laughing...
I felt the movie really started to find its ground when the family are around the table - laughing. Just the way it was shot/edited/executed....was somehow close to perfect. Felt like someone had stuck a pin in my voodoo doll's spine.
It's a strange and unsettling scene and I agree it sets the tone for what is to come. Bob Clark had genius vision in shooting and directing scenes, regardless of whether he had some flops later in his career.