Head of The Family

Head of The Family is an intelligent, gruesome, and engaging horror-comedy film from 1996 that blends in macabre elements with a dash of dark humor. Directed by Charles Band and written by Neal Marshall Stevens, the movie stars Blake Adams, Jacqueline Lovell, and Bob Schott, in a Grand Guignol of twisted visuals and offbeat characters. This particular full moon feature, shot in Los Angeles, portrays a completely bizarre and uncanny story blended with surreal and black humor.

The narrative circles around Lance (Blake Adams) and Loretta (Jacqueline Lovell), who are engaged in a secret affair. Lance is a small-time crook, and Loretta is the seductive wife of the much-feared local bully Howard, portrayed by a burly Bob Schott. The secret lovers are all set to run away together, leaving behind their mundane lifestyle. Their plans are thrown into uncertainty, however, when a rather peculiar family living nearby catches their attention.

Adding a distinctive and compelling flavor to this horror-comedy is the Stackpool family. This reclusive and mysterious family has remained hidden in an old Victorian mansion termed 'The Old Dark House.' The Stackpool family introduces a unique brand of terror into the story, their patriarch being the film's central figure: Myron, the head of the family, a scheming and manipulative puppet master with heightened intellect. He is eerily portrayed as a grotesque scientific experiment gone wrong, a disembodied brain with eyes, evoking a sense of creepiness and intrigue. Myron is a demanding, peculiar, and powerful individual, keeping his physically strong, albeit intellectually weak siblings in check through telepathy.

While this menacing family carries out horrific surgical experiments, Lance spots an opportunity amidst chaos to manipulate the situation to his advantage. His plot is to utilize the monstrous Stackpoool family's secret to coerce Howard. However, as is the convention in any horror flick, their intervention with the bizarre family's affairs spirals them into a web of terror.

As Lance and Loretta's lives intertwine with the Stackpool family in an eerie, suspenseful plot, the audience is taken for an unnervingly entertaining ride. The macabre humor infused within the horror elements ensures the film's distinct standing within the genre.

Jacqueline Lovell as Loretta is perfect in her role as the seductive woman in jeopardy, adding a sensual touch to this bizarre narrative. Blake Adams, as the would-be hero Lance, manages to infuse the character with a sense of charm and wit. Bob Schott, as the boorish Howard, ticks all the boxes of an intimidating character. The remarkable performance by J.W. Perra as the creepy Myron breathes life into the eccentric, domineering character, making the audience shudder with apprehension.

Mixing horror and comedy is no strange task for the director Charles Band. His directorial prowess is evident in the unconventional plotline and creative character development. The screenplay showcases Neal Marshall Stevens' penchant for dark humor whose writing imparts a unique quality to the film, making it more approachable and flexible within the horror genre.

The visual aesthetics of the film are onto the eerie charm of the entire narrative. Known for its low budget and panache, Full Moon Features has performed astounding feats in making the film visually enthralling, adding a sense of realism to the uncanny misadventures. Gloomy shots and overbearing shadows add a hauntingly beautiful dimension to Head of The Family.

With elements of horror, suspense, science fiction, and a hefty dose of black comedy, Head of The Family caters to a wide array of cinema lovers. It meshes genres and defies convention, resulting in an unforgettable cinematic experience. The film's themes of manipulation, power games, and fear are conveyed with a touch of humour and torrid strangeness that only adds to its appeal. Head of The Family offers a twirling and engaging ride into weirdness, and even though it's categorized as a horror movie, it's packed with enough whimsy that the scares are balanced with smirks. Enjoy this distinctive horror-comedy ride brimming with suspense, scares, and laughter.