Head of the Family 1996

Comedy

Horror

Runtime

82 mins

Language

English

Directed by

James Jones

Made by

Tanna Productions

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Head of the Family Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Head of the Family (1996). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Howard, Gordon Jennison Noice, is the town’s hardest hammer, a Harley-riding thug whose menace keeps the local streets in line. His wife, Loretta, Jacqueline Lovell, carries a dangerous secret of her own: an affair with Lance, Blake Adams, the kindly owner of the town diner. Howard’s suspicion simmers as he senses the strain between the couple, and the tension between loyalty, love, and danger begins to fracture the surface of small‑town life.

One night, while driving Lance home from one of his late-night flings, Lance stumbles upon something chilling: the Stackpool family, a bizarre brood living on the edge of town, dragging a man from his truck into their secluded house. From this chance encounter, Lance uncovers a terrible secret that defies ordinary explanation. The Stackpools aren’t just odd in appearance; they are quadruplets who each possess an exaggerated human faculty: one is colossal in strength, another has ultra-sharp senses, a third is stunningly attractive, and the fourth, the “head” of the family, is exceptionally intelligent. The family is overseen by Myron, a regal, oversized head perched in a wheelchair who wields psychic power over his siblings and orchestrates their strange, coordinated life.

Lance sees an opportunity and uses the Stackpools’ secret to his advantage, coercing them into doing his bidding. He presses them to eliminate Howard and to hand over a weekly fortune—two thousand dollars in cash—because the family sits on oil and coal riches that make their control lucrative. The Stackpools, however, are not merely frightened victims; they are a calculated force led by Myron, who plays a dangerous game of leverage with the outside world while constraining the fates of those who cross him.

As the plot tightens, Myron tires of Lance’s petty scheming and decides to take matters into his own hands. He captures Lance and Loretta, forcing them into a brutal game to erase the trail of their secret, aiming to snap the link between the outside world and the Stackpool power. To coerce Lance into compliance, Myron stages a grim mock trial in a basement, casting Loretta in a dangerous Joan of Arc-like scenario complete with a stake, a symbolic burning, and the looming threat of annihilation. Otis, Bob Schott, seeing a chance to intervene and protect the “pretty girl,” intervenes directly. He abducts Loretta just as danger becomes too close, and he then destroys the house to erase the evidence, burning it to ashes.

With the Stackpools and Lance dead, Loretta realizes a new truth: Otis Stackpool is the sole survivor of the family and, by that fact alone, the rightful heir to the immense fortunes the Stackpools control. She marries Otis and steps into the wealth and power of the family, becoming Loretta Stackpool. Yet the final moment of the tale leaves a chilling implication: the mastermind Myron may still be alive and quietly guiding Otis from the shadows, suggesting that the danger has not truly ended, but rather shifted its gaze to a new, unseen horizon.

Head of the Family Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Head of the Family (1996) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Loretta's affair begins

Loretta, the wife of Howard the town thug, starts an affair with Lance, setting off a chain of tension in town. The relationship complicates loyalties and deepens the rift between the couple and their enemies. Howard remains largely oblivious at first, while Loretta's secret life lurks behind the scenes.

Lance witnesses the Stackpools abducting a man

During a late-night drive, Lance sees the Stackpools dragging a man from his truck and into their house. The shocking sight unsettles him and raises questions about what is really going on in that family. He resolves to dig deeper into the strange occurrences surrounding the Stackpools.

night Stackpool residence

Lance discovers the Stackpools' secret: quadruplets

Lance uncovers that the Stackpools are not a conventional family but quadruplets with extraordinary abilities. Each sibling possesses a single extreme trait: strength, senses, beauty, and intellect. The true power in the family lies with Myron, the intelligent head who directs them all.

Myron leads the family as a psychic overlord

Myron, a giant head with hands in a wheelchair, psychically controls his siblings and rules the household. He seeks even greater power and a normal body to house his superior intellect. The siblings follow his commands, making the Stackpools a dangerous unit.

Myron's experiments to house his mind in a normal body

Driven by ambition, Myron orders experiments on the brains of idiotic locals to create a body suitable for his intellect. The plan reveals his cold, calculating ruthlessness. The family becomes a factory of eerie scientific ambition.

Lance uses the secret to blackmail and extract money

Lance leverages the Stackpools' secret to force them into killing Howard. He also demands $2,000 a week in cash as payment for his silence. The arrangement drags the entire town deeper into a web of crime and manipulation.

Myron captures Lance and Loretta to destroy evidence

Growing tired of Lance's blackmail, Myron seizes Lance and Loretta to ensure the secret cannot be exposed. The capture tightens Myron's grip and isolates the two from any outside help. The stakes for Loretta grow as she becomes a bargaining chip.

Loretta faces a mock Joan of Arc execution in the basement

To coerce Lance into paying, Loretta is forced into a mock Joan of Arc trial in the basement, complete with a burning at the stake. The macabre setup heightens the danger and demonstrates how far Myron will go to maintain power. Otis becomes aware that Loretta is in danger.

Stackpool basement

Otis rescues Loretta and destroys the evidence

Otis Stackpool intervenes, carrying Loretta away rather than letting her be harmed. He then torches the Stackpool house to erase the evidence of the secret. The rescue removes Loretta from immediate danger, but binds her fate more tightly to Otis.

Stackpool residence

Loretta marries Otis and inherits Stackpool riches

With the Stackpools and Lance eliminated, Loretta realizes Otis is the rightful heir to the family fortunes. She marries him and becomes Loretta Stackpool, inheriting control of the oil and coal wealth and other assets. Their marriage consolidates power and wealth within the Stackpool line.

