L'enfer dans la nuit

'Moonchild' is an odd little movie. Originally made as a student film, it would have been better if went for about an hour. As it is it gets a bit too dull and repetitive for my liking. Unknown Mark Travis plays a young art student who wanders in a strange and mysterious hotel where he meets a bunch of oddballs. He doesn't know it but he is stuck in a kind of spiritual limbo and the eccentric figures he interacts with may determine his ultimate fate. The only real reason to watch this silly and generally boring movie is because the cast includes horror legend John Carradine, star of countless movies, Victor Buono ('Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?') and William Challee ('Five Easy Pieces'). Apart from that, there's very little to recommend it. Writer/director Allen Gadney never made another movie after this and after you've watched it you won't wonder why.

Its easy to see why Moonchild has a 2.1 average rating on this site and very few reviews. Marketed as some kind of low budget horror, its actually more of a psychological mood piece conducted with creepy atmosphere than something easily digestible. It apparently began life as a student film and I can well see that, it feels the product of a student brain, brain like dope softened sponge, heavied to dripping with ideas and questions, gripped in slipping hands that know not what to do. The concept and underlying themes are distinct but the execution less so, it ends up a head film that isn't really thought out well enough. The story, such as it is, follows a young student who come to a mission turned hotel in his search for perfection of art. There he comes into contact with an array of strange persons whilst facing the resurgence of his past. Its all rather vague until a final act that brings things into a manner of focus, powered mostly by talk and some interesting visuals. Talk of the meaning of life and death, of art and love and god and man, multiple views entwining and arguing, on paper and indeed to the recollection it seems nothing more meaningful than a spewed up half digested morass of philosophical talking points, but due to some sterling performances and a consistently weird, anti commercial tone the film actually manages a rather engaging atmosphere, snaked through with unease and unpredictable currents of tension. Plaudits are deserved by more or less all the key performers. Victor Buono as the hotel maitre d', a pious bon vivant with certain sinister edge, Pat Renella as the straight and stern manager, William Challee a kindly old man and alchemist, and a good sized role for John Carradine as a wandering keeper of words, guide of sorts. Mark Travis is slightly stiff as the student at the centre but he does his best and is suitably bewildered by things. His unshowy turn actually works nicely, as those around him bring the portentous dialogue to strange life he gives a good impression of being trapped in some Kafka-esque prison of twisted language and impossible questions, a prison of abstract thought overlaying the actual confines of the hotel. The effect comes to somewhat resemble Last Year In Marienbad, albeit a less assured, more New Age and nebulous approach to similar themes, the hotel, its geography and inhabitants all uncertain, perhaps all mind born phantasms. The use of eerie organ drones at times seems a direct reference to the Resnais film, as well as some of the tracking shots. Moonchild goes in for many more jolt edits though, and its notions of mind, memory and destiny are less clear edited, they appear as if viewed through clouds. The audience for a film such as this is undoubtedly small, and in what it sets out to do it is not entirely successful. But it's watchable, and it's interesting and decidedly strange. Fans of the genuinely unusual in cinema could do worse than give it a look, those seeking standard issue genre kicks or easy viewing will doubtless find it a terrible chore.

While watching this strange 70's gem, it struck me that could have been the inspiration for the Eagles hit song Hotel California. The movie came out a few years before and is full of parallels to the song. I did a quick web search and was amazed to see there is no connections between the two.

Weary traveler in a desert highway hearing Mission Bells and Checking in to a hotel that he can never leave.

Yes, I'm aware the Eagles have stated the song is about their experiences in Hollywood, but keep an open mind and check this out for yourself. It's actually pretty eerie. You won't be able to keep the idea out of your head while watching it!

"Moonchild" ran on German TV under the title "Im Jenseits ist die Hölle los" (roughly translated as „All Hell breaks loose in the hereafter"), which led many viewers to expect a horror-comedy, since a zillion comedies ran under the moniker 'All Hell breaks loose …' (you just need to fill the blanks). Having recorded it on video tape and watching it many month later, I was surprised to find that this was neither a horror film nor a comedy – in fact, at the time I couldn't have put it under any genre apart from, say, experimental film.

I don't want to say much about the story; this is one of those cases, where the viewer is best left to his own conclusions.

The movie shouldn't be based so much on the story (which should really be left to the interpretations of the viewers) but rather on the excellent atmosphere: despite taking place in the seemingly endless, sun-showered desert, the atmosphere throughout is gloomy, claustrophobic, even suffocating. Although it is obvious that the director is young and inexperienced, there are traces of Bunuel, Kenneth Anger and even the "weirdness" of Salvatore Dali.

While Carradine seems frail and sickly, bent by age. Victor Buono, as he does in most performances, hams it up to 11, swinging easily from gentle, benevolent giant to steely eyed and threatening menace. Over-acting isn't for everybody, but it has always worked for Buono. A similar thing could be said for Pat Renella with piercing eyes and sharp, chiselled features, there is an air of violence about his character throughout, until revealing a strange gentleness at the end of the film; evidence of a very distinct, versatile actor, making one sad that Renella hasn't gotten many bigger roles in his career.

On the other hand, Mark Travis isn't altogether convincing as protagonist and it's no surprise that he only appeared in a handful of TV-shows after "Moonchild" – let's just say that acting isn't for everybody. Same goes for Janet Landgard and Frank Corsentino, whose performance as Homunculus is plain embarrassing. So, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that Buono and Renella easily steal the show.

Compared to many contemporary, over-ambitious and self-important student- and experimental-films, this film is a little, albeit almost forgotten gem, even though it's probably not everybody's cup of tea. Highly recommendable if you're into "weird movies".

A young artists spends the night at a mysterious inn, where he meets a group of strange, sullen people, among them the innkeeper's beautiful daughter.

What he doesn't know is that he has wandered into a kind of spiritual void, and the inn's residents are engaging in a battle over his soul.

Very odd 70's film saved in a way by a nice walk through by John Carradine and some very artsy and surreal direction. Supposedly filmed in Riverside, CA, the sets are very interesting as well.

The print I saw held up very well. Color still popped.

This is the only movie the director ever made. He started it as a student film. Apparently th film did not do well when released but in recent years it has become a cult item.

Gadley also edited a student film of George Lucas. That's it. Sad there is not more information about him. He clearly was in school to get into the picture business and made an interesting first film, yet nothing exists about him.

At the time I write this IMDb user are giving this an average of 2.2 stars! That's a disconnect. It's definitely way better than that.