The ‘90s often get a bad rap with horror fans. After the numerous successful slashers and creature effects films of the ’80s, the ‘90s offered a different variety of horror fare. Though there were plenty of hits, hidden gems, and misunderstood classics, the ‘90s usually don’t get the kind of love that other decades get when it comes to horror. It’s time to change that.
It’s time for a hard truth: there are very few tremendous werewolf movies.
Yes, we all know the classics and even some of the cult favorites, but compared to other sub-genres of horror, the werewolf film has more misses than hits. That’s a bummer because werewolves are excellent creatures from an effects standpoint. Still, a lot of werewolf movies either don’t have a compelling story, strong direction, solid characters, or a good-lookin’ werewolf.
None of those problems are present in Bad Moon.
Adapted from Wayne Smith’s novel Thor (which you MUST read), Bad Moon is a small but sure-handed tale about a single mother (Mariel Hemingway), her son (Mason Gamble), and their German shepherd, Thor. Unfortunately, there’s also Uncle Ted (Michael Paré). Uncle Ted comes to visit and Thor knows that something isn’t quite right about him. Yeah, Uncle Ted is definitely a werewolf.
As an adaptation, Bad Moon has a near-impossible task. The novel was primarily framed from Thor’s perspective. It would be incredibly difficult to replicate that in a live-action movie without resorting to cartoony ideas like giving the dog a voice-over. Writer/director Eric Red decides to devote equal time to Thor and the human characters, and he does so in very smart and efficient ways. Thanks to this, the story never slogs and the pacing is perfect for an eighty-minute movie.
The cast is also completely on the movie’s wavelength. Mariel Hemingway anchors this small family unit and she plays the material completely straight. Michael Paré plays Uncle Ted with a certain level of pity, but the movie eventually knows he has to come across as a full-blown villain. Though that turn isn’t as well-crafted as it is in the book (again, you MUST read Thor), Paré plays evil in a really fun way.
But, if we’re going to talk about the best aspect of Bad Moon, we’re gonna talk about the werewolf.
Designed by prolific special effects artist Steve Johnson, the werewolf in Bad Moon is potentially the best realization of a practical effects werewolf in any movie. I know, we all love the beast from An American Werewolf in London and it’s amazing, but it’s also a total creature fabrication and that has certain limitations. Bad Moon was able to make a fantastic werewolf design that could also be manipulated by an actor in a suit. This allows for better mobility for the creature.
Even without that specific comparison, the werewolf in Bad Moon is just awesome. The overall design is top-notch – it’s so cool how wide the werewolf’s mouth is able to open – and it also conveys a sense of character. Werewolves in movies live or die based on their design and Bad Moon is a shining example of good design choices. The length of the snout, the color of the fur, and the size of the head all contribute to creating a werewolf that stands apart from other cinematic lycanthropes. Considering that we’ve had plenty of werewolves since Bad Moon, it’s kind of amazing that very few movie werewolves have come close to matching its strength in design.
Bad Moon is a good movie with a great werewolf. The basic parts of the movie work well but it’s the werewolf itself that elevates Bad Moon into must-see material. It’s a short but satisfying little horror treat. And seriously, READ THE BOOK.
Bad Moon is currently available to stream on Shudder.
