So distraught by this fact, he is ridiculed around the town by strangers who call him “buckless.” Determined to succeed, Reuben is sent off to deer camp by his loving Native American wife who holds up a beaded leather necklace, prays a prayer in an Indian tongue to an unidentified deity and gives Reuben the necklace for good luck. With visions of starting a Michigan based film company, Daniels agreed, scouted locations throughout the state, even considered Canadian locations, and settled on filming entirely in Escanaba, Mich.ĭaniels plays Reuben Soady, a 43-year-old deer hunter who has never shot a deer.
#ESCANABA IN THE MOONLIGHT MOVIE#
In 1996, Northern Michigan filmmaker Rich Brauer, after having seen the play, recommended that Daniels translate the play into a movie for the big screen.
The play, about a failed deer hunter from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, won rave reviews, still frequently plays there and has also branched out to other stages across Michigan and even Sacramento, Calif. In 1996, he opened the theater with a stage play he wrote and directed, called ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT. called “The Purple Rose.” It is named after a movie he starred in directed by Woody Allen, THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO. There is also some scatological humor Content:Īctor Jeff Daniels, known for his work in DUMB AND DUMBER, 101 DALMATIONS and FLY AWAY HOME, is a native of Michigan, and owns a theater in Chelsea, Mich. Thankfully, these spirits do not triumph, and personal courage overcomes the foes of fear and failure. While many regions in America have their myths and legends, this movie places large credence in those myths, creating a lengthy scene which focuses on spirit possession.
Regrettably, the movie is too mystical for most Christians and flirts with the occult despite a moral resolution. Yet, the acting, photography and editing are all superb. Like some of the David Mamet movies based on his plays, this movie seems a little stagy.
While motivated by his own courage, Reuben gets a little help from his grandfather’s ghost. Complications ensue from a strange wildlife ranger, a possible encounter with God and threats of a mythical beast. Determined to succeed, Reuben breaks drinks a nasty Native American potion, accepts a prayer his wife offers, and sprinkles himself with nasty smells to mask his own scent. A Michigan native, Daniels plays Reuben Soady, a 43-year-old deer hunter in Northern Michigan who has never shot a deer. ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT is a movie version of a play by actor Jeff Daniels, known for 101 DALMATIANS.
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