Kill the Moonlight Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		2.5
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Kill the Moonlight Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 2, 2025

Writer/director Steve Hanft is arguably best known as the director of the “Loser” music video, helping to bring the musical stylings of Beck to the masses. The clip managed to dominate MTV and win Hanft some awards, highlighting his decidedly low-wattage style and love of inscrutable imagery. Before such media attention was found, Hanft was just another young filmmaker with a dream, working with ambition to create a feature-length display of his media interests. 1994’s “Kill the Moonlight” is the fruit of such passion, offering viewers a chance to experience slacker cinema the way it was, delivering a tale of desperation concerning a young man who needs money to race cars, but holds few financial options to generate needed cash. Hanft doesn’t have much here beyond California locations and a few actors, going the no-budget route with an aimless tale of desperation. There’s very era-specific moviemaking on display, but expectations for a more flavorful dramatic experience should be readjusted, as the helmer has little to work with, and he’s determined to keep it that way.

Chance (Thomas Hendrix) is a young man with big car racing dreams. He’s ready to prove his skill on the track, but vehicle issues are preventing him from achieving sporting glory, left with damages he can’t afford to take care of. His Father (Ralston Regan) is no help, dealing with his own issues after his life breaks down, putting Chance out on the streets of Fillmore to make a quick buck. He needs $3,000 to put his car back into play, forced to take menial jobs that pay very little. Chance graduates to criminal activity to line his pockets, handling the demands of Dennis (Hanft), his drug-dealing friend who’s difficult to stay in touch with. Dennis’s girlfriend, Cindy (Beata Henrichs), is another temptation, with the pair engaging in an affair that only worsens Chance’s situation, exposing him to more dangerous acts of theft to keep the money coming. With the help of positive thinking, Chance tries to find a path to a small fortune, but life often gets in the way, adding plenty of struggle to one man’s dream to become a racing legend.

For a movie about race cars, it’s somewhat surprising how little racing there is in “Kill the Moonlight.” There are a few trips to the local track, following Chance and his Father as they experience evenings of beer and laps. However, Hanft is more interested in the desperation driving Chance, who wants to make his mark on the local race scene, but remains stuck with a car that needs major repairs, requiring a significant monetary investment he doesn’t have. “Kill the Moonlight” follows the character closely as he tries to find work, and Hanft also offers access to the man’s thoughts as Chance provides narration throughout the picture, occasionally sharing fears and unfinished stories, adding to the fragmented nature of the endeavor.

Chance is in a bad place throughout “Kill the Moonlight.” He remains troubled by a separation from his wife, Sandra (Maria Hassabi), who’s not nearly as bothered by the break-up, already moving on to new boyfriends. Father is a broken man with gambling issues, unable to support his son beyond tepid life lessons. And there’s a fractured relationship with Dennis, a small-time crook and musician who’s okay with using Chance, extending to criminal activity as theft and cocaine dealing enters the situation. “Kill the Moonlight” also offers a complication in Cindy, a local exotic dancer who enjoys Chance’s company, contributing pieces of what little passes for plot here as she engages with the racer, despite carrying on with Dennis.

“Kill the Moonlight” is perhaps most interesting when tracking Chance’s employment options. He works at a fish farm, tasked with feeding the residents and clean their tanks. He gets hired to clean up a hazardous waste spill, unwisely exposing himself to poison after taking his mask off. These aren’t movie highlights, but a chance for Hanft to offer concentration on ideas and events while the rest of the picture tends to wander around, searching for things to do. There’s an escalation of Chance’s criminal experiences, but it doesn’t add up to much. And there seems to be something in motion with the development of a bad cough, but that idea doesn’t end up anywhere either. “Kill the Moonlight” is arguably at its best when it concentrates on tiny challenges for Chance, watching him deal with himself and others as the monetary adventure continues.

Kill the Moonlight Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"Kill the Moonlight" was originally shot on film, but the Blu-ray release offers a video tape presentation of the feature. The viewing experience only delivers a basic understanding of frame elements, as fine detail is nonexistent. Simple imagery is merely appreciable, exploring the world of "Kill the Moonlight" and its town tours. Color is basic, offering aged hues, but primaries are understood on signage and car displays. California browns also dominate exteriors, along with greenery. Delineation isn't strong. Grain is noisy and blocky. Some debris remains.

Kill the Moonlight Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 Dolby Digital mix delivers a basic understanding of the feature's limited soundscape. Dialogue exchanges are mostly intelligible, working with dubbed performances and low energy acting. Music isn't sharp, but offers acceptable support and presence during montages, leading with an alt-rock sound.

Kill the Moonlight Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet contains an interview with writer/director Steven Hanft.

• Interview (12:51, SD) is a talk with writer/director Steven Hanft, who provides his filmmaking origin story, creating small projects before ex-bandmate Beck Hansen requested he helm the music video for "Loser," effectively launching his helming career and all the travel it required. For "Kill the Moonlight," Hanft went the semi-autobiographical route, putting his personal experiences into the screenplay, hoping to make something comedic. No-budget filmmaking challenges are identified in his early work, piecing together productions largely by himself. Musical intent is analyzed, looking for a sound for his "low-budget race car movie," requesting help from Hansen, who sampled a line from "Kill the Moonlight" for "Loser." Creative inspirations are identified, working with technical mistakes to generate his own version of avant-garde cinema, which ended up killing distribution hope for the endeavor.

• A Trailer (1:20, HD) is included.

Kill the Moonlight Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Kill the Moonlight" has its share of indie cinema oddity, including a POV shot of Chance urinating, and cinematography often does whatever it can to stay lit during evening sequences, turning to the simple use of flashlights to make sure the actors are seen. Character details are also a bit kooky, extending to Chance's pure love for actor Henry Winkler. Idiosyncrasy is welcome, but unfortunately doesn't dominate the endeavor, as Hanft doesn't commit to much of anything here. Perhaps he's reflecting the twentysomething experience of the 1990s, allowing slightly pained aimlessness to take control of the offering. Or maybe he doesn't exactly have anything in mind with the effort, electing to get random to find a way through the tale. There's the simple pleasure of a tortured soul in a KISS t-shirt fighting to make sense of the world, and that might be enough for some viewers. Those expecting a more demanding viewing event are left with little to chew on beyond the basics in character need.