Sandy Rosenthal.

A large part of what appeal there is, lies in the impressive rural scenery, as would be the case for any movie shot in this sort of milieu. Also, the music is great, and that opening number "Wheels of Life", sung by Marty Robbins, does get ones' hopes up that this might be pretty decent.

"Moonfire" does have two memorable scenes to offer: one of Napier using a forklift to strike back at a bad guy, and another of the destruction of a sprinkler leading to a hilariously preposterous death scene.

Six out of 10.

My review cannot be taken objectively inasmuch as I wrote and produced it and directed 95% of it. This was a low budget movie first released in theatres in 1972, but it has excellent photography, a good and original musical score with country legend Marty Robbins singing two songs (offscreen). The film was shot entirely on location in California, Arizona, New Mexico Texas and Mexico for less than $300,000, still, "low budget" even in 1970. Even though it was a low budget film, several years later, ORION pictures distributed it for many years on TV, and it got good audience reaction when first released in theatres. The production sound mixer went on to gain five Oscar nominations, and an assistant cameraman, Ed Begley Jr., said he never wanted to act. In spite of a good cast,I would rate this film as "fair," but not bad, especially considering the low budget. It was even a union crew. Leonard Maltin calls this film a "bomb" and describes the plot as a blackmail plot but there was no blackmail plot at all, so we know Maltin never saw it and probably relied on the inaccurate summary of some high school dropout to provide the description. It was never released on video until early 1998 and then only in truck stops where it outsold all other recent hits by far, wherever it was displayed, partly due to the fact that all the trucker scenes were technically accurate, and co-star Charles Napier, in his first PG film, actually learned to drive a tractor trailer for his role.Sorry, folks, no gratuitous violence or sex scenes except a little teaser in the beginning, and no cursing. If I had known that Maltin would provide a completely inaccurate plot summary I would have put in filthy words and stupid violence in order to elevate Moonfire to the level of all the really inane so-called trucker movies with unbelievable plots.

What an experience! I was in the movie with 5 roles. I'm the radio guy at beginning of the movie and the on camera newscaster are the end of the movie. I'm the silent, smiling cop inspector with Chuck Napier(my future roommate) and Sonny Liston. I'm the flamboyant assistant with the insane yellow/brown wig and 'stache as well. We shot most of it in Tucson and a little of it in El Paso. Great truck scenes and nice scenery. Muddled plot. Film had to be shut down til more money was raised. Egan wouldn't come back unless salary doubled. Napier became the lead. Action plenty, but, hard to figure out. I was assistant to director Parkhurst as well. I brought in Rosenthal, Bosnia, and pretty Pat Magrini for roles. The behind the scenes story is unbelievably wild. It would be a great book. (Oh, Ed Begley, Jr was on the crew and the sound guy, Keith Wester would go on to be nominated for 6 Oscars.)