Stunningly weird and truly clever horror-comedy is an unforgettable trip.
Young boy begins to suspect that his too-normal parents are up to something strange as they continue to push him to eat his meats at dinner.
A royally twisted satire on 50's Americana, Parents is a wildly warped cross between Blue Velvet (1986), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and various sitcoms of the McCarthy era. The story is quite intriguing, disturbing, and down-right funny at times. The direction is sharply done creating lots of inventive cinematography and hauntingly eerie visuals (namely that shot where our young hero dives into his bed only to sink into an ocean of blood). A good music score by Angelo Badalamenti, nice sets, and an over-all atmosphere of dread and mystery also help to make this film memorable.
The cast is a true highlight as well. Randy Quaid is downright frightening as the stern father. Mary Beth Hurt is solid as the high-strung mother. Sandy Dennis is quite good as the school councilor. Brian Madorsky does perhaps the best performance, especially considering his young age, as the nervous and understandably scared kid.
Parents is a film that is almost beyond words for me. It's surely one of the most horrific black comedies ever and one that must be seen to be felt! A winner.
**** out of ****
Young boy begins to suspect that his too-normal parents are up to something strange as they continue to push him to eat his meats at dinner.
A royally twisted satire on 50's Americana, Parents is a wildly warped cross between Blue Velvet (1986), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and various sitcoms of the McCarthy era. The story is quite intriguing, disturbing, and down-right funny at times. The direction is sharply done creating lots of inventive cinematography and hauntingly eerie visuals (namely that shot where our young hero dives into his bed only to sink into an ocean of blood). A good music score by Angelo Badalamenti, nice sets, and an over-all atmosphere of dread and mystery also help to make this film memorable.
The cast is a true highlight as well. Randy Quaid is downright frightening as the stern father. Mary Beth Hurt is solid as the high-strung mother. Sandy Dennis is quite good as the school councilor. Brian Madorsky does perhaps the best performance, especially considering his young age, as the nervous and understandably scared kid.
Parents is a film that is almost beyond words for me. It's surely one of the most horrific black comedies ever and one that must be seen to be felt! A winner.
**** out of ****