''Track of the Moon Beast'' is a 1976
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...
directed by Richard Ashe and written by
Bill Finger
Milton "Bill" Finger (February 8, 1914 – January 18, 1974) was an American comic strip, comic book, film and television writer who was the co-creator (with Bob Kane) of the DC Comics character Batman. Despite making major (sometimes, signatu ...
and Charles Sinclair. It concerns a
mineralogist
Mineralogy is a subject of geology specializing in the scientific study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the proces ...
who is hit in the head by a meteor, which subsequently turns him in to a vicious, reptilian creature during the full moon.
Plot
The film takes place in
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
, where mineralogist Paul Carlson (Chase Cordell) is struck by a lunar
meteorite
A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or Natural satellite, moon. When the ...
while observing a
meteor shower
A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate, or originate, from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extre ...
. Lodged in his brain, the meteorite causes him to transform into a strong and vicious lizard (the titular "moon beast") whenever the moon comes out. In his lizard form, Paul loses all traces of his human self and goes about killing people at random. While human, Paul is subject to spells of dizziness and nausea, causing his girlfriend Kathy Nolan (Donna Leigh Drake) and friend and former anthropology professor, Johnny "Longbow" Salinas (Gregorio Sala), to become concerned.
Eventually it is shown that Paul is the monster, and deduced that the meteorite fragment in his brain is the cause of his transformations. Plans are made to remove it from his skull, but the
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
brain surgeons realize, after another X-ray and Johnny remembering some Native American legends documenting similar phenomena, that the meteorite has disintegrated and will eventually cause Paul to
self-combust. When Paul learns of this, he escapes into the desert on a motorcycle, presumably to kill himself so he will not cause any more harm. When Johnny recalls that Paul's favorite place was always
Sandia Crest
Sandia Crest, also known locally as Sandia Peak or simply as the Crest, is a mountain ridge that, at , is the highpoint of the Sandia–Manzano Mountains, and is located in the Sandia Mountains of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. ...
, Kathy, Johnny, and local law enforcement officers follow him there. Johnny shoots him with an arrow made of the original meteorite, which causes him to
explode
An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are known ...
.
Cast
Production
''Track of the Moon Beast'' was produced by Ralph T. Desiderio and written by
Bill Finger
Milton "Bill" Finger (February 8, 1914 – January 18, 1974) was an American comic strip, comic book, film and television writer who was the co-creator (with Bob Kane) of the DC Comics character Batman. Despite making major (sometimes, signatu ...
.
It was shot in locations around
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
. The filmmakers coerced Frank Larrabee and his band, who were staying at the same
Ramada Inn
Ramada is a large American multinational hotel chain owned by Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. As of December 31, 2018, it operates 811 hotels with 114,614 rooms across 63 countries under the Ramada brand.
Name
The ''Ramada'' name derives from t ...
as the movie crew, into performing the song "California Lady" in the movie. The performance was shot at the hotel.
Release
''Track of the Moon Beast'' was made in 1972 (and a copyright notice with that date appears onscreen) with the expectation that it would be released theatrically.
It was never picked up by a distributor, however, and finally premiered on television on June 1, 1976.
It was first released on
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
in 2001 by American Home Treasures, along with ''
Creature'' and ''
Snowbeast
''Snowbeast'' is a 1977 American made-for-television horror film starring Bo Svenson, Yvette Mimieux, Robert Logan and Clint Walker, and follows the story of a bloodthirsty Bigfoot-like monster terrorizing a ski resort in the Colorado Rockies. ...
'', in the set ''Classic Creature Movies II''.
It has since been packaged with other
public domain
The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work
A creative work is a manifestation of creative effort including fine artwork (sculpture, paintings, drawing, sketching, performance art), dance, writing (literature), filmmaking, ...
movies in several DVD releases, including ''Chilling Classics'' (Mill Creek Entertainment, 2005),
''50 Fright Classics'' (Emson, 2006),
and ''Drive-In Classics'' (
St. Clair Entertainment Group
The St. Clair Entertainment Group is a discount distributor of music and entertainment CDs and DVDs.
History
St. Clair Entertainment Group was founded in 1985 as a distributor of music special products in Canada.Pouschine Cook Capital Management ...
, 2007).
Reception and legacy
Critical response has been predominantly negative.
John Kenneth Muir
John Kenneth Muir (born December 3, 1969) is an American literary critic. As of 2022, he has written thirty reference books in the fields of film and television, with a particular focus on the horror and science fiction genres.
Biography
Born ...
considered the film to be "a failure in every way", criticizing its special effects, acting, and story. Muir did note that despite its numerous negative aspects, the movie had a quirky charm to it, similar to that of other low-budget 1970s films such as ''
The Crater Lake Monster
''The Crater Lake Monster'' is a 1977 B-movie horror film directed by William R. Stromberg for Crown International Pictures, and starring Richard Cardella.
The storyline revolves around a giant plesiosaur, akin to the Loch Ness Monster, which ...
'' and ''
The Giant Spider Invasion
''The Giant Spider Invasion'' is a 1975 science fiction horror film produced, composed and directed by Bill Rebane, and follows giant spiders that terrorize the town of Merrill, Wisconsin and its surrounding area. The film was theatrically release ...
''. ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' panned the film, saying, "Although this premise is ripe with comedic opportunities, the production is hampered by classically inept film-making, and the story unfolds so slowly one begins to think the film is running in reverse. The acting is even worse. Still, horror fanatics might find some interest in Joe Blasko's lizard makeup". ''Oh the Horror!'' gave it a negative review, panning the film's execution, dialogue, and script, and deeming the movie "embarrassing" and its ending "ridiculous".
''Mystery Science Theater 3000''
The film is featured in a Season 10 episode of ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000
''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy film review television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. ...
''. Fodder for mockery includes, but is not limited to, the "brain-dead" expression of the lead actress, the "horrible" dialogue, and the suggestive name and unctuous nature of the character Johnny Longbow—whom the ''MST3K'' characters repeatedly refer to as "Johnny Long
bone". An entire host segment with
Mike Nelson, in the style of
VH1's ''
Behind the Music
''Behind the Music'' is a documentary television series on VH1. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group. The program examines the beginning of their career, their road to success, and the hardships they may have ...
'', is devoted to "The Band That Played 'California Lady'". The scene in which Johnny names ingredients in his stew quickly becomes a running gag, and is one of the writers' favorite moments from the series. Writer
Kevin Murphy said that Johnny's world-weary sigh of "onions..." made him one of the "best" characters they had ever encountered. The ''Track of the Moon Beast'' episode was included in the 38th ''MST3K'' DVD set, released on March 28, 2017.
MST3K: Volume XXXVIII - DVD :: Shout! Factory
/ref>
See also
*Redsploitation
An exploitation film is a film that tries to succeed financially by exploiting current trends, niche genres, or lurid content. Exploitation films are generally low-quality " B movies", though some set trends, attract critical attention, become ...
*List of films in the public domain
Most films are subject to copyright, but those listed here are believed to be in the public domain in the United States. This means that no government, organization, or individual owns any copyright over the work, and as such it is common propert ...
*Stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and ...
References
Bibliography
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External links
*
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*
Excerpt
''Mystery Science Theater 3000''
Episode guide: 1007- ''Track of the Moon Beast''
''MST3K'' treatment on ShoutFactoryTV
Said episode also on IMDb
{{DEFAULTSORT:Track Of The Moon Beast
1976 films
1976 horror films
American science fiction horror films
American natural horror films
1970s monster movies
1970s science fiction horror films
Films about lizards
American monster movies
1970s English-language films
1970s American films