Black Moon (1934) is a very weird, very dark trip

If you are looking for a relaxing beach movie, Black Moon definitely isn't it. It is actually pretty uncomfortable to watch even now.

You should watch it if you like those old, dusty chillers from the early thirties where the atmosphere is thick enough to choke on. If you want something lighthearted like Touchdown Mickey, go somewhere else.

The movie starts with a little girl seeing her parents get killed in a voodoo ritual. It is dark. Like, really dark for 1934.

Then we jump forward and the girl is a grown woman played by Fay Wray. She is married to Jack Holt, who plays the husband with all the charisma of a wooden plank.

Jack Holt walks around like he is wearing a suit made of heavy cardboard. He doesn't seem to notice his wife is slowly losing her mind, which is kind of funny in a sad way.

There is a scene where they finally arrive back at the island. The drumming starts almost immediately. It never really stops for the rest of the movie.

That drumming gets under your skin after a while. It is probably meant to be scary, but it mostly just makes you want to reach for some aspirin.

Fay Wray is actually great here. She doesn't just scream like she did in the big monkey movie. She has this glassy, haunted look in her eyes.

You can tell her character is being pulled back into something she can't control. It is like she's walking in her sleep even when she is wide awake.

The way the locals are portrayed is... well, it's 1934. It is very much of its time, similar to how things are handled in The Spirit of the Sho-Gun.

I noticed one extra in the background during a big ritual scene who looked like he was trying really hard not to laugh. It totally broke the tension for me for a second.

One thing that really stood out was how the house on the island looked. It's all deep shadows and huge, open windows that look out into the blackness.

You feel like anyone or anything could be watching the family from the trees. It is a very effective bit of set design for a movie this old.

There is a bit where they talk about the "Black Moon" and it sounds like total nonsense, but everyone says it with such seriousness that you almost believe them.

The ending is a real downer. No spoilers, but it doesn’t go for the happy Hollywood wrap-up you might expect from this era.

It just kind of collapses into tragedy. It leaves you feeling a bit greasy when the credits finally roll.

It is a short movie, which is good. It doesn't overstay its welcome, but it definitely sticks in your brain like a bad dream you can't quite shake off.

I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. But it is definitely something. If you can get past the stiff acting from the lead guy, there is a lot of creepiness to enjoy here.