The 'Burbs

Director Joe Dante achieves a nice balance with 1989's THE 'BURBS.  A synthesis of humor and horror that likewise distinguishes many of his other most successful efforts.  Usually, one outweighs the other, and it can successfully be argued that this movie is primarily a comedy.  With Tom Hanks (mainly reacting) and comedian Rick Ducommum (too much) in the leads, one would expect it.  But Dana Olsen's wry screenplay considers the inherent funny within a potentially ghoulish scenario at about a 1:1, and Dante runs with it.

But not too over the top.  The director has been known to get carried away.  Consider the GREMLINS films and his episode in TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE.  For much of its running time, THE 'BURBS is a slowly percolating comedic thriller that toys with us (and its characters) perfectly.  Showing us just enough to makes us wonder if what we see confirms suspicions or is suspicious enough to make us realize we misunderstood it all.  The finale will answer everything, and for some viewers the concrete explanation undermined the tantalizing enigma.  For me, it was perfectly satisfying in that Big Hollywood way, and allowed its characters some catharsis.  That's always good.

Ray Peterson (Hanks) is an overworked suburbanite on vacation, eager for a quiet week at home doing nothing.  His wife Carol (Carrie Fisher, underused, but has a few good scenes) and son would rather go the "the lake", that most common of suburban family getaways.   But Ray, along with kooky neighbors Art (Ducommon), Lt. Rumsfield (Bruce Dern, doing his usual oddball shtick in that patented voice), and Ricky (Corey Feldman, appealingly goofy) are obsessed with the mysterious Klopek family, who recently moved in next door. Do they ever leave the house?  Why are there strange noises and flashes of light coming from their basement every night? Was that a body in their garbage can? Are they Satanists?

Possibly the worst offense is that they haven't kept up their lawn.  Maybe Dante should've played up that sort of satire a bit more.  As the film progresses, things get more fantastic and crazy, and there's plenty of destruction, though right before all of that there's a lovely scene when the Klopecks, led by a wonderfully oily Henry Gibson, allow their neighbors over for a meet and greet, complete with.... sardines and pretzels.

THE 'BURBS is quite silly, but has this cool rhythm of unease, one that should please fans of the macabre and the ridiculous.  I also have to admit I love that famous zoom in and out (with screams) moment as much as the next nerdy buff.

P.S. - Hanks' character watches Mr. Rogers on T.V. in one scene.  Ha.