October Moon

After 40 minutes we called it quits. Poor acting and boring story line. Gay characters were dull and the supposed straight man was a joke. I didn't recognize Elliot's mother but I remembered her name from a horror movie back in the 60's...Night of the Living Dead. Her acting was bad back then and she never improved. Don't waste your time on this TURKEY! And, unbelievably, they made a sequel of this trach 2 years later!

This was one of the worst films I have ever seen. And I'm 54. There was a point in the 1970s that I saw over 500 films in one year. I've seen thousands I'm sure. But, this. Wow. There is dialog so pretentious, so unbelievable within the first ten minutes that we found ourselves thinking, "Well, maybe it will be a cult film, or campy" but the whole thing became so overbearingly amateurish we had to give up. The dialog was so lame and awful...the pacing (well there wasn't any) so bad, it became uncomfortable to watch. It became very obvious this was a group of people who got together and raised enough money for this vanity production thinking that 1)filmmaking was easy; 2)acting was easier; 3) writing and direction was simple. Even ad-libbing is difficult. There is nothing here. I rented this on Pay-per-view cable (PPV) and actually went to the trouble to ask them to give me a credit for the $4 today. My advice: Don't watch for more than 5 minutes or you'll have to pay. As a person who has written some small doc films and worked in editing, etc throughout the years, I understand the creative process. I give a lot of leeway toward a film. In my life, I have probably walked out of two films in theaters in my entire life. If I had seen this in the theater, it would be on that list.

Contrary to my initial assumption, "October Moon" really isn't a horror movie. Not that there aren't some rather disturbing moments, but the film plays itself out more like a psychological drama in the vain of "Fatal Attraction" (yes, the comparison is inevitable) or "Unfaithful." The climax of the film verges on "slasher" territory, but ends up being more depressing that actual scary.

The film centers around Corin, a thirty year old professional, and his younger, party-loving boyfriend Jake. The two have been together for awhile. but it is obvious that all is not rosy in their relationship. While Corin has settled down and likes to spend quiet evenings at home, Jake still loves the "bar" scene, and often views his relationship with Corin as holding him back from enjoying his youth. At work, Corin is able to confide in his boss and good friend Nancy (Brinke Stevens) about his relationship troubles. She listens with a caring ear and seems to be the only person to really understand him. Due to an increased work load and his unstable home life with Jake, Nancy decides to hire an assistant of sorts name Elliot to help Corin with some of his duties. At first, Elliot is awkward and somewhat nerdy, but likable nonetheless. Corin learns that Elliot lives with his over-protective mother (Judith O'Dea) and is engaged to be married to long-time girlfriend, Marti. Corin begins spending some time outside of work with Elliot, inviting him home and to various outings. Before long, Elliot begins to develop feelings for Corin and realizes that he is a homosexual. This causes severe mixed emotions in him; his mother is deeply against this lifestyle because he husband left her years earlier for another man. With no real support for his new feelings, Elliot's feelings for Corin begin to become a dangerous and disturbing obsession, resulting in a dark, depressing climax.

"October Moon" is truly a character driven story and because of this, may cause some viewers to lose interest. No real action occurs until the films final moments, but the build-up is almost more intense. Elliot's behavior does become more and more disturbing and where the film excels is in its believability. The characters actions and reactions are realistic and because the characters are developed extremely well, it is easy to sympathize with their individual situations. Even at the end of the film, it is hard to really blame Elliot for his actions; he desperately just wanted to be loved and accepted, and like many gay men, the emotions that came with falling for another man, when his entire life he had been told how wrong that was, were almost too much to handle. The writers takes careful steps to ensure that Elliot never becomes a despicable character and it works to the film's benefit. While there is some clichéd and dialogue steeped with stereotypes, overall, it does an adequate job of moving the plot along and creating interesting characters.

The biggest flaw present in "October Moon" is certainly its low-budget, resulting in extremely amateur looking production values. For example, the picture looks dated and often times is no better quality than you'd get with an old hand-held camera. The sound fades in and out in many spots, making conversations hard to comprehend. These issues don't necessarily make this a bad film, but do, at times, make it hard to take seriously. The acting really is a mixed bag; the actors portraying Corin and Jake are adequate, but often times some cheesy dialogue interrupts their performances. Jerod Howard is effective as Elliot, but some particular scenes seem to put noticeable strain on his range. Horror veterans Brinke Stevens and Judith O'Dea are both serviceable, but criminally underused. What is really distracting about the performances is that in some scenes, the actors are brilliant, but in the very next scene, verge on being terrible. The climax is rushed and, while somewhat effective, doesn't pack the punch that it really could have.

Overall, "October Moon" is an interesting, engaging little independent film. Like so many other low-budget films out there, it is very apparent that the filmmakers actually cared about the final product and did the best of their ability and resources to make a decent film. While those expecting gore and non-stop action will likely become extremely bored with "October Moon," it is an effective that not only cares about its characters and presents a believable portrait of obsession and desperation, it subtly makes a statement about expectations, relationships, and the consequences of intolerance. It's a slow burn, but "October Moon" is an effective, creepy film that puts substance before style; the end result and a memorable portrait of love gone wrong on many levels.

This movie started out slow and it seemed like it was going to be another stupid low budget movie. But it got better and better until my friend and I were clutching pillows from the suspense.

I liked Sean Michael Lambrecht best as an actor in this movie. He played his character with a surprising amount of depth, and became eminently likable because of it. He's cute to look at, and he endears himself to you.

Yes, there was lots that could have been better. But the characters grow on you, the acting gets better as it goes on, and you end up on the edge of your seat.

The ending stayed with me for days, and I have been analyzing everything the characters did and didn't do. Rare that this happens to me with a movie, so say what you will about the budget, but this was a surprisingly fun movie to watch.

October Moon was seen by myself and several friends at the North 94 Club Kenosha, WI-- showing this past Sunday Oct 2, 2005. Many of the cast members, including the producer, and go-between were present. These folks were as down to earth as it gets. Many times when people think of a gay film, thoughts of 'queeny princesses' pop into mind. This movie was directed and acted out by some of the most loving, wonderful, down-to-earth folks that there are in the Midwest. Everyone should see this awesome film. Since it was only done in one week......I have to say it receives a 10 from me on plot, story-line, actors, costumes, scenes, sound, visual, etc. God blesses the gay folks that really put their heart, soul, and mind into meaningful projects like October Moon! I also wanted to add that the illustrative Christ scene compared to the mothers' ignorance (in the movie) was a delightful touch. Who lies to who?, who destroys peoples lives?...many ignorant and narrow-minded straight people--that's who! Also, the passion (and reality) of gay life between the two lovers was spectacular, and I must state that because we live in a day and age where social constructs push us gay folks toward failure....we must stand up and be counted for as human beings! We too deserve a chance at long lasting relationships like the straight world! Praise is due this most delightful work my brothers and sisters regarding this most magnificent gay film project!!! I wish you the best...and know that it will go far. Good luck at the Gay-Film Festival Milwaukee! Everyone should vote in favor of this most wonderful cast! God Bless!