It's unlikely, but I _really_ hope Faye Dunaway sees this review. After all the work she did on this role, and all the shit she took from the Razzies over it, I imagine it would be a vindication after all these years. Brad, you did a good thing with this review, and it's one of the reasons I appreciate your reviews more than most (even when I don't agree with them).
Damn, even watching it through this review, I was terrified of Faye Dunaway's performance. This really won a Razzie? Really? There weren't worse movies in 1981, you know, the year that Zombie Lake, Frankenstein Island, Smokey Bites the Dust, and Tarzan the Ape Man came out?
I been watching this movie since I was a kid n finally hear sumone else notice how unfair the razzie was when Faye Dunaway did an AMAZING Joan Crawford?!?! Lol
I think Razzies sometimes nominate the most talked films of the year,not necessarly the worst (Example Rambo II,Mother !) luckly, they re nominating Christian or Political bullshit (Saving christmas,hillary's america)
I think the reason so many people think this movie is bad is because Joan Crawford's friends said the book was all lies and that Christina was treated like a princess. So they likely tried to drag it down.
I completely agree that if you take this film seriously, it's a highly effective and frightening drama. Dunaway is absolutely on point with her performance of Joan. I've always loved this movie.
Showed this movie to my friend the other day and told him it's considered a camp classic. He summed it up perfectly by saying "The people who think this is camp have never been around crazy people before"
My mom sure won the adoptive parent lottery, that's why this movie is special for me. It makes me grateful that there are good adoptive parents in the world.
Yes! So glad this was reuploaded! I know "No Wire Hangers," has always been the favorite line amongst fans, (and non fans alike) but mine were always: "TINA....bring me the AX!" (That pause is pure perfection) "Helga, I'm not mad at you; I'm mad at the dirt!" "I should've of known you'd know where to find the boys, and the booze." "Don't Fuck With Me Fellas! This ain't my first time at the rodeo." Even if you found Faye Dunaway's performance to be over the top, there's no denying, that young actress playing Christina Crawford as a child, put on an excellent performance! That, "Jesus Christ" moment alone, deserved a damn award!
Jake Voronkov I seriously felt the same way. I was actually pretty surprised to learn in post, that it received not only razzies, but several razzie nominations!
The ax line is iconic, and young Christina's lines in the entire wire hangers scene is damn chilling. How this movie won so many razzies is shocking to me since it wasn't the worst movie of the year.
Kinda sucks Faye Dunaway never got to play Norma Desmond in the Sunset Blvd musical when she was supposed to. She actually would’ve been fantastic in that role.
From what I've seen in this review, outside of Dunaway's Crawford, the rest of the movie around her seems...alright. Not as much of a camp classic like people nowadays declare it as, but not as gun-ho in love with it like Brad does. However, even just watching this review alone without seeing the entirety of the flick, I agree wholeheartedly with Brad with declaring Dunaway's performance as Joan Crawford being the single greatest motion picture performance of all time!
I love this review so much! Those razzys were truly undeserved. Fays performance was so real that I want to walk out of the room just so she won't look at me with those eyes!
I just found out the actress wrote a memoir about what it was like working on the set, and oh boy, was it a doozy. Edit: The actress who played Carol Ann, and not Christine - which was my mistake.
Ah, Mommie Dearest. I remember watching this late night when I was a little kid. Scared the shit out of me. Side note, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane is one of my favourite movies of all time!
Even though the Razzies think that this version of Joan Crawford is bad, the American Film Institute thinks otherwise, as this iteration was named one of their 50 greatest villains in their 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains list. If this gets named to the National Film Registry, the Razzie committee at the time will be eating their own words.
...Why are my tan pants now brown? Maybe it's because I grew up with a mother who suffered early-life abuse (and went on to become a social worker), but I think the fact that they used a beautiful actress to "commit" such heinous acts just makes it even more terrifying. People thought/think this movie is funny... why? D:
I saw Mommy Dearest as a kid with my mother on some station and it scared me. ^^ You know, I always found Joan a little scary, but mostly because of her looks. Have you ever seen her silent film work from the 20s? It was worse then. Anyway, Faye did a great job and I know she hates talking about this work, but I know if I met her, I would praise her and say that anyone who says otherwise is a fool and that she put on a damn good performance and that she has true talent. I still can't believe that this movie is now marketed as a comedy. I felt the same way when I saw this review when you originally did it years ago (still one of my favorite reviews by you, btw). Some people are just idiots.
