Home Movies (1979)

37% of users liked it
(6,979 ratings)

Brian De Palma directed this treatise concerning an egotistical film professor as a film-making project for his film-production master class at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. Kirk Douglas plays Doctor Tuttle, known as "The Maestro," who is the leader of a frenetic film-production cult entitled… More Brian De Palma directed this treatise concerning an egotistical film professor as a film-making project for his film-production master class at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. Kirk Douglas plays Doctor Tuttle, known as "The Maestro," who is the leader of a frenetic film-production cult entitled Star Therapy. The Maestro exhorts his disciples to "put your name above the title in real life." To prove his adage, he has his own life continuously filmed, with himself as the director and the star. The Maestro singles out one hapless student, Denis Byrd (Keith Gordon) for being totally ineffectual and "an extra in his own life." In response, Denis tries to put his name above the title by filming himself sleeping and eating and pursuing his older brother's girlfriend. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Brian DePalma
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: May 16, 1980 Wide
On DVD: Sep 10, 2002

Critic Reviews

Fernando F. Croce, Slant Magazine
At once Brian De Palma's most slapdash and most autobiographical picture.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Stephen M

This is a little known independent film made by Brian De Palma in-between "The Fury" and "Dressed To Kill". It was made with a crew of young film students as a philanthropic hands-on exercise in movie-making, helmed by De Palma and with contributions from his… More
This is a little known independent film made by Brian De Palma in-between "The Fury" and "Dressed To Kill". It was made with a crew of young film students as a philanthropic hands-on exercise in movie-making, helmed by De Palma and with contributions from his Hollywood contacts: composer Pino Donaggio; actors Kirk Douglas, Gerrit Graham and Nancy Allen; editor Paul Hirsch, etc. The hope was that the movie would be a commercial success and would kick-start a wave of independent film-making. Unfortunately, this didn't happen, but "Home Movies" is still a little gem which is well worth seeking out. Its humour is rather more absurd and less gentle than that of De Palma's first feature, "The Wedding Party", though the tangible enthusiasm for the project by all concerned is somewhat similar to that film's. This is more than just a fascinating cul-de-sac in his career, containing as it does a few of the recurring motifs of his major work, most notably voyeurism ("Hi, Mom!", "Sisters", "Body Double", etc) but also the idiosyncratic use of railway stations ("Dressed To Kill", "Blow Out", "The Untouchables", "Carlito's Way"). One comic episode in which Keith Gordon, grease-painted and sporting an afro wig, is assaulted by a racist cop reminds one of the "Be Black, Baby" segment in "Hi, Mom!". Essential viewing for die-hard De Palma fans.
Adam M

too bad this school-Hollywood experiment isn't better; Allen, Gordon are OK & Douglas shows he can cop a star presence even in this