When it comes to racking up a body count, audiences are used to seeing burly psychopaths, killers in masks, malformed menaces and more in their horror films. Not as common is seeing someone who looks like your grandma ending a life. If you are already a person suffering from the existential threat that is the slow march of time, you might already think about your mortality when you see a geriatric. If one old person puts you ill at ease, prepare yourself for the terror that arises from a gaggle of elderly people in Homebodies. This darkly comedic horror film from 1974 comes from the mind of director Larry Yust and provides a sharp blend of social commentary and effective thrills that will make you think twice before underestimating any older people you encounter. The film was not given a proper push upon its initial release from AVCO Embassy Pictures, but it has found an audience in subsequent years as the best horror films tend to do. With this new Blu-Ray release from Kino Lorber, it is now poised to reach its largest audience yet.
The film concerns the close-knit, elderly retired residents of an apartment building that has been condemned and scheduled for demolition. We learn that all around them buildings with people just like them are being torn down and replaced with new apartments. While not a heavy-handed part of the film, there is an underlying sense of the effects of gentrification with parallels to how we treat our elders in general. It is not uncommon for younger individuals who believe they know better to move older people around like pawns from home to home because they no longer have the power to carry out their own wishes. Much of this is situational, but in this film in particular it comes down to greed and how much more money certain entities can make once they start moving new tenants into these more expensive apartments. Where we get some of the diabolical wish fulfillment is with Mattie (Paula Trueman), one of the residents in the building who balks when the uncaring social worker (Linda Marsh) threatens to forcefully evict everyone. This is simply unacceptable for this group.
Mattie takes note one day that accidents at the construction site results in a slight delay in development. By that logic, if the residents cause enough mayhem, work will have to cease at some point, right? This dark-hearted scheme is carried out with glee by Mattie and an eccentric group portrayed by such veterans as Ian Wolfe, Ruth McDevitt (Kolchak: The Night Stalker), Peter Brocco (The Killing Kind), and Douglas Fowley. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this film is knowing that it stars some really talented individuals who had appeared in numerous films over the years but had never really had a chance to shine in the spotlight this way. All of these older performers bring about a bit of playfulness amongst their menace. Where things get a little spotty for them is when a difference of opinion forms on how far they are willing to go to protect their homes.
If you are looking for a gorefest, you will be much better off looking elsewhere. There are a few diabolical shots that send a thrill up your spine, or maybe your leg in this case, but the “accidents” are mostly delivered with a light touch. That is not to say this movie does not provide some level of unease, as the group often descends upon some victims as if they are a hoard of zombies in a Romero film. Most residents have a moment to distinguish themselves, but it is Mattie who leaves the biggest impression as the surprisingly gifted psychopath. With a dash of chilling moments and a heavy helping of dark humor, Homebodies proves to be a really enjoyable time.
Video Quality
Homebodies comes to Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer from a 2K master of a 35mm print provided by Producer Marshal Backlar. The presentation is not gorgeous but given the scarce source elements it is fairly solid throughout. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation and only runs slightly on the soft side in a handful of shots, most likely due to limitations of the original source material. Colors appear stable under the mostly overcast sky, and instances of print damage are not too overwhelming with only a mild amount of specks and marks visible. Overall clarity and detail is serviceable with natural skin tones and subtle facial features that are easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels are a bit less impressive with some of the darker scenes lacking immense depth. Delineation occasionally struggles as fine details are lost in a dense mass. This new presentation from Kino Classics is a good effort for the long-unavailable film, which should please fans who have been eagerly anticipating a proper release.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that preserves the artistic intention of the film. The music sounds good throughout the duration of the film, if not slightly boxy, as it sets the moods for the events of the story. There are rarely moments where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, as elements work together in harmony. Dialogue is clearly defined with only a few of the more hectic settings providing some strain. Environmental sounds such as the construction work are rendered well alongside everything else. Kino Classics has given this film a worthy audio presentation.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Larry Yust delivers an informative commentary track in which he discusses the backgrounds of the performers, his experience directing the performances, his process of developing a script, the structure of the film and more. The delivery can be a bit monotone, but the information he is trying to convey is worth hearing for fans of the film.
- Interview with Producer Marshal Backlar: A new seven-minute interview in which Backlar discusses his background, his relationship with Larry Yust, the development of the project, distribution issues that hindered the film, the unique nature of the picture and more.
- TV Spot: A 30-second TV spot is provided for the film.
- Trailers: The nearly two-minute trailer is provided here. There are also trailers for Play Misty For Me, Endless Night, Deranged, The Reincarnation of Peter Proud, Burnt Offerings, Zoltan…Hound Of Dracula, Phobia and Trick Baby.
Final Thoughts
Homebodies is a charmingly demented tale of elderly people who are not going to be put out to pasture so lightly. The blend of dark humor and horror elements work well to establish this work as something a bit unique in the genre. This is furthered by the cast who provide an atypical malicious presence that we do not get to see as much on screen. Kino Classics has released a Blu-Ray featuring a pretty good A/V presentation and an engaging selection of special features. If you are looking for an undiscovered gem of the 70s, you should seek this one out. Recommended
Homebodies is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
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