Snob poking fun of silly movies makes my day as much as it does for everyone else, but I must say Brad pointing out that certain movies/scenes are better than people give credit usually leads to some of my favorite Snob moments ever! Like his very interesting quick comments about the representation of teen mental health and depression in Nightmare on Elm Street 3, and -back in the Friday the 13th video -about how female characters are often smarter and way more proactive in some slasher movies than in most action flicks. These smart tidbits are something quite unique to his videos, especially in the way he manages to deliver it: informative and yet snarky. I love it, man! Have a great mothers' day night, folks!
Frightening Fact: According to Christina's book, the wire hangers bit was simply one of Crawford's night raids where she lost her temper at the slightest provocation. Christina believed that it stemmed from her mother's childhood where her mother washed clothing for a living. One of the few jobs that Crawford and her brother were able to do was to hang clothing on the wire hangers. She realized that it was a status thing that clothing that belonged to poor people were hung on wire hangers and those that belonged to rich people hung on wood hangers or were wrapped up. While this is far from my favorite movie, I do agree with Brad on many things especially about Dunaway's performance. Joan Crawford was so over the top in real life that you have to be similarly over the top to play her. Jessica Lange gave a similar performance as Crawford in Feud: Bette and Joan (with an equally over the top Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis). I however find giving Mommie Dearest the Rocky Horror camp comedy treatment insensitive. Whatever you think of the movie, it was a true story and was about child abuse. If it were fiction, I wouldn't care as much. But, really to laugh and mock someone else's real life pain is really below the belt. 2:244:10- love the League of Their Own and Chinatown references. 😅😂 Yes that was true. For all her many flaws, Crawford personally wrote to each and every fan. She also got to know the crew members of every production that she was on and even called them by name when they worked together again. She also supposedly would give them nice expensive birthday gifts.
I'm just old enough to remember seeing Joan Crawford movies before this came out. For gen Xrs that came up in abusive households this film is our Apocalypse Now. I watched again this year and I still get flashbacks.
“Joan you have to understand, this is not Hollywood where you get rid of problems with a phone call, This is the real world” of the the best lines of the movie and in classic movies ever and it came from pepci.
Channel Awesome has both paying gigs and non-paying gigs. The anniversary movies happened to be ones that were made on a volunteer basis, but this wasn't a secret, we knew that far ahead of time. I have been in TONS of movies that were volunteer roles. And even though they were non-paying roles, CA still payed for all of our travel, our food, and our hotel costs. None of us were forced to make crossover videos during the anniversary movies. If we did, they asked if they could be on their channel to help cover expenses, however, we still got to keep any extra features we shot or any commentaries or outtakes that we could feature on our own channels. Later we could even post the crossovers on our own channels. Having crossovers posted on their channel was extremely beneficial to me, because their channel had more subscribers and I had a significant boost in viewers after Kickassia and all its crossover videos.
When I was about 13, my mom came into my room one day and noticed I had some clothes on wire hangers. She started ranting about her dislike of wire hangers and I thought it was hilarious because I assumed she was referencing the film. Turns out she hadn't seen it and just really didn't like wire hangers.
Ruby Doomsday the opposite happened to me. Before I had ever seen the movie or heard of it (I was like 11 or 12 I think), my mom came in my room ranting about wire hangers and I was really freaked out...she realized I didn't get the joke and was like "you haven't seen Mommie Dearest yet?"
I tried to just play the video and walk away to give you the view (to make up for watching on another channel) but I still end up watching the whole review
Since I was kicked around as a kid this movie was legit hard to watch and we watched it in psychology senior year. The wire hangers scene was too much I think it was one of the times I got in trouble for laughing at a part in a movie in class. The other time was in college with the slapping scene in China town.
Wow, it's already been four years! I remember when this was originally uploaded. One of my favorite reviews of yours. It convinced me to watch, and eventually buy, this film.
Gotta agree with Brad here; this film isn't a comedy, unintentional or not. Sure, it's over-the-top, but child abuse just. Isn't. Funny. And Faye Dunaway is chilling.
Actually a strong movie with chilling acting. The film's misery is just that people couldn't imagine someone behaving so 'over the top' and dramatic in real life like Joan Crawford and thought it's just silly and hilarious writing and acting.
Terrefing....Chilling...Wich heart and honesty....It`s one of the moust intens film .....I wont to say somthing but I can`t. I have no other word`s. One of the best revie from Cinema Snob indied. Thank You.
The only thing I never quite understood was where did those wire hangers come from? I mean movie-wise, Joan is dead set on blaming Christina for it, but if I was just going by the movie, I would have suspected Joan put those wires there, just so she could have an excuse to abuse her.
