Blood Moon (2001) - Horror Monster

Blood Moon (2001) - Also listed as "Wolf Girl" this 2001 made for TV movie was actually not bad. The story follows several people, the main one is Tara the Wolf Girl (Victoria Sanchez), who is part of a traveling freak show run by the incomparable Tim Curry. She is not particularly happy with her lot in life having the disease hypertrichosis which makes hair grow all over you. When she meets Ryan (Dov Tiefenbach) whose Mother (Lesley Ann Warren) does genetics experiments in her basement to remove hair for cosmetics companies. What luck, Ryan likes the wolf girl and she is looking for a way to be a normal girl. So the two set about shooting her up with an untested serum that shows promise in mice.
Mixed in with this story line are the financial troubles of the traveling show. Tim Curry as Harley Dune is excellent at the subtle acting necessary to get the audience to feel for the troupes troubles. Also in the story mix are a group of four troubled teenagers, locals who pick on Ryan and are absolutely cruel to Tara. The leader Beau (Shawn Ashmore) does a commendable job with the role of a young man fighting his shortcomings through an angry response to anyone he thinks he can best. His sidekick Krystal (Shelby Fenner) who is more competent an an instigator keeps him in check but directs his rage outward.
Most of the story though is about the question of wanting to fit in versus accepting who you are. Ryan is the loser who is okay with himself. Tara is the Pinocchio in a sense wanting to not be the freak for just a while. Beau feeling so inadequate with himself hunts for a way to feel competent. So how far will Tara go? When the shots she is taking start effecting her by making her more animalistic in behavior while she actually loses the hair that has plagued her, she seems to choose the looks instead of her own personality.
The climax is a bit odd in this one and since it will be recommended by this writer (barely) I will not say too much. Let me say though that the turn is strange even though the story is compelling enough to watch through and the acting and production values are good. There are some strange real freaks in the carnival and a few musical numbers in the show featuring little people and a half man half woman Grace Jones. This is a rental for sure if you have Netflix but I would not go out and buy it.
Rating (5.0) 5.0 are recommended, In the Zombiegrrlz rating system I would say rent it!