Product Details

• Actors: Yaphet Kotto, Andrew Duggan, Joyce Van Patten, Jeannie Berlin, Casey King
• Directors: Larry Cohen
• Writers: Larry Cohen
• Producers: Larry Cohen, Janelle Webb, Peter Sabiston, Peter Vizer
• Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Blue Underground
• DVD Release Date: August 26, 2003
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000AGQ5B
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,750 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Bone" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

BONE - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Larry Cohen's Dark Black Comedy, July 19, 2004

By 

Michael R Gates (Nampa, ID United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bone (DVD)

This 1972 comedy-drama marks the directorial debut of popular and prolific B-movie auteur Larry Cohen, who also wrote the screenplay. Though Cohen is known today for penning and directing well-crafted but low-budget indie flicks in the science-fiction, horror, or fantasy genres, BONE is a brilliant and biting Juvenalian satire that astutely dissects the issues of race relations and economic stratification in the United States. Part of the film's intelligence comes from the fact that Cohen's script is not one-sided. Not only does he take lunges at average white folks and their stereotyped views of themselves and those of darker-skinned ethic persuasions, he also uses his dark rapier-like wit to flay the typical black citizen's equally stereotyped attitudes towards upper-class whites. But Cohen doesn't end it there. BONE is a complex, multi-layered story in which one can find many subtle comments and observations above and beyond the primary theme. Addressed are socio-economic issues such as honesty, avarice, marital ennui, contemporary sexual mores, familial trust, the consequences of acting on one's personal fantasies, and lots more, and it definitely requires multiple viewings to peel back the layers and take it all in.

Though some socio-political pundits will rightly argue that race relations and the social standing of non-whites have improved since the era in which this film was made, there are still palpable gaps between the social and economic classes in America, and recent notorious racial hate crimes demonstrates that there is certainly a lot of ground yet to cover where racial issues are concerned. This being the case, BONE still seems just as fresh and relevant--and just as satirically witty--as it did in 1972.

The principal actors in BONE are phenomenal. In the titular role, actor Yaphet Kotto portrays a black robber and rapist who upends the calm, boring life of an affluent middle-aged white couple. His Oscar-caliber performance is forceful and dynamic, yet the character he creates is still sympathetic and at times downright hilarious. Character actor Andrew Duggan, in what is probably the best performance of his career, creates a dead-on three-dimensional portrait of a smarmy and greedy salesman who one day finds his daily routine abruptly disrupted by Bone. And Joyce Van Patten is delightfully dingy as the bored, cheerless housewife who eventually develops romantic and erotic feelings towards her abductor.

Certain aspects of BONE leave the narrative open to interpretation. In the end, one is left to decide if the events depicted really happened, if they were simply a fantasy of the housewife, or if they took place in the imagination of the affluent couple's son (who, we learn, is in a European prison for drug smuggling and is therefore regarded by his parents as an embarrassment and a social liability). This is a brilliant tactic on Cohen's part, as it forces the viewer to mentally review the film's issues and themes--or even to view the film again--and consider everything more deeply in order to formulate a personally sensible interpretation of the open-ended plot.

Unfortunately, the complex themes, the sophisticated satire, and the generally controversial nature of the film have proved too deep for the average audience, and BONE has therefore never achieved the notoriety or the distribution that it deserves. Instead, it has basically been relegated to the status of a cult film or an exploitation flick, and only film aficionados who actively seek quality non-mainstream works have been lucky enough to obtain access to a copy of BONE in recent years.

Until now, that is. Thanks to the folks at Blue Underground, BONE has been lovingly restored and made available on DVD. In addition to a fantastic picture and great sound, the DVD also features extras such as a humorous and informative commentary by writer/director Cohen and his protégé, Bill Lustig; a short statement from the film's original distributor, Jack Harris; some footage from an earlier aborted shoot of the film, which includes some differences in cast and dialog; and a theatrical trailer in which the film is marketed under an alternate title of THE HOUSEWIFE.

Anybody who appreciates good filmmaking and great satire will enjoy BONE, and fans of Larry Cohen will definitely want to snatch up a copy of this disc for their DVD collections. Blue Underground's DVD edition of BONE is well worth the price of admission.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Bad Day in Beverly Hills, January 24, 2004

By 

cookieman108 "cookieman108®" (Inside the jar...) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bone (DVD)

Well, here it is, in all its' wide screen glory. Blue Underground presents writer/director/producer Larry Cohen first film Bone, also known as Housewife, Dial Rat for Terror, or Beverly Hills Nightmare completely uncut and uncensored with a whole lot of juicy extras.

This is truly a bizarre film. The title, Bone, refers to the character played by Yaphet Kotto. The movie opens by the pool of a seemingly affluent, older couple that lives in a rather large house in Beverly Hills. Bone, an unstable, unpredictable violent criminal forces his way into the lives of this couple, looking for some easy money, and we are treated to one wild ride as the plot veers into the uncharted waters of absurdity.

The very nature of perversity is explored, as the characters are forced to confront hidden desires, exposing the seamy underbelly of modern life. The material presented here may have been tamed over time, thirty years after its' inital release, but the I think the film still commands the effect to disturb, shock, and make one laugh through its' use of imagery and dialogue. Yes, I said laugh, as I would call this a black comedy of sorts.

The movie can be hard to take at times, but the use of jump cuts and incidental music are used very effectively. What may seem insignificant at times later reveals it to be of some importance. Probably my favorite performance in this film was that of Oscar nominee Jeannie Berlin (The Heartbreak Kid) who played The Girl. Her character was truly fascinating even though she had little screen time compared to the rest.

As I said, Blue Underground provides a wealth of extras on this, up until now, rare movie. There's a wonderful commentary with Larry Cohen, a short interview with distributor/director/producer Jack H. Harris, selected scenes from an early shoot of the film, trailers, a radio spot, a gallery of promotional materials, a Larry Cohen biography, and even a small reprinted still of a poster for the movie inside the case. If you are willing to take a chance on something a lot out of the cinematic mainstream, then this is as good a place as any to start.

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting movie with an unexpected bonus item!, September 18, 2011

By 

feltonfan (Blackwood, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bone (DVD)

Interesting debut film by Larry Cohen. Has a fascinating spin on race relations in the 1970's. Worth getting for fans of Cohen's work and the excellent performance of Yaphet Kotto. But there's also a real surprise in this disc in the form of a hidden "easter egg". From 1965, an unsold (but probably aired) TV pilot, "You're Only Young Twice" starring Ed Wynn,Ethel Waters,Andrew Duggan,and Kathryn Hays! This disc is worth it just for this TV rarity alone!