Customer Reviews

Masters of Horror: Joe Dante - Homecoming

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

I'm amused by the reviews here--from either political side--that take this as anything more than what it is. IT IS A HIGHLY ENTERTAINING SATIRE! I do not ascribe to the political beliefs put forth by this piece, that has never been a prerequisite to good entertainment. But is it funny?--oh, YES! Highly recommended as one of the finest Masters of Horror segments. Whether your Republican, Democrat, or completely uninterested in politics--this is an amusing poke at the political process taken to absurd proportions. I swear it won't corrupt or subvert you.

I can't follow the bandwagon of congratulations for Joe Dante's MOH episode; this is unfortunate because Joe is one of my heroes. I respect that it sets out to do exactly what Joe and co. wanted it to do, but in the end it comes off as more of an indictment of Anne Cultor than it does the Iraq War. But it isn't the politics that left me wanting in this particular film, it was the fact that Dante was able to make a balls-to-the-wall horror movie again (THE HOWLING being a particular favorite of mine), but that isn't at all what we get. In some ways it seems silly to complain, given that the war is true horror; but Dante is a monsterkid, and I was really hoping for something else. Again, I respect his decision and his choices with this particular story, I was just hoping for something a little more fun. Shallow perhaps, but I'm a B-movie maven all the way. I'm happy that he has received good notices for this episode (Dante is super underrated), and definitely recommend it to those who are not really horror, or B-movie, fans, who are looking for something with a little more substance. The film is well made, and very humorous (only Dante would crank the gag of having famous "zombie" directors names' littering a group of headstones up a notch by adding Del Tenney!), and I recommend it to those not looking for a "horror" movie.

I find everyone's statements on here equally moving. That is the whole point of making a movie is to entertain. Even those who say they hated were still moved enough by it to put their dissent in writing. Any movie, love it or hate, if it moves you in any way, was successful in that mission.

Those of you who don't like it - don't watch it. I've always thought that Jerry Springer and shows like it would go away if the people criticizing it would simply change the channel. We changed the channel with Dan Quayle - and he went away.

My biggest surprise after seeing this movie is why the national media haven't been raising holy hell on this one. The dissenters will say it's because the movie sucked so badly, the fellow dissidents will say it's because of suppression or something like that.

To those who say this movie is despicable and not honoring our troops are relating more smokescreen poppycock for our naive consumption.

1) The reason our troops are fighting for us is for the very reason this movie is allowed to be made. "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism." - Thomas Jefferson Those of you who think it's wrong for someone to make something like this needs to go back and read a history book and then the Constitution again. I find it very disturbing when people, especially those with political power, start saying what should be considered appropriate speech. Ever heard of inalienable rights? Where do you think those come from, Washington, D.C.? or the Almighty?

Someone who "hated" this movie will say that free speech doesn't give you the right to dishonor our country or our troops. If that's true, please let me wash your feet, because only a power beyond us meer mortals can decide what rights we have and in what way we are allowed to practice them.

2) One can concede that the troops probably voted more for Bush than Kerry. Lincoln did probably win reelection because of the soldiers vote.

While officers tend to be Republican, keep in mind that enlisted men tend to be Democratic. After all, the military is more ethnically diverse than our own country at times - probably because they started 20 years before the rest of us thanks to integration with Harry Truman. And, besides, when you make 12,000 a year, well I guess pocket book issues might matter a little more than to people than those who legitimize selfishness like Ann Coulter.

3) The movie never states who the soldiers are voting for, although it clearly implies it's not the Republicans. The movie shows a bumbling nominee - presumably Kerry (although this one states to not have served in the military - which should make the conservatives happy because they can't fathom a real patriot or American for that matter that isn't a registered Republican). To claim that this movie is disrespectful to our soldiers because of who they'd vote for implies that those folks believe they could have only voted Republican. A truly scary omen in a democracy.

If you think the movie doesn't like our veterans, simply go back and watch the entire movie. You must have missed that scene with the Af-Amer. couple and the soldier they take in. They might be Democrats, well at least there's an 89% chance they didn't vote for Bush.

The movie is more political satire than horror. Thea Gill plays an Ann Coulter commentator. She is brash and described as a "skank." She flip-flops on her views in order to help the Republicans. The president (Bush) is described: "He has a way of making stupid people feel as smart as he is." The movie also satires the 2000 election. It essentially calls the people who started the war, anti-American traitors who betrayed the country. Soldiers have come back to life in order to vote. They don't attack humans unless provoked. They all have the zombie gait to them. As for "horror" I would give the movie one star as there is very little. If you are a Bush supporter, you might find yourself grinding your teeth at this one, as this has extreme liberal bias. For those on the left, this movie rocks!

I viewed the entire Masters of Horror series when it debuted on Showtime. Most episodes were entirely watchable, enjoyable, and ultimately forgettable. This is the episode that stood out to my friends and I. It is hysterical--a jubilant political satire. I was shocked, therefore, to see how devisive the reviews are for this program here on Amazon. Apparently, you love it or you hate it. Trust me--if you have a sense of humor and a thought in your head--Homecoming is worth a look. I have never written a review for Amazon before, but I didn't want this show overlooked because some people simply didn't "get it". KGHarris, 6/06.

