Bone (1972)

Yaphet Kotto is Bone, a bulky black man, (as well as thief & rapist). He appears in the life of Bill (Andrew Duggan) & Bernadette (Joyce Van Patten), a seemingly rich white couple. Bone is a hodge-podge of a movie with something social commentary to say. That's not to say it's a bad movie (it does have shining spots), but it's just not a terribly good movie either. Some of it is so dull. Expected quite a bit more from Larry Cohen. That being said, Say what you will about Blue Underground released Dvds, but whatever they choose to put out has amazingly good transfers and extras.My Grade: D+DVD Extras: Commentary with Larry Cohen & Bill Lustig; interview with producer; 30 minutes of shots from the aborted first shoot; 2 theatrical trailers (teaser, and under the name of "housewife"); poster and stills galleryEye Candy: Joyce Van Patten gets topless, as does Jeannie Berlin

The white middle/upper middle/upper class of America is corrupt, materialistic and empty of all humanity. This is the thesis of a number of films. They come in many flavors including dramatic (ex: "The Swimmer"), funny (ex: "Into The Night") and satiric (ex: "Bone"). The biggest crime this film commits is that it is predictable. It works too hard to get to a place that we've been to too many times. Still, it should not be ignored. Anyone interested in film should see this one once. We've been here before, but it's a nice reference point. The acting actually rises above the script. Two brilliant actresses from the 1970's never reached their potential in Hollywood. They are Kitty Winn and Jeannie Berlin. Both had an extraordinary command of their craft. Whenever one of their films is released on DVD it is a treat. Jeannie Berlin's performance alone is enough to make rental of this film worthwhile.

Oh man, this film is good. Beautifully acted, the entire cast seemed to understand their place in the movie perfectly. Some very strong social observations are made within as well, making Cohen's script work on multiple levels. The way everything has a surreal feeling to it, it almost feels like a dream the whole way through. And where did Yaphet Kotto come from, and where did he go in the end? Very mysterious, but it all fits into the dream, possibly the dream of the son in Vietnam? I haven't been so excited about a comedy in awhile, this film needs to be seen. Rating: 35/40

An superb and breathtaking movie - purely character driven, unpredictable and mesmerising. Fabulous performances all round, an intriguing script, some good satire and excellent pacing throughout.I'd recommend seeing it without any preconceptions - don't read any plot summaries, and don't be put off by any conclusions you may draw about the movie in the first 15 minutes...This is an absolute gem!