This classy and creative low-budget thriller depicts an all-out war of attrition between a group of neglected, disgruntled senior citizens and the heartless city officials who evicted them from their Cincinnati low-rent apartment building, which has been tagged for destruction. Their campaign goes far beyond writing strong letters to their alderman -- they begin by savagely murdering the social worker who orders their removal (Linda Marsh, in a budget Nurse Ratched mode), then take a violent stand against any contractors who attempt to stray onto their turf. Tightly directed from a clever script, portraying its geriatric killers with wit and empathy but never shying away from shocking scenes of violence. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
Review
This oddball blend of black comedy and horror is an unexpectedly haunting piece of work. The script moves back and forth between drama, shocks and macabre humor in a deft, truly unpredictable manner that never allows the viewer to become complacent in their take on the proceedings. The constant shifting of tones works because Homebodies is built upon strong characterizations: the senior citizens who drive the story are never presented as saints or sinners. Instead, they all have complex and differing reactions to the mayhem they use to protect their home and this creates interesting conflicts that push the story in unexpected directions during its third act. The characterizations are handled with loving care by the elderly cast of leading actors: Paula Trueman is both resourceful and scary as the group's defacto leader, Ruth McDevitt adds unexpected pathos as the group's most thoughtful member and Peter Brocco brings plenty of charisma to his role as a tough tenant who doesn't allow his blindness to make him helpless. Larry Yust's direction gives the film an atmospheric visual style, transforming the decaying urban setting into a surreal netherworld, and he juggles the story's many moods with confidence to create a witty yet unnerving final product. In short, Homebodies is the kind of sleeper that will please cult movie fans with a yen for dark humor. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Cast
William Benedict - Watchman; Peter Brocco - Mr. Blakely; John Craig; Frances Fuller - Miss Emily; Norman Gottschalk - Superintendent; William Hansen - Mr. Sandy; Wesley Lau - Foreman; Nicholas Lewis; Linda Marsh - Miss Pollack; Ruth McDevitt - Mrs. Loomis; Kenneth Tobey - Construction Boss; Paula Trueman - Mattie; Ian Wolfe - Mr. Loomis; Douglas Fowley - Mr. Crawford; Eldon Quick - Insurance Inspector; Joe DeMeo - Construction Workers; Irene Webster - Woman in Floppy Hat; Michael Johnson - Policeman
Credit
John Retsek - Art Director, Lynn Bernay - Costume Designer, Larry Yust - Director, Peter Parasheles - Editor, Bernardo Segall - Composer (Music Score), Jeremy Kronsberg - Songwriter, Isidore Mankofsky - Cinematographer, Marshal Backlar - Producer, Ray Molyneaux - Set Designer, Don Courtney - Special Effects, LeRoy Robbins - Sound/Sound Designer, Bennett Sims - Screenwriter, Larry Yust - Screenwriter, Howard Kaminsky - Screenwriter
