ALL IN THE FAMILY
Oh, to be a fundamentalist Christian! Imagine the bracing pleasure of waking each morning with fresh certainty that the Apocalypse will hit before lunchtime. Although the disappointing arrival of each afternoon might eventually inspire a smidgen of doubt, a quick trip to the video store will provide reassurance of the world’s impending doom. Rent one of these films and witness for yourself hideous nonchalance with which Hollywood makes light of the gravest of transgressions–brother/sister incest.
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)–The same set of parents apparently
aren’t spicy enough for siblings and partners in crime Kevin Kline and Jamie
Lee Curtis. Behind the backs of barrister John Cleese and hapless animal lover
Michael Palin, these unrepentant siblings augment their forbidden love with
panty huffing and Italian accents.
Angels and Insects (1995)–At the turn of the century, the festering
secrets of the upper class ensnare a humble entomologist, who with all his scientific
background can’t for the life of him figure out why his newly-sired offspring
don’t really look anything like him. A good period piece with extravagant costumes,
knowing glances, and well-mannered insults.
House of Yes (1997)–What could possibly be more exciting than a New
England mansion isolated by a hurricane and filled with an explosively dysfunctional
old-money family cursed by an unhealthy obsession with the Kennedys? How about
the arrival of…TORI SPELLING? Beautifully cast and completely outmatched on
all fronts, Tori attempts to come between her fiancé and his lasciviously
unbalanced sister, played by Parker Posey. The film’s origin as a stage production
brings rapid-fire dialogue and a single setting. My favorite of Ms. Posey’s
roles.
Devil’s Advocate (1997)-–And finally, a film that dares to say,
“Enough!” A small-town attorney comes face to face with a sobering question:
When your dad is the Devil, is torrid sex with your agonizingly sexy half-sister
worth inciting the End Days? The troubles of having Satan for a father are sensitively
explored in this wholesome and moving family drama. Starring Keanu Reeves and
Al Pacino, this perennial favorite is a great way to introduce kids to the dangers
and unsavory realities of inter-familial relations.