That I can answer. Before she became an actress, Joan grew up poor. She used to work in a family laundry company. When she made it as an actress and a wealthy woman, that was her escape from that life. She fears going back to that life and any reminders of that justify her fear more. This fear later turned into a severe case of OCD. Wirehangers even back then were the cheapest hanger you can get, with plastic and wood being the more expensive. They are also known to dent and wrinkle delicate fabrics such as the dresses she bought Christina. So when she sees a $300 dress on a $2 dollar hanger it made her snap.
Shanethefilmmaker I'm guessing the help provided the wire hangers, not knowing what an issue they would be. Or maybe Joan was at one point okay with wire hangers, or saw them but said nothing (so they were continously used) and then one night used them as an excuse to berate her daughter just because she wanted to. Not uncommon behavior for abusers/manipulators.
In the case of the movie, I don't think Joan would have been ok with the wire hangers at any point of her rich life and on the off chance the help did do it, she would have fired her and blamed Christina for that too. She is also very manipulative, she pretty much threatened the board members of a very powerful soda company and got away with not only that but owning said Soda company. When I watch their moments, there seems to be a split personality between Joan the parent and Joan the actress. Whenever she plays Joan the Parent, she often tries to make her kids follow two simple but still cruel rules. 1. Live up to her standards. Which any of the kids even the ones that defend her can tell you is tough. 2. Love her no matter what. It's why she goes from a raging monster to a crying baby whenever Christina looks or talks to her condescendingly in rebellion of her abuse. However every time Christina comes remotely close to doing rule one, that's when Joan the Actress takes over. And Joan the actress hates competition, even from her own family. When Christina almost won the swim race, Joan cheated. When Christina got a gig at a soap opera, she stole her role.
Cheese & Rice _Mommie Dearest,_ I saw that movie when HBO was a box that you sat on top of your television set in your living room. Now that I'm older, I'm going to go back and take a look at it.
According to Kirk Douglas, (Bette and Joan: A Divine Feud) Chris was harnessed to his bed. And Nathalie Schafer talked about how Joan made Chris eat a whole box of chocolates after he took two instead of just the one. There's no smoke without fire.
I feel so bad for that little girl. My mother is bipolar qnd wont admit to it, so she snapped like that. She saw this movie and liked the way mommie dearest sounded, so we got our ases whipped for not calling her that. My mother dudnt like my sister and I's father, and she let us know about it almost every day. My trouble making younger brother knew he could get away with everything and did as much as possible. My sister got pregnant at 15 so she could move out. My mother beat her with a metal dog leash when she was 7 months pregnant. I know what that girl went through. I understand some discipline, like a slap on the hand or on the ass. But the shit in this movie and what we went through should result in jail time. But most times those people never face any type of hustice. Im going to have my first child in February, qnd pray that i can keep my temper and make my child happy, but also respectful.
this one is rough because I had a mother with similar mental health issues, lots of deeply felt abuse. it's so well acted that I don't know if I could actually watch it but I damn well respect it.
Considering how expensive Christina's dresses are, I would find it safe to believe that Joan had her dresses dry cleaned. Usually when you get your clothes back from the dry cleaners they come hung up on wire hangers. I think Christina was expected to take the dresses off the wire hangers, throw them out, and put the dresses on the nice wooden hangers that are covered in the pink padding. My guess would be Christina forgot to switch out the hangers, and when Joan saw the wire hanger she snapped.
+Gracekim1 I didn't read the book so I can't say, but perhaps she was terrified of being shut up in the boarding school and essentially abandoned by her mother because, as Brad points out, for all the abuse Joan dealt her Christina still saw her as her mother and loved her and wanted to be loved by her. No child wants to be abandoned by a parent, it's much less traumatizing (theoretically) for the child to willingly cut ties with their parents/family on their own terms when they're ready for it.
I agree with the above comment-it was probably also a little bit of a “the devil you know” situation. She probably didn’t really want to venture into the unknown, because even though it’s obvious to US, the viewers, that she would probably be happier at the boarding school, SHE had no way of knowing that. And there is the whole abandonment thing too. Nobody wants to be dumped by their own parent at that age.
*Cinema Snob has an upload due on Mother's day* *Re-uploads "Mommy Dearest"* Brad, this is why we love you. And yes, that is one HELL of a performance.
I have always liked this movie. I read about Joan Crawford before I saw the movie, so I was blown away by Faye Dunaway's performance. It's like you said, if the clips are taken out of context, they look so absurd that they are funny. However, in the context of the movie, and knowing how Joan Crawford was, this was a good movie.
My Mom had severe untreated mental illnesses when I was young. Once at a party an adult accidentally witnessed some of the abuse and joked "No wire hangers!" before walking away. So thank you Snob for your dead on criticism, and fuck the Razzies.
