This week may have the usual big releases from Netflix and Pixar, but don’t sleep on the indies. Today also sees the launch of Moon Manor (co-written, co-directed, and produced by Uproxx’s Erin Granat), an offbeat comedy billed as “a true-ish story” about an aging eccentric diagnosed with Alzheimer’s who decides to curate his own death like one last big party. A “FUNeral,” as he calls it.
The protagonist, “Jimmy,” is played by 84-year-old oddball Jimmy Carrozo, whose life story inspired many of the elements in Moon Manor. From the official synopsis:
He was in the Army in 1955 where he was a radio announcer, until his officers outed him as gay. To avoid a dishonorable discharge, Jimmy agreed to surrender all rights to his VA benefits, and has since been at the forefront of campaigning to have his benefits returned to him, which now provides the very modest income on which he lives in a small apartment in Los Angeles with his second husband Marcus. After the army, Jimmy went on to tour extensively as a theater song and dance man. In 1968 he met Rick Granat (uncle of co-director Erin Granat) at the audition for the musical HAIR (he was an original cast member of the LA production),
In the 70s Carrozo and his partner Granat performed regularly at The Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip, and the Merv Griffin Show on television, with comedians like Robin Williams opening for them. Since Granat’s death from AIDS in 1986, Carrozo has thrived despite his own HIV diagnosis. As an activist, Jimmy received national press for his efforts campaigning for gay couples to have the same immigration rights as straight couples, as well as speaking on Capitol Hill representing AIDS Project Los Angeles.
Moon Manor was directed by the duo of Machete Bang Bang and Granat, with an eclectic cast that includes, as you can see from the clip above, Ricki Lake (!!) and Gayle Rankin from GLOW. It hits select theaters and OnDemand March 11th.
