WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? - "I've Written A Letter To Daddy" (1962)

 Tonight's feature is "Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?" Can you spell Klassic?  I didn't think so, me neither, but this movie is one!

You wouldn't think right off that an ancient movie about a couple of olde broads would really be that interesting, but when you've got talents like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford working together, let me just say it doesn't get much better than that!!

"The Diminutive Dancing Duse From Duluth!" Yeah, well I had to look that one up myself, and I still don't get it, I'm thinking they meant douche, because duse is defined as an Italian actress, namely Eleonora Duse who was known for her tragic performances! It can also refer to a a demon or spirit! I'm still not quite sure how it relates to Baby Jane, although she was quite a tragic little demon!!

The original Baby Jane was played by a young Jewish girl named Julie Allred who got her shot at fame by winning a contest. She never returned to the big screen because of her family's devout religious beliefs! Makes you kind of wonder why they put her in the contest in the first place!

Julie was given the Baby Jane doll after the film was made and she kept in it her home until her demise in 2011 from diabetes! This creepy photo tells it all!

Julie does an excellent job as the spoiled obnoxious child star, as does Gina Gillespie as the better behaved sister Blanche Hudson! Gina was the sister of Mouseketeer Darlene Gillespie! Speaking of Mouseketeers, I can think of no better time to say farewell to Dungeon Queen Annette Funicello who passed away this week at the age of 70 from multiple sclerosis! There will never ever be another Annette, and we will miss her dearly forever!

Well, here they are some many years later, Blanche as played by Joan Crawford is now confined to a wheelchair from an accident that was seemingly caused by sister Jane as played by Bette Davis, who looks after her as best as she can!

Jane Hudson has a bit of a drinking problem, and has a penchant for what I want to say looks like Johnny Walker Red! Since recycling wasn't in existence back in 1962, Jane just hangs on to all her empties!

Jane Hudson has decided to revitalize her career, so she puts an ad in the paper to audition for an accompanist! Victor Buono as out of work composer Edwin Flagg applies for the job! Jane does a rendition of her signature tune "I've Written A Letter To Daddy" that was written by Frank De Vol with lyrics by Bob Merrill! The stage lights are a nice touch! Edwin Flagg is appalled, but he needs a job so he signs on to go along for the wild ride!

Dinner is served!!! Jane has quite a sick sense of humour!!

Jane now basically has Blanche held hostage upstairs, but when she goes out one day, Blanche unsuccessfully makes a daring attempt to get to the phone!

Jane fires the maid Elvira as played by the wonderful actress Maidie Norman, but she comes back to check on Miss Blanche, and discovers Jane up to her neck in a whole lot of ugly!

At this point, the charade is over, and Jane shows her true colours!!

Edwin Flagg finds out that he has bitten off a whole Helluva lot more than he can chew! The next bus to Krazy Town is getting ready to leave the station!!

Jane flees with Blanche in tow, and goes to the ocean where her childhood kicks in once again, much to the chagrin of some real kids playing on the beach!

Baby Jane's last standing ovation turns out to be more fateful than all the others, there's just one thing that she doesn't realize, there's no applause!!

BERSERK - Herman Cohen -"Your Front Row Seat To Murder!" (1967)

This Saturday Night Special has some extra hot sauce on it, and lives up to it's title because it's..

"BERSERK!"

"BERSERK" is an extra special movie on multiple levels, but I'll just try and hit some of the high points! "BERSERK" was a Herman Cohen production, and without Herman Cohen, we wouldn't have had many of the best 50's and 60's horror and monster movies! Seriously, Herman was responsible for I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF, I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN, BLOOD OF DRACULA, HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM, KONGA, BLACK ZOO, and HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER, but despite all that, Tabonga will never forgive him for destroying all the original Paul Blaisdell monster masks in the fire in HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER!

"BERSERK" has a super amazing all-star cast that includes Joan Crawford and Michael Gough!

Dwrayger Dungeon 101!

Nice shot of Joan!

Although I must admit, Michael's role is short-lived!!

"BERSERK" is very similar to "Horrors Of The Black Museum," and "Black Zoo," in fact, it probably should have been titled "BLACKSERK!"

Joan spends a lot of time skulking around the circus in that red cape like some kind of bloodsucker!

It's not often you get to see a good old fashioned cat fight anymore! 

This must have completely mortified Joan!