I remember seeing this movie on Logo during some sort of broadcasting event. They were making jokes about it and quoting the movie in a light-hearted way and I was literally so confused. I'm thinking to myself "Ok either I just don`t get the joke or something is seriously wrong here...." I sat through Cannibal Holocaust all the way through and even I can't finish Mommie Dearest.
Excellent review. I’ve always figured that some folks and critics thought this was oh so hilarious and campy, because if they took a minute to take it seriously, it would truly terrify them. That being said, I can relate the OCD of Faye’s portrayal of Joan, and to try to take the edge off with alcohol, been there:)
"Jesus Christ ..." Perfect quote for this. THOUGH YES, DUNAWAY'S PERFORMANCE IS JAW DROPPING.
It's unlikely, but I _really_ hope Faye Dunaway sees this review.
After all the work she did on this role, and all the shit she took from the Razzies over it, I imagine it would be a vindication after all these years.
Brad, you did a good thing with this review, and it's one of the reasons I appreciate your reviews more than most (even when I don't agree with them).
Damn, even watching it through this review, I was terrified of Faye Dunaway's performance. This really won a Razzie? Really? There weren't worse movies in 1981, you know, the year that Zombie Lake, Frankenstein Island, Smokey Bites the Dust, and Tarzan the Ape Man came out?
That's the thing that surprises me. Even in the indie circuit, stuff like Curse of the Cannibal Confederates was utter trash.
Dark Mountain Productions I dunno, this performance seems like what an old school movie star would be like.
That's the point she captured the crazy of the real women.
I been watching this movie since I was a kid n finally hear sumone else notice how unfair the razzie was when Faye Dunaway did an AMAZING Joan Crawford?!?! Lol
I think Razzies sometimes nominate the most talked films of the year,not necessarly the worst (Example Rambo II,Mother !) luckly, they re nominating Christian or Political bullshit (Saving christmas,hillary's america)
I think the reason so many people think this movie is bad is because Joan Crawford's friends said the book was all lies and that Christina was treated like a princess. So they likely tried to drag it down.
Not all of them said it was lies. Some even said in retrospect that Joan may have been crazy and abusive
I completely agree that if you take this film seriously, it's a highly effective and frightening drama. Dunaway is absolutely on point with her performance of Joan. I've always loved this movie.
Showed this movie to my friend the other day and told him it's considered a camp classic. He summed it up perfectly by saying "The people who think this is camp have never been around crazy people before"
How Brad celebrates Mothers Day.
My mom sure won the adoptive parent lottery, that's why this movie is special for me. It makes me grateful that there are good adoptive parents in the world.
I actually really like genuinely happy Brad
I loved seeing Brad get really passionate and positive. As well as giving me something of a brief history lesson on a figure of old school Hollywood.
Yes! So glad this was reuploaded!
I know "No Wire Hangers," has always been the favorite line amongst fans, (and non fans alike) but mine were always:
"TINA....bring me the AX!"
(That pause is pure perfection)
"Helga, I'm not mad at you; I'm mad at the dirt!"
"I should've of known you'd know where to find the boys, and the booze."
"Don't Fuck With Me Fellas! This ain't my first time at the rodeo."
Even if you found Faye Dunaway's performance to be over the top, there's no denying, that young actress playing Christina Crawford as a child, put on an excellent performance! That, "Jesus Christ" moment alone, deserved a damn award!
This isn't even close to being worthy of being the worst movie of 1981, let alone the entire decade.
Jake Voronkov I seriously felt the same way. I was actually pretty surprised to learn in post, that it received not only razzies, but several razzie nominations!
Too bad the adult Christina actress was more wooden then a tree
The ax line is iconic, and young Christina's lines in the entire wire hangers scene is damn chilling. How this movie won so many razzies is shocking to me since it wasn't the worst movie of the year.
There's a liquor store on the right...
One of my favourite episodes of the Snob and the one that really got me hooked on the show. Glad to see it reuploaded.
Francisco Oliveira Cool. The first video I watched from the Cinema Snob was The Geek. Good times. Good times.
I believe mine was Saturday the 14th.
Mine was Pink Flamingos.
Mine was this one and the Lone Ranger
Hooked like a wire hanger?
"Avoid the clap" -Joan Crawford. WOW! 😂😂😂😂
That is my favorite line of this review.
Other than Snob's crush on Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford.
Well either watching this or marathoning season 4 of Bojack = best way to spend Mother's Day.
Kinda sucks Faye Dunaway never got to play Norma Desmond in the Sunset Blvd musical when she was supposed to. She actually would’ve been fantastic in that role.
Does she sing as well? Maannn she would've been a great Norma.