Joe Dante's Homecoming written by Sam Hamm is a courageous and entertaining horror film about the lunatic and plain stupid war in Iraq. And it's funny too! Fine acting, especially by the blonde actress who plays an Anne Coulter type. She's vicious, sexy and funny in a grotesque way. I found it powerful and moving and the attacks the show has received tend to be from those Bush supporters who unquestionally follow the lying thief's word. Even if you disagree with the show's politics, it's still an entertaining and good horror movie.

Written by the fellow who gave the world "Monkeybone" (Sam Hamm) and directed by the gentleman responsible for "Loony Tunes: Back in Action" (Joe Dante ... okay, okay, he also did "Gremlins"), "Homecoming" is yet another "Masters of Horror" misfire.

This time around, the story concerns a world where right-wing political pundits inadvertantly cause dead American soldiers to come back to life. David Murch (Jon Tenney) and Jane Cleaver (Thea Gill doing her best Anne Coulter imitation) offer up the typical Republican soundbites in defense of the (tactfully unnamed) President's ill-advised War in Iraq. One of those soundbites? "I wish those soldiers COULD come back, because I'm sure they'd tell America how proud they were to serve and give their life for this great country of ours." Or something to that effect. What do you know? The Republicans get their wish.

Of course, the zombie soldiers AREN'T glad that they're dead. And what is their idea of vengeance? They demand the right to vote against the President. That's right. As soon as their dissenting ballots are cast, they drop lifelessly to the floor, their point having been made.

This little vignette makes ITS point in the first seven minutes of filming, and then it just keeps on making it over and over again. Some have said that your enjoyment of the show will depend on your political bent, but I think any clear-headed individual can see that no matter your governmental ideologies, this is just one long, slow, poorly-written joke. There IS some dark humor here, but it's also unintelligent, hateful, and obvious.

Ah well. Propaganda isn't known for its tact. "Homecoming" has a vendetta, and that's all it has. I'm all for exposing corruption and deceit, but even if there are those who agree with this film's message (and many, many do), I fail to see how those same people can also agree with the film's self-righteous moralizing, its hate, its presumption.

After all, this little "screw you" to the current administration props up its high horse on the idea that the conservatives are only promoting their own selfish agendas by claiming to speak for America's fallen men and women. But "Homecoming" is guilty of the exact same offense. By the last frame, it's obvious that no one in the show is aware of the self-defeating irony of their proselytizing, which is really the only horrific thing about this turkey.

Shame on you, Joe Dante.

You had the opportunity to participate in a project with the best of the best in horror, and *this* is what you pinch out? A political diatribe with no true horror elements whatsoever?

I won't go into it here, as others have described the propaganda elements of this film much better than I could. Suffice it to say that Dante offended me on so many levels - the *wrong* levels for a horror film - that I will never, ever watch another of his movies in my life. He shall not profit from me ever again.

Dante takes clumsy, slanderous shots at the President, his staff, our servicemen, and the populace (basically he paints the picture that only a small number of us care about the fates of our soldiers). If you have even an ounce of respect for any of these people or institutions - or yourself - this movie will make you see red.

Dante even takes a shot at George Romero by producing a zombie movie so utterly devoid of subtlety in its social commentary. There's a scene where undead veterans are rising from their graves, and one of tombstones reads "G. Romero." If George was down there, he'd be rolling.

Horror as entertainment is supposed to be an escape from the true horrors of our world. You curl up in a dark room or theater, eat some popcorn, and when it's over you can hopefully look at the horrific events in our world with a different perspective. Either Dante doesn't understand this, or he decided to say the hell with it and steal the opportunity to make the film he was obviously foaming at the mouth to produce. In either case, Joe Dante is no Master of Horror.

I bought this as a part of the two-volume anthology. This DVD is leaving my house one way or another. I'd love to be able to send it to Dante's office with no explanation. I think he'd get the point. Anyone have the address?

This is the most insulting piece of garbage I've seen in a very long time. Utterly ridiculous and a smack in the face to every serviceman and woman that has defended our country throughout it's history. I HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS DVD!!!!

I've never watched Masters Of Horror because I don't have cable but I have picked up a few episodes on DVD and "Homecoming" was the latest. Joe Dante has had a pretty so-so career lately but this episode not only surprised me by its subject matter but also by how good it was. I'm not sure whether to take this as a black comedy or an all-out slap against the current administration and its war, but either way I liked it a lot and I applaud Joe Dante for throwing it out there. Seems as though veterans of a war (unnamed, of course, but we all know what it is) are rising up from the grave to....VOTE? Yep, to vote, and not for the current president, either. Too bad they were lied to and their votes didn't count, though, I'd hate to think about what happened later. And for those who take this as an insult to our soldiers and our country, etc? So don't watch it, there's plenty of John Wayne movies on DVD. 4 out of 5.