The deaths remove the opposition

The combined deaths of Lance and the Stackpools erase the immediate threat to Loretta's new position. The town's insider power structure collapses, and Loretta's authority within the family rises unchallenged. The void left by their removal sets the stage for Otis to rule.

Ending twist: Myron survives and remains in control from the shadows

The finale hints that Myron never fully dies. Though outwardly defeated, he is still alive and appears to manipulate Otis from behind the scenes. The eerie implication suggests the intelligent head's influence will persist, leaving the door open for his return.

Head of the Family Characters

Explore all characters from Head of the Family (1996). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Loretta

A married, dangerous strategist who uses an affair with Lance to press for wealth and power, ultimately marrying Otis and inheriting the Stackpool fortune. Her scheming eyes always seek advantage, even as the stakes rise.

💍 Scheming 🫶 Relationships 🤑 Power-seeking

Lance

Owner of the town diner who leverages the Stackpools' secret for monetary gain. He’s reckless and willing to manipulate others to protect his status and escape danger.

💰 Greed 🗡️ Manipulation 🥃 Cheating

Myron Stackpool

The intelligent head of the family, a giant disembodied head in a wheelchair who psychically controls his siblings and seeks to replace their bodies to house his intellect.

🧠 Genius 🧬 Control 🗂️ Obsession

Otis Stackpool

The unwitting survivor who becomes heir to the Stackpool fortune after Loretta’s schemes unfold. Quiet and malleable, he is drawn into the family’s dangerous web.

🏛️ Heir 🫶 Loyalty 🤝 Vulnerability

Howard

The town’s vicious Harley-riding thug and Loretta's suspicious husband. His brutality makes him a target of the Stackpools’ machinations.

⚔️ Violence 🛡️ Intimidation 🧨 Jealousy

Head of the Family Settings

Learn where and when Head of the Family (1996) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

Present-day

Set in a contemporary era where traditional crime and modern secrets collide. The town's economy flirts with oil and coal wealth, supporting a dimly lit, dangerous underworld. Modern trappings like a Harley-riding thug contrast with old-world melodrama as secrets unfold. The events unfold over a tense, ongoing timeline rather than a specific historical moment.

Location

The Town

A gritty, oil-and-coal town where fortunes are built on energy resources. The local diner sits at the center of daily life, while a notorious family mansion houses a dark, secret heritage. The Stackpool house becomes a stage for crimes and experiments, breaking the town's calm. The ambiance blends rough streets with a chilling sense of controlled power.

🏙️ Small town 🏭 Oil wealth 🏠 Dark secrets

Head of the Family Themes

Discover the main themes in Head of the Family (1996). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🧠

Power

The Stackpools are led by Myron, a giant-headed mastermind who uses psychic control to manipulate his siblings and others. Lance and Loretta also pursue power through deceit and wealth. The film explores how intellect and charisma can become weapons when used to coerce people and extract value.

🧬

Family

The quadruplets showcase a grotesque 'perfect family' made of distinct exaggerated traits. Myron's desire to upgrade the family with a normal body reveals dangerous obsession with lineage and superiority. Secrets about genetic manipulation and dynastic ambitions drive much of the plot.

🎭

Deception

Affairs, blackmail, and staged performances create a theatre of manipulation. Loretta's affair with Lance and the mock Joan of Arc scene in the basement highlight how people wear masks to control outcomes. Violence is used as a tool to silence witnesses and secure wealth.

🔥

Violence

The plot spirals through killings, arson, and brutal intimidation. Howard is targeted; the Stackpools' home is burned; and owning the family fortune hinges on the destruction of evidence. The violence is both physical and psychological, reinforcing the cost of greed.

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Head of the Family Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Head of the Family (1996). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the sleepy, wind‑scarred town of Nob Hollow, the rhythm of everyday life is punctuated by a restless undercurrent of secrets. Howard rolls through the streets on a roaring Harley, his reputation as the town’s toughest enforcer keeping the streets obedient. Beside him, Loretta moves with a quiet intensity, her concealed longing for the kindly diner owner Lance weaving a dangerous intimacy that threatens to unravel the fragile equilibrium of the community.

At the edge of town, the Stackpoole family occupies an old, weather‑worn house that seems to pulse with an uncanny energy. The quartet of siblings each displays a striking, almost supernatural trait—towering strength, heightened senses, breathtaking allure, and a razor‑sharp intellect—while a looming, regal presence known as Myron governs them from a wheelchair, hinting at a deeper, perhaps psychic, bond. Beneath the crumbling façade, whispers speak of clandestine experiments and a darkness that has been cultivated in the shadows for generations.

When Lance inadvertently stumbles upon the enigmatic Stackpools, his curiosity intertwines with the fraught love triangle at his doorstep. The encounter pulls him into a world where ordinary concerns dissolve into a maze of obsession, hidden power, and an unsettling sense that something far more lethal watches from the periphery. The town’s modest streets suddenly feel like a stage for unseen forces, and every hushed conversation seems to echo with the promise of revelation.

The film cultivates a mood of tense, atmospheric dread, balancing the intimate turmoil of illicit romance with the looming dread of the Stackpools’ secretive legacy. As loyalties shift and desires flare, the audience is left with a lingering question: how far will each character go to protect—or claim—the mysteries that lie just beneath Nob Hollow’s cracked veneer?

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