The perfect Mother's Day gift
“Don’t give her a baby, didn’t you see Mommie Dearest?!!”
This is one of your best reviews. Mommie Dearest has a TV movie quality to it, but it's not a horrible movie. Faye is great in it.
From what I've seen in this review, outside of Dunaway's Crawford, the rest of the movie around her seems...alright. Not as much of a camp classic like people nowadays declare it as, but not as gun-ho in love with it like Brad does.
However, even just watching this review alone without seeing the entirety of the flick, I agree wholeheartedly with Brad with declaring Dunaway's performance as Joan Crawford being the single greatest motion picture performance of all time!
I agree. Must've just been some old Hollywood holdons not wanting to cast shade on a big name at the time. Great performances imo
The young actress who played Christina as a little girl was also very good.
I love this review so much! Those razzys were truly undeserved. Fays performance was so real that I want to walk out of the room just so she won't look at me with those eyes!
I haven't nearly shit myself in fear by a performance since Catherine Keener's co-starring role in An American Crime.
I feel sorry for the child -in movie and real life
I just found out the actress wrote a memoir about what it was like working on the set, and oh boy, was it a doozy.
Edit: The actress who played Carol Ann, and not Christine - which was my mistake.
Child abuse is not funny
Ah, Mommie Dearest. I remember watching this late night when I was a little kid. Scared the shit out of me. Side note, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane is one of my favourite movies of all time!
Erato IsYourMuse now "WHTBJ" is true camp.
Topher S :)
Faye's voice in this movie is fantastic.
Even though the Razzies think that this version of Joan Crawford is bad, the American Film Institute thinks otherwise, as this iteration was named one of their 50 greatest villains in their 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains list. If this gets named to the National Film Registry, the Razzie committee at the time will be eating their own words.
TINA BRING ME THE AXE!!!!!!!
AND BUBBA, GET THE TABLE!!!!!!
I AM THE TABLE
@Mike Thieman Jr BUT WHO WAS PHONE?!?1
THE BREAKS, TINA, THE BREAKS!
NO!!!
MORE!!!
TRANSFORMERS!!! ..... Wait...
One of the Snob’s best episodes
I f*cking LOVE this movie. I know some people this crazy, so I can relate to the presumed over-the-top acting.
Let's celebrate Mother's Day in style... And without wire hangers!
...Why are my tan pants now brown?
Maybe it's because I grew up with a mother who suffered early-life abuse (and went on to become a social worker), but I think the fact that they used a beautiful actress to "commit" such heinous acts just makes it even more terrifying. People thought/think this movie is funny... why? D:
evil can suprise you
swytchblayd man, I really wanna give you a beer right now.
I think they wanted to pretend this kind of abuse doesn’t exist.
swytchblayd Because it goes to show that outer beauty doesn't always mean inner beauty.
I saw Mommy Dearest as a kid with my mother on some station and it scared me. ^^ You know, I always found Joan a little scary, but mostly because of her looks. Have you ever seen her silent film work from the 20s? It was worse then. Anyway, Faye did a great job and I know she hates talking about this work, but I know if I met her, I would praise her and say that anyone who says otherwise is a fool and that she put on a damn good performance and that she has true talent.
I still can't believe that this movie is now marketed as a comedy. I felt the same way when I saw this review when you originally did it years ago (still one of my favorite reviews by you, btw). Some people are just idiots.
Snob poking fun of silly movies makes my day as much as it does for everyone else, but I must say Brad pointing out that certain movies/scenes are better than people give credit usually leads to some of my favorite Snob moments ever!
Like his very interesting quick comments about the representation of teen mental health and depression in Nightmare on Elm Street 3, and -back in the Friday the 13th video -about how female characters are often smarter and way more proactive in some slasher movies than in most action flicks.
These smart tidbits are something quite unique to his videos, especially in the way he manages to deliver it: informative and yet snarky. I love it, man!
Have a great mothers' day night, folks!
Thank you, Snob, for the perfect re-upload on this special day. Love, all the Mommies... Now, Bring Me the AXE!!! 😲
Lizzie Borden
Frightening Fact: According to Christina's book, the wire hangers bit was simply one of Crawford's night raids where she lost her temper at the slightest provocation.
Christina believed that it stemmed from her mother's childhood where her mother washed clothing for a living. One of the few jobs that Crawford and her brother were able to do was to hang clothing on the wire hangers. She realized that it was a status thing that clothing that belonged to poor people were hung on wire hangers and those that belonged to rich people hung on wood hangers or were wrapped up.
