Parents (1989)

A cannibal movie with Randy Quaid? Count me the f@ck in! Parents is the story of a young, weirdo lil kid named Michael, who's been suffering nightmares lately. Strange blood-filmed dreams. He draws bizarre, blood-filled pictures at school. His appetite and his behavior is all screwy. The kid is a total lil mental case. But as you know, the parents are almost usually to blame when it comes down how their kids act. And that theory is really ringing true here. Pops is also mental, but much more than lil Michael or anyone thinks.

Talking about a dark flick. I heard that this was a dark comedy of sorts, and you better believe that. I love a good dark comedy, but with this one, it's really not that funny. Sure, you've got Randy Quaid delivering some great stares and being nicely menacing, but besides that, the darkness just stays dark for horror's sake not for comedy's. Which isn't bad. The reason being is probably because of the young kid. His part is one of a very quiet and what seems disturbed young boy, but to me, he plays the part much too deadpan. Either that his acting skills were weak. Nevertheless he didn't take much away from the film, because Randy was usually pretty close by.

Parents delivered a unique look at Cannibalism that should appeal to fans of dark comedy, and of the cannibal genre. Oh and especially Quaid fans. It's really short at only 81 minutes so it's a quick movie to watch, and with it being a one-of-a-kind type of horror flick, it's very recommendable. But make sure you know who you're recommending it to.

Fmovies: Parents isn't your average horror film. Or average comedy. Or average anything. In fact, it's hard to even describe a movie like Parents. It's next to impossible to describe this film's mood and the way it makes you feel.

Parents follows a seemingly normal 50's family with a very strange little boy. He's plagued with nightmares and visions about how his parents may not be as wholesome as they claim to be. Plus, he's really interested in the meat they eat and dinner and where it came from. Could they be cannibals?

Parents veers from satirical dark comedy to horror film and back again about 50 times throughout. Normally, this would give the viewer a severe case of tonal whiplash, but Parents is just so damn strange that it feels more like the lovechild of John Waters and David Lynch than any normal horror or comedy film.

The cast is excellent including Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt, and Sandy Dennis. They all commit 100% to their oddball characters while still, every now and then, giving the audience a little wink and nudge.

Parents is worth checking out.

This film is crazy-weird...but in a good way. If you enjoy off-beat, black comedies, this will appeal to you, immediately. If you enjoy them but need a bit of time to fully absorb the humor and oddities of it; then you may have to watch it a few times to really get the full effect and develop a true appreciation for the film's original quirkiness.

However, if you don't like off the wall, goofy and somewhat disturbing movies, you won't like it. You'll find it either disturbing, stupid, boring or any combination of. I am not one of those people--I LOVED it--and the more I watch it, the more I enjoy it. Other movies you might like (if you like this one) are: Practical Magic, Heathers, and Fright Night (the original from 1985).

Enjoy!!

Parents fmovies. Angelo Badalamenti does some of the music for this gem of a film.

I HIGHLY recommend this film and the acting is spectacular - casting could not have been better.

Not as surreal as Lynch's movies, but very dark and is heading in a "Lynchian" direction.

The director has been on several Seinfeld episodes as the character Russell Dalrymple, although I don't know who that character was - but I'll keep any eye out now.

Do yourself a favor and don't look at the movie cover or read ANY spoilers - just watch and enjoy.

Try it - you'll like it.

• B

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 ****

It's been 13 years since I saw this movie, but it made such an impact on me that to this day I can close my eyes and visualize the characters, and feel the mood that make this film worth watching. Not too many movies scare me like this one did. It wasn't the use of vast quantities of blood, or the killings that scared me, as much as it was the Ward and June Cleaver-ness of the parents. What really did it for me was the mind twist the director built into this film, and the way it was pulled off by the actors. If you're squeamish then this probably isn't for you, but if you can watch a movie and appreciate it for the art it is, I recommend it.