VHS Movie Reviews for Mommie Dearest

Mommie Dearest

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VHS Movie Reviews of Mommie Dearest

Movie Review: Mommie Dearest
Summary: 4 Stars

Mommie Dearest is one of those movies to alot of people where the "real" truth comes out. Mommie Dearest happens to be about the famous movie star Joan Crawford. The movie is based on her and what happens when abuse is put on children and what damaged people are like such as, Joan Crawford. The movie is good, but some parts are alittle disturbing like the scenes where Joan abuses her daughter, Christina. We also learn alot of things about Joan including her distructing behavior, effects of alcoholism, fame,and fortune. The movie is fact and fiction mixed together. The reason I give this movie four stars instead of five is the famous scenes like the wire hanger scene are alittle exaggerated. I can believe it's true but they didn't have to go over the top if you know what I mean. I would definitely recommend this movie but only if you know somewhat about her and her life in movies before seeing it because you will enjoy it more. So as they say in the movie trailer, "The most dramatic role in her life was her life." (P.S. You will never think the same way about wire hangers again.)

Movie Review: Infamous Movie Version Of The Highly Sensational Tell-All Biography By Christina Crawford
Summary: 4 Stars

While I have an absolute horror of any kind of child abuse I find that the film version of Christina Crawford's notorious book on growing up in the far from happy household of movie legend Joan Crawford is fascinating and indeed quite addictive viewing. Long adored by the "camp", film going community, "Mommie Dearest", is undoubtedly remembered for all the wrong reasons and I feel a viewing of it is like watching a multi car pile up in slow motion; you can't stand to see what's about to happen but you can't take your eyes off it. Being a devoted fan of Joan Crawford and her incredible Hollywood career spanning almost five decades I'm of course horrified at the way both the book and film tore her reputation to shreds. In order to be able to enjoy Faye Dunaway's wild performance as Joan Crawford whether it be total fiction or very close to the truth, I tend to separate this film from the real life movie legend and just go with all the over the top fun that makes "Mommie Dearest", such entertaining viewing. Faye Dunaway I believe is incredible in the title role despite it being far removed from how the character was originally planned to be depicted during the film's planning stage. The film certainly has a lavish look to it as befitting a major Paramount production and is filled with first rate period recreation, sensational costumes, and sets. On the camp side of things however it is a film littered with outrageous lines, bizzare laugh out loud dramatics, and two very scary abuse scenes that still send shivers up my spine. "Mommie Dearest", makes totally eye opening viewing of the first order and whether or not it accurately depicts the Hollywood Diva in a truthful light, it is essential viewing for any fans of old Hollywood and movie stars in general.

Is this story fact or fiction? I guess the majority of us will never really know. Considering the very divided opinions even from close contemporaries of Crawford's I have to assume "Mommie Dearest", holds some truths, however over the top they are depicted here, and also contains much that is fiction. The film certainly has remained in the public eye all these years since its release in 1981 because of its outrageous excesses and especially because of the white hot manic performance from Faye Dunaway in the lead role of Joan Crawford. Personally I couldn't imagine any other actress playing this part and Dunaway seems to be one of the few modern actresses that still seems to possess that old "Movie Queen", persona that is so apt here. In her performance she is at times savage, frightening, tragic, and yes even in a couple of short instances extremely vulnerable which makes it a riverting viewing experience. Of course the main joy of watching "Mommie Dearest", is in witnessing Faye Dunaway uttering some of the campiest and most unforgettably hilarious lines ever in a major motion picture. They alone deservedly earned the film an honoured place in the camp hall of fame. Who can forget Faye/Joan firing off such gems as,
"If you can't do something well DON'T do it at all!",
"If you want to clean the floor you need to MOVE the tree!",
"Helga I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at the dirt!". (My favourite),
"Tina! Bring me the axe",
"Damm it! I may as well have "Property of MGM", tattooed on my backside!"
"I might have know you'd know where to find the booze AND the boys"
and how could any viewer ever forget their first shocked reaction to the now infamous,
"Don't f..k with me Fellas!!"

Beside all this the supporting players certainly have their work cut out for them trying to get a look in. Rutanya Alda as the (fictional) loyal personal attendant Carol Ann manages in her calm way to actually make an impression against the Dunaway juggernaut and both Mara Hobel and Diana Scarwid who play Christina at different ages make an interesting team in bringing this obviously very complex and troubled character to the screen. The story begins in 1939 during production of one of Joan Crawford's lesser efforts in "Ice Follies of 1939", and progresses right through to Joan's death in 1977. Many aspects of her life are noticeably cut out in the film version such as the fact that Joan had two younger children who she also adapted, while Crawford's exit from MGM as depicted in the film is fictional as it was Joan herself who when going through one of her famed "reinventions", actually pulled the plug on MGM. Production wise Paramount went all out and spared no expense in bringing "Mommie Dearest", to the screen. The period recreation of the eras stretching from the late 1930's right up to the mid 1970's is first rate and the sets recreating Crawford's lavish Hollywood home, the MGM studios, and 1950's New York are certainly among the film's major strong points and often stand out in stark contrast to the rather trashy proceedings on screen,. Special mention I feel also needs to be directed towards famed costume designer Irene Sharaff's magnificent clothes for the film. With a long brilliant designing career in Hollywood already behind her I believe her costumes here rival in magnificence and attention to detail her earlier stunning work on 1963's "Cleopatra". Considering the total destruction this film and the earlier book did to Crawford's memory, Sharaff's creations alone certainly did the real life Movie Queen Joan Crawford proud and at least helped preserve her reputation as one of Hollywood's best dressed women during its far off golden age.

Movie Review: I need therapy. This movie is a trip.
Summary: 5 Stars

When I hear the alarm go off and the opening strains of Henry Mancini's piano creep in, I know I'm preparing for that journey into the best alcohol induced haze of the 80s on the "Crawford Memorial Interstate-81". Stops along the way include...

Adoption Wars

Birthday Exploitation

Unfair Life

Being Let Go

Rose Rage

Raw (Rare) Steak

One Award

Taking that special exit for "Wire Hanger Etiquette"

Christmas Propaganda

Chadwick, Love, and A Snitch

Near Death Experience

Banishment

Making Up

Soft Drink Wars

Loss

New Beginnings

New Losses

Last Moments

And Last Words before taking that final exit back to reality.

In a world filled with "F*** Me" Heels, Booze, Domestic Disputes and the biggest Taboo of them all, "Wire Hangers"... We all know She's a Movie Star, She a Bitch, She Dresses Well and She's Rich. (Quoting John Waters)

I've watched this so many times that I need therapy.

Movie Review: Mommie was definitely dearest
Summary: 5 Stars

I have read the book and seen the movie of Mommie Dearest and I must say that after all the research I've done on Joan Crawford - Mommie dearest depicted her accurately. She developed OCD and manic depressive behavior...I have heard people who knew her say that she wasn't that way - but if you are used to being fake and phony for the sake of appearances, people who know would never know how horrible you treat your children...I have seen the other children that she adopted after Christina and Christopher and they say they never saw that, but understand there was a large age gap between Christina and Christopher and those children...speaking as an eldest child - we make sacrifices for younger siblings that they are not even aware of...I honestly believe that Joan Crawford was a vain, manic depressive, alcoholic abusive, oversexed woman afraid of being labeled as old and unwanted