While this is far from my favorite movie, I do agree with Brad on many things especially about Dunaway's performance. Joan Crawford was so over the top in real life that you have to be similarly over the top to play her. Jessica Lange gave a similar performance as Crawford in Feud: Bette and Joan (with an equally over the top Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis).
I however find giving Mommie Dearest the Rocky Horror camp comedy treatment insensitive. Whatever you think of the movie, it was a true story and was about child abuse. If it were fiction, I wouldn't care as much. But, really to laugh and mock someone else's real life pain is really below the belt.
2:24 4:10- love the League of Their Own and Chinatown references. 😅😂
Yes that was true. For all her many flaws, Crawford personally wrote to each and every fan. She also got to know the crew members of every production that she was on and even called them by name when they worked together again. She also supposedly would give them nice expensive birthday gifts.
This is one of my favorite Snob reviews. His passion for a film that he (and Brad) genuinely likes is fun to watch :) .
Watching this while currently reading Bette & Joan: The Divine Feud. It is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it to any movie fan
It's an amazing book and the miniseries based on it was excellent.
That show was amazing... Sarandon should've gotten aaaaalllll the awards. That last episode was fucking EPIC.
Holy shit... After so many years you got this episode back! I'm having a few drinks so why not watch this classic. Joan would approve.
I'm just old enough to remember seeing Joan Crawford movies before this came out. For gen Xrs that came up in abusive households this film is our Apocalypse Now. I watched again this year and I still get flashbacks.
“Joan you have to understand, this is not Hollywood where you get rid of problems with a phone call, This is the real world” of the the best lines of the movie and in classic movies ever and it came from pepci.
I totally had an urge to watch this again the other day. So glad to see you re-uploaded it!
This is one of my Favourite reviews from Brad, And I was never able to find it for the longest time. I’m so glad it’s back!
I think Hollywood had it in for this film because it wasn't a flattering portrayal of the studios and a Hollywood icon.
Yeah, Hollywood already has an ugly reputation from the Weinstein incident.
Rainbow Doodler209 But this was before the Weinstein incident.
So glad I can watch this here now instead of that Other guy who reuploads all the older episodes XD
yeah i don't understand how somebody thinks they can just re-upload other peoples work. Orsa84 sucks lol
Sure sure Orsa totally sucks it's not like The Cinema Snob's website has the videos on it
Nicolas Young some of his videos aren't one his website iirc
Channel Awesome has both paying gigs and non-paying gigs. The anniversary movies happened to be ones that were made on a volunteer basis, but this wasn't a secret, we knew that far ahead of time. I have been in TONS of movies that were volunteer roles. And even though they were non-paying roles, CA still payed for all of our travel, our food, and our hotel costs.
None of us were forced to make crossover videos during the anniversary movies. If we did, they asked if they could be on their channel to help cover expenses, however, we still got to keep any extra features we shot or any commentaries or outtakes that we could feature on our own channels. Later we could even post the crossovers on our own channels. Having crossovers posted on their channel was extremely beneficial to me, because their channel had more subscribers and I had a significant boost in viewers after Kickassia and all its crossover videos.
Right on!!! I love this movie for all the right, AND all the wrong reasons. It doesn’t get nearly the praise or recognition that it should!
This was the first Cinema Snob episode and I am glad to see that it is now on UA-cam.
With the way my birth mom has treated since my son was born two years ago, this is the perfect present to me.
I loved her movie "Mildred Pierce!" She was amazing!
BlueEmpress 4life That was a great movie!
When I was about 13, my mom came into my room one day and noticed I had some clothes on wire hangers. She started ranting about her dislike of wire hangers and I thought it was hilarious because I assumed she was referencing the film. Turns out she hadn't seen it and just really didn't like wire hangers.
Ruby Doomsday the opposite happened to me. Before I had ever seen the movie or heard of it (I was like 11 or 12 I think), my mom came in my room ranting about wire hangers and I was really freaked out...she realized I didn't get the joke and was like "you haven't seen Mommie Dearest yet?"
Oh gosh. That's really funny too.
They really screwed over Faye.... she gave a marvelous performance.
Brad crushing hard on Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford is too good. And completely relatable, she is damn fine.
I tried to just play the video and walk away to give you the view (to make up for watching on another channel) but I still end up watching the whole review
Since I was kicked around as a kid this movie was legit hard to watch and we watched it in psychology senior year. The wire hangers scene was too much I think it was one of the times I got in trouble for laughing at a part in a movie in class. The other time was in college with the slapping scene in China town.
Silent Night Deadly Night is like this film but its Christmas theme.
The one that got me was the hair cutting scene. Christina’s cries are legit upsetting and make my chest knot up. I hope Joan Crawford’s in hell
Got in trouble? For laughing at a movie scene? You think that is logical?
