Parents

Now that it's October and Halloween is quickly approaching, I thought I would sprinkle in some horror films throughout the month. First up is the darkly comic 1989 film Parents.

It's the 1950's, and 10 year old Michael, Bryan Madorsky, has just moved with his parents to a suburban neighborhood. Michael has a sense of dread and suspects that his parents, Randy Quaid and Mary Beth Hurt, are up to something sinister. He starts to notice that every night for dinner, they have leftovers. When he asks his mother what the leftovers were before, she just say's that they were leftovers to be. This makes Michael believe that his parents are cannibals. With no friends, and a school guidance counselor, Sandy Dennis, that thinks he has an overactive imagination, Michael decides to take matters in his own hands.

This is a terrific, Lynchian comedy. Both Quaid and Hurt turn in truly creepy performances. And Madorsky, in his first and only role, is very convincing as Michael. This was the directorial debut for actor Bob Balaban who does a terrific job with the material. He knows how to balance the humor and suspense and really captures the squeaky clean look of the 50's, and the darkness that is lurking beneath. His use of sets, coloring, and music is truly amazing.It's a shame that his follow up film, My Boyfriend's Back, was such a dud.

Here's the thing I really love about this movie, you really don't know what is reality or in the boy's head.

Parents is a top notch black comedy/horror flick.

It's available on dvd, but only with horror sets.