Track of the Moon Beast

A low-budget creature feature directed by Richard Ashe and written by Bill Finger, co-creator of Batman. Mineralogist Paul Carlson (Chase Cordell) is struck in the head by a meteorite fragment during a meteor shower, embedding itself in his skull. Under the light of the full moon, Paul transforms into a reptilian monster that prowls the New Mexico desert, killing anyone it encounters. His girlfriend Kathy and Professor "Johnny Longbow" Salinas race to find a cure before the next full moon. Shot in Albuquerque in 1972 on a $300,000 budget, the film features local non-actors as extras and a performance of the song "California Lady" by Frank Larrabee and his band, who happened to be staying at the same hotel as the crew. The film was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000. The film is in the public domain.