Wow, it's already been four years! I remember when this was originally uploaded. One of my favorite reviews of yours. It convinced me to watch, and eventually buy, this film.
This is THE VERY BEST Cinema Snob! Best Mothers Day present was this re-upload and I'm CRYING . . . laughing.
Gotta agree with Brad here; this film isn't a comedy, unintentional or not. Sure, it's over-the-top, but child abuse just. Isn't. Funny. And Faye Dunaway is chilling.
Ariella Kahan-Harth I wish Family Guy and other "adult" series would get that memo.
"Don't fuck with me fellas!"
I love that scene.
Actually a strong movie with chilling acting. The film's misery is just that people couldn't imagine someone behaving so 'over the top' and dramatic in real life like Joan Crawford and thought it's just silly and hilarious writing and acting.
I’m starting to get the idea you don’t like the razzies very much 🤔
Terrefing....Chilling...Wich heart and honesty....It`s one of the moust intens film .....I wont to say somthing but I can`t. I have no other word`s. One of the best revie from Cinema Snob indied. Thank You.
Fun review. And handsome critic.
Favorite episode ever!!! Favorite movie ever!!!!
The only thing I never quite understood was where did those wire hangers come from? I mean movie-wise, Joan is dead set on blaming Christina for it, but if I was just going by the movie, I would have suspected Joan put those wires there, just so she could have an excuse to abuse her.
Shanethefilmmaker , also, what's the deal WITH the wire hangers? Why is having wire hangers such a bad thing that it sets her off?
That I can answer. Before she became an actress, Joan grew up poor. She used to work in a family laundry company. When she made it as an actress and a wealthy woman, that was her escape from that life. She fears going back to that life and any reminders of that justify her fear more. This fear later turned into a severe case of OCD. Wirehangers even back then were the cheapest hanger you can get, with plastic and wood being the more expensive. They are also known to dent and wrinkle delicate fabrics such as the dresses she bought Christina. So when she sees a $300 dress on a $2 dollar hanger it made her snap.
Shanethefilmmaker , thanks for the explanation!
Shanethefilmmaker I'm guessing the help provided the wire hangers, not knowing what an issue they would be. Or maybe Joan was at one point okay with wire hangers, or saw them but said nothing (so they were continously used) and then one night used them as an excuse to berate her daughter just because she wanted to. Not uncommon behavior for abusers/manipulators.
In the case of the movie, I don't think Joan would have been ok with the wire hangers at any point of her rich life and on the off chance the help did do it, she would have fired her and blamed Christina for that too. She is also very manipulative, she pretty much threatened the board members of a very powerful soda company and got away with not only that but owning said Soda company. When I watch their moments, there seems to be a split personality between Joan the parent and Joan the actress. Whenever she plays Joan the Parent, she often tries to make her kids follow two simple but still cruel rules. 1. Live up to her standards. Which any of the kids even the ones that defend her can tell you is tough. 2. Love her no matter what. It's why she goes from a raging monster to a crying baby whenever Christina looks or talks to her condescendingly in rebellion of her abuse. However every time Christina comes remotely close to doing rule one, that's when Joan the Actress takes over. And Joan the actress hates competition, even from her own family. When Christina almost won the swim race, Joan cheated. When Christina got a gig at a soap opera, she stole her role.
Cheese & Rice _Mommie Dearest,_ I saw that movie when HBO was a box that you sat on top of your television set in your living room. Now that I'm older, I'm going to go back and take a look at it.
Oddly enough my grandma loved this movie and showed it to me often 😅
One of the best you've done Brad! hope it stays up this time ^_^
According to Kirk Douglas, (Bette and Joan: A Divine Feud) Chris was harnessed to his bed. And Nathalie Schafer talked about how Joan made Chris eat a whole box of chocolates after he took two instead of just the one. There's no smoke without fire.
My god yes!!! A classic is back!!!
I am so glad you reuploaded this! This is one of my favorites!!! XD
One of the best Batman callbacks I've ever heard used appropriately.
The Razzies Awards! Spewing honestly, and integrity since never! Except for 'Twilight', or '50 Shades Of Grey'.
Marc Baker And “Hilary’s America” and “Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas.”
I feel so bad for that little girl. My mother is bipolar qnd wont admit to it, so she snapped like that. She saw this movie and liked the way mommie dearest sounded, so we got our ases whipped for not calling her that. My mother dudnt like my sister and I's father, and she let us know about it almost every day. My trouble making younger brother knew he could get away with everything and did as much as possible. My sister got pregnant at 15 so she could move out. My mother beat her with a metal dog leash when she was 7 months pregnant. I know what that girl went through. I understand some discipline, like a slap on the hand or on the ass. But the shit in this movie and what we went through should result in jail time. But most times those people never face any type of hustice. Im going to have my first child in February, qnd pray that i can keep my temper and make my child happy, but also respectful.
