One Night the Moon

Wonderfully put together. I didn't realize what it was going to be like when I walked into the screening last month at the Sundance Film Festival... but I wasn't disappointed. A diverse creative team created this one hour musical drama... but its such a melancholy story... its really unexpected to see the characters break out in song... Some of the songs are very moving. "One Night the Moon" is my favorite... the family singing together while putting the little girl to bed is a great scene. Am going to look for a soundtrack!

Let me get one thing straight before I start; I CANT STAND OPERA!!!!! BUT I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!! A lot of people have stated that this movie is done in an Operatic style, while this is true the music used is not operatic in form, it is an absolutely gorgeous mix of Folk and Country music.

Those outside of Australia and New Zealand who absolutely enjoyed the style of music in this movie should know that Paul Kelly is the best Folk Singer ever in Australian history, which is the main reason why he pulls off the lead role so well. And Kelton Pell who plays the Aboriginal Tracker sings country music in the same soulful style as other accomplished Aboriginal Country artists like Archie Roach. If many Americans think Keith Urban is the best Australian Country Music Artist they have heard they should listen to some Aboriginal Country music, it is so magical and moving that it blows artists like Urban away.

While a lot of people have made mention of how great the score of this movie is (and believe me it is brilliant) the visuals that accompany the score are just as beautiful and haunting.

Unfortunately this movie never got that much of a wide release and deserves so much more than the paltry handful of votes that it has got.

I own this movie on DVD and it has an excellent 5.1 mix with the best center channel mixing I have ever heard, Paul Kelly's and Kelton Pell's vocals seem to be booming out of the TV screen.

If you only hire or buy one Movie this year make it this one and if you find it hard to find don't give up searching for it you will be rewarded handsomely if you do.

This is a poetic song of a film, as mythic as Picnic at Hanging Rock or Walkabout, about the disappearance of a child bewitched by the moon, and the anguished searching of his parents.

It's also about racism and the different attitudes to belonging in the beautiful but harsh outback. With haunting music and songs by Australian musical legends Paul Kelly (who also plays the father, singing as he searches) and Kev Carmody as well as Mairead Hannan, this is an unusual and satisfying experience.

At under 60 minutes, it does really not qualify as a feature film, but it did play at cinemas in Australia.

The movie was boring and the musical aspect felt out of place. I had to watch this for my HSC and the only thing that kept me watching was the sexual tension between Albert and Rose.

"One Night the Moon" is quite possibly the best Australian movie I've seen since "Picnic at Hanging Rock".

It's a very short movie, exquisitely filmed to take advantage of the grandeur of Australian countryside (filmed in South Australia). The story is driven by music, rather than dialogue, but is more of an operatic movie than a musical (both in the emotional intensity of music as well as the theme of the story). I was very impressed with the music and acting (and they get good acting from Paul Kelly by making him sing as he is a musician rather than an actor).

Highly recommended.