Again, what an amazing array of 60's Pop culture!

Left to right, Judy Geeson, Ty Hardin, Joanie, and The Siren of Swindon, Diana Dors!

 

As expected, this 'saw the woman in half' trick didn't work out that great for Diana!

Right about here was the most WTF!?  moment watching movies I've had lately! You know what, I'll just let you judge for yourself!  Watch it right here, "The Freak Song"  and let me know what you think! Had Herman Cohen been influenced by the musical version of "Jack The Giant Killer?" What a great group, and the chrome dome gentleman on the far right is Dungeon Hero Milton Reid!

I really didn't know that Batman and Robin were in the circus in 1967!

Herman Cohen must have really liked the circus, or it just made for a cheap but interesting stage for his movie, and personally I liked "BERSERK" a lot, but I would have liked it a lot better minus about 25 minutes of real time circus acts!

"BERSERK" is a movie that's just dying to be seen! Watch it as a triple feature with "Black Zoo," and "Horrors Of The Black Museum!!!
Now that's an original 60's power trio!!

The HORROR And SCI-FI MOVIES Of HERMAN COHEN 1952-77

 Okay kids, it's time to check out The Horror and Sci-Fi Movies of Herman Cohen, there are some very cool monster moments he's responsible for, so, sit back and enjoy the show!

First off, Herman was co-producer for BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA in 1952, one wild and wooly (ha ha) comedy flick! Also stars Duke Mitchell and Sammy Petrillo in their best Martin and Lewis imitation!

Next up is TARGET EARTH from 1954, I remember seeing this thing on TV in the fifties, it was okay because of the robot and menacing shadows. Still wish the robot looked like the awesome ones in the poster!!

In the zenith year for movie monsters, 1957, Herman produced BLOOD OF DRACULA. It's a decent flick and has some great music to swing to while we're waiting for Nancy to change into that weird looking vampire (?) who goes on a killing spree!

While I was putting this post together, it hit me... Check out the posters from the fifties, especially the next three, and notice how freaking awesome they are, what punch!! Then, check out the posters after that, they taper off to just a big pile of crap in comparison, the thrill was gone! That's why I like to emulate the fifties monsters in my art, in fact, I'd be an idiot not to!!

Herman kicks some butt with I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF, also in 1957. Of course, this poster was a re-release probably from 1959 because of the BONANZA reference.

Herman scores again with I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN in 1957, it's always weird to see Whit Bissell in both of the TEENAGE movies! Notice, the last three movies feature a Vampire, a Werewolf and a Frankenstein Monster, smart!

HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER from 1958 is a great little flick, it gots both the Werewolf and Frankenstein Monster. The only beef I have with Herman was burning Paul Blaisdell's irreplaceable monster heads at the color ending without his knowledge or permission!!!

We used to have the 1-sheet poster from THE HEADLESS GHOST from 1959 in our collection. Not a great movie, slow and way too British for my taste...

Herman's back on track with HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM in 1959!! Michael Gough is freakin' awesome as the very evil, Edmond Bancroft, in this classic tale of terror!!

Michael's back as the bad guy in KONGA in 1961, a movie Eegah!! and I saw when it came out. Wow, by that time, FAMOUS MONSTERS clued us in to all the new movies coming out!!

Three times is a charm, Michael returns again with BLACK ZOO in 1963, He's just as sadistic as ever, him and his wife run a small zoo that has some deadly animals living there!

In 1965, Herman releases A STUDY IN TERROR, a tale where Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson join in the hunt for the notorious serial killer, Jack The Ripper!

Joan Crawford goes BERSERK! in 1967, in a story about a scheming circus owner, Joan, that finds her authority being challenged when the show is targeted by a vicious killer!

Then, Joan agrees to play Dr. Brockton in TROG in 1970, man, this is one strange movie that has a caveman from the past... I prefer DINOSAURUS! a lot more when it comes to cavemen!

In 1974, Herman comes out with CRAZE, starring Jack Palance... It's a voodoo tale about a nutty antiques dealer who starts sacrificing women to an African idol. Crap poster!!

Last on the list is WATCH ME WHEN I KILL from 1977. A pharmacist is killed, and, a woman happens to see the murderer leave the scene. She begins being stalked by the killer, and, her boyfriend tries to discover who the villain is.

Great stuff, we'll have more Halloween Countdown Pogey Bait for you on Wednesday...