What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (1962)

October Challenge Day 25:

When I picked up this movie from the store my Husband said, "OH WOW! I've not thought of that film since I was a kid!"

I think that statement says a lot about this movie and the story it tells.

I read the book earlier this year, and I was dumb struck by how horrifying it was. Horrifyingly Awesome!

The movie and the book - they are two different elements of horrifying. I found the book to be very disturbing (overall) but I found Bette Davis and Joan Crawford to be excruciatingly disturbing.

Although I believe the book to be a superior horror story, the movie is performed so amazingly that I must call them two different horror stories - to compare the two would take away from each. Here we have two aging sisters/actresses competing for attention, compassion, and independence. Things get ugly when, after years of resentment, everything finally comes to a head.

I am completely terrified of Bette Davis in this film. She is so frightening that I can't help but clap and cheer every time I see her. That said, real life Joan Crawford is so terrifying that I can't help but sit still and be quiet until she's off the screen and hope she didn't notice me.

This is a straight up simply terrifying psychological thriller. I loved it. I also loved the book - these two should be appreciated separately though. Also, knowing that Bette Davis and Joan Crawford had a real-life hatred of each other during the filming, made the movie even more intense. One can't help but think that the "acting" was not really acting....

Pairs with siblings and chicken. Preferably chicken cooked just enough to keep you from being sick. Watch alone or in a group (so long as everyone pays close attention). Stand in front of the window and before you turn off all the light and close the blinds, be sure to do something mysterious for the neighbors to talk about for weeks later.

I rented this movie from my local video store. Use the links under Find It. Watch It. on Horror Habit's side bar to locate where else you can find this super disturbing feature.