Jan 302017
 

Parents is a cult classic of sorts and while the first half was a fantastic satire on 1950s suburbia and had some genuinely creepy moments (no surprise when it comes to Randy Quaid) but it quickly loses steam in the latter half and by the end, I found it unrewarding and didn’t find it quite as funny.

 

 

Parents
— Collector’s Series —

(1989)

Genre(s): Horror, Comedy
Lionsgate | R – 82 min. – $34.97 | January 31, 2017

Date Published: 01/30/2017 | Author: The Movieman

 


MOVIE INFO:
Directed by:
Bob Balaban
Writer(s): Christopher Hawthorne (written by)
Cast: Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt, Bryan Madorsky, Sandy Dennis
DISC INFO:
Features:
Commentary, Featurettes, Still Gallery, Theatrical Trailer
Digital Copy: No
Formats Included: Blu-ray
Number of Discs: 1
Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 2.0)
Video: 1080p/Widescreen 1.85
Subtitles: English
Disc Size: 27.7 GB
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Region(s): A

 


THE MOVIE — 3.0/5


Meet the Laemles. Dad’s (RANDY QUAID) got a great job, mom (MARY BETH HURT) has all the modern conveniences a happy homemaker could ask for, and ten-year-old Michael (BRYAN MADORSKY) has neat new friends and two parents who kill him with kindness. They’re the all-American family . . . or are they? Michael can’t figure out why his family serves leftovers every night. “Leftovers? Well, what were they before they were leftovers?” questions young Michael. “Leftovers-to-be,” smiles dad. Dad’s bringing home the bacon . . . and a whole lot more! Michael’s parents are getting away with murder — making home where the horror is!

 

SPECIAL FEATURES – 3.0/5


This release comes with a glossy slip cover.

Audio Commentaries:

  • Director Bob Balaban and Producer Bonnie Palef
  • Isolated Score/Audio Interview with Composer Jonathan Elias

Interviews:

  • Leftovers to Be (16:48; HD) – Screenwriter Christopher Hawthorne
  • Mother’s Day (14:29; HD) – Actress Mary Beth Hurt
  • Inside Out (13:58; HD) – Director of Photography Robin Vidgeon
  • Vintage Tastes (9:26; HD) – Decorative Consultant Yolando Cuomo

Each of these, including the commentaries, offer different perspectives on the production and are well worth checking out especially if you are a fan of the movie.

Also included is the Theatrical Trailer (1:33; HD), Radio Spots (1:42; HD) and a Still Gallery (4:52; HD).

 


VIDEO – 4.25/5


Parents is the latest (#7) in the Vestron Video series and presents the movie in its original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer (AVC codec). The picture isn’t half bad with some decent splattering (as it were) of color and dark levels are fairly stark throughout. There were no obvious signs of aliasing or artifacts so it does seem like some care was taken for this nearly 30 year old film.

AUDIO – 4.0/5


The disc comes equipped with a semi-robust DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track and the most noticeable aspect is with the crisp, clean (no evident hisses or pops) and clear dialogue levels while the amazing score by Jonathan Elias comes through fantastically showcasing some excellent depth.

 


OVERALL – 3.5/5


Overall, Parents is a cult classic of sorts and while the first half was a fantastic satire on 1950s suburbia and had some genuinely creepy moments (no surprise when it comes to Randy Quaid) but it quickly loses steam in the latter half and by the end, I found it unrewarding and didn’t find it quite as funny. The “Collector’s Series” Blu-ray offers good video and audio transfers and an okay selection of features.

 

 

 

 

Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.

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