Home Movies (film)

Home Movies
Theatrical poster
Directed byBrian De Palma
Screenplay byKim Ambler
Dana Edelman
Robert Harders
Stephen Le May
Charlie Loventhal
Gloria Norris
Story byBrian De Palma
Produced byGilbert Adler
Brian De Palma
Jack Temchin
StarringKirk Douglas
Nancy Allen
Keith Gordon
CinematographyJames L. Carter
Edited byCorky O'Hara
Music byPino Donaggio
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • August 28, 1979 (1979-08-28) (UK)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$400,000
Box office$89,134 (USA)

Home Movies is a 1979 independent film directed by Brian De Palma and starring Kirk Douglas,[1][2] Nancy Allen, Vincent Gardenia, Keith Gordon, Theresa Saldana, and Gerrit Graham.

De Palma had been teaching film at his alma mater Sarah Lawrence College, and conceived this project as a hands-on training exercise for his students. They were given the primary responsibilities of raising money, arranging the shooting schedule, and editing the film, all under De Palma's supervision. Many of these students, such as Gilbert Adler, Sam Irvin, and Charlie Loventhal, went on to long careers of their own, producing and directing films.

Kirk Douglas plays a film instructor loosely modeled on the director himself. Keith Gordon is one of his pupils who films everything that happens at home. Many of the events that happen to Gordon's character were modeled on events from De Palma's own adolescence, particularly rivalry with a more favored brother, a mother prone to dramatic outbursts, and a philandering father.

  1. ^ Martin, Judith (October 17, 1980). "'Home Movies,' As Always". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  2. ^ De Palma, Brian (11 February 2020). "Brian De Palma Remembers Filming a Student Film With Kirk Douglas". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 December 2020.