This is the movie you choose to show on Mother’s Day, love your logic snob
This is by far your best video I love how you rip the Razzies a new asshole yet still have great jokes
From the poolhouse to Pepsi....this movie was awesome.
I haven't seen the movie, but I just love this review, it gives me chills AND makes me laugh.
Been looking for this review ever since blip went down. Fav CSnob video👍
This movie is a classic ❤
Yeah, sending the kid off to a boarding run by the same lady running the teen psych ward in Elm Street 3 is very reassuring.
So that's what happened to Sue Snell's mum!
this one is rough because I had a mother with similar mental health issues, lots of deeply felt abuse. it's so well acted that I don't know if I could actually watch it but I damn well respect it.
Thank God!! It’s back!! I love this review.
22:42 bring back Crystal Pepsi NOW! I need the power of the Crystal!
Thought Mothers Day 2011 was the perfect Mothers Day gift? :^)
Sure. I'll watch this again. I thought I was the only one who loved this film
Considering how expensive Christina's dresses are, I would find it safe to believe that Joan had her dresses dry cleaned. Usually when you get your clothes back from the dry cleaners they come hung up on wire hangers. I think Christina was expected to take the dresses off the wire hangers, throw them out, and put the dresses on the nice wooden hangers that are covered in the pink padding. My guess would be Christina forgot to switch out the hangers, and when Joan saw the wire hanger she snapped.
A reviewer once called John Waters ‘a bad Frank Perry’. He took it as a compliment.
I think the child was lying when she said ‘ I don’t want to leave home’(it’s the expression 😔)
+Gracekim1 I didn't read the book so I can't say, but perhaps she was terrified of being shut up in the boarding school and essentially abandoned by her mother because, as Brad points out, for all the abuse Joan dealt her Christina still saw her as her mother and loved her and wanted to be loved by her. No child wants to be abandoned by a parent, it's much less traumatizing (theoretically) for the child to willingly cut ties with their parents/family on their own terms when they're ready for it.
I agree with the above comment-it was probably also a little bit of a “the devil you know” situation. She probably didn’t really want to venture into the unknown, because even though it’s obvious to US, the viewers, that she would probably be happier at the boarding school, SHE had no way of knowing that. And there is the whole abandonment thing too. Nobody wants to be dumped by their own parent at that age.
*Cinema Snob has an upload due on Mother's day*
*Re-uploads "Mommy Dearest"*
Brad, this is why we love you.
And yes, that is one HELL of a performance.
Best Mother's Day Ever!
I have always liked this movie. I read about Joan Crawford before I saw the movie, so I was blown away by Faye Dunaway's performance. It's like you said, if the clips are taken out of context, they look so absurd that they are funny. However, in the context of the movie, and knowing how Joan Crawford was, this was a good movie.
age is only a state of mind
My Mom had severe untreated mental illnesses when I was young. Once at a party an adult accidentally witnessed some of the abuse and joked "No wire hangers!" before walking away. So thank you Snob for your dead on criticism, and fuck the Razzies.
I've gotta see this movie.
Vulpine Deity If you have Comcast, this movie is under "Free Movies."
BlueEmpress 4life Too bad. I already bought the dvd.
I love Mommie Dearest lol
I came for the review, I stayed for naked Cinema snob
Ah, vintage snob!
I remember seeing this movie on Logo during some sort of broadcasting event. They were making jokes about it and quoting the movie in a light-hearted way and I was literally so confused. I'm thinking to myself "Ok either I just don`t get the joke or something is seriously wrong here...."
I sat through Cannibal Holocaust all the way through and even I can't finish Mommie Dearest.
My mom took me and my older brother to see this as kids. She also took us to see "AIRPLANE!" so I'll forgive her for this!
Brad when are you gonna upload more Tequila and Bonetti I really love that show and want to see the remaining episodes
This was on a couple of times today on one of the Encore channels.
Excellent review. I’ve always figured that some folks and critics thought this was oh so hilarious and campy, because if they took a minute to take it seriously, it would truly terrify them. That being said, I can relate the OCD of Faye’s portrayal of Joan, and to try to take the edge off with alcohol, been there:)
Can’t blame the Snob for his attraction to Faye Dunaway as Joan. I have that reaction to Olivia Hussey in Psycho IV...
Thanks for the League of Their Own reference btw. You should review that one