Psycho-Biddy Thrillers

[OneWayFilms]

As I grow older, I find myself appreciating the classic older films with aging A-List actresses in B-List horror thrillers, attempting to breath one last breath of life into their decaying Hollywood career.

I believe the original classic that started it all was 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?' with screen legends Bette Davis & Joan Crawford, who chewed up the scenery and clawed their way back into the hearts of a new generation of film goers, who craved cheap and tasteless gore-flicks with aging psychotic leading ladies.

The success of 'Baby Jane' opened a flood gate of more low-budget horror flicks with a growing list of elderly actresses eager to trade in their Hollywood Glamour for cheap thrillers and a quick paycheck.

This thread is dedicated to this deliciously campy genre of Hollywood Films that gave us the wonderful new phrase: HAGSPLOITATION!

I will keep this first post indexed with the titles I'm already familiar with, but as you list more, I can add them to this post.

What are some of your favorite Psycho-Biddy films, who's in them and are they available on bluray?

[lilboyblu]

You forgot the grandmother of them all!

[James Luckard]

aka Die! Die! My Darling!

[Mb37985]

Dear Dead Delilah
Hollywood Horror House

[ajabrams]

I have to admit I love this genre, although I hate the labels of "hag" and "biddy."
One that has been sorely missing is "Lady in a Cage" with Olivia de Havilland (also featuring Ann Southern). Would love to see a Blu-ray of this.

[Zarak]

[slimdude]

Homicidal which was a ripoff from Psycho.

[Gerby]

one of my favourites...

[Shanghai Express]

Originally Posted by Gerby

one of my favourites...

Would you happen to know if this release is region A-friendly?

[Jobla]

Many of my favorites have already been listed here.

One I like that doesn't appear to fit this category is THE MAD ROOM (1969) starring Stella Stevens and Shelley Winters. However, it does fit this category. It is only available as a Sony MOD. I keep hoping that Mill Creek might release it on Blu-ray, since they've released several other Sony titles.

Another film, BLOOD AND LACE (1971), is out of print on Blu-ray. Gloria Grahame stars in it.

I don't consider HOMICIDAL (1961) to be a Horror Hag flick, although it's one of my favorite films.

We definitely need LADY IN A CAGE on Blu.

A late entry in this category is THE LANDLADY (1997) starring Talia Shire. You don't EVER want to get behind in your rent to this lady! Only on DVD.

I suppose the nadir of this category would be FLESH FEAST (1970), with an aged Veronica Lake playing a deranged scientist. Only on DVD.

[OneWayFilms]

Originally Posted by Gerby

one of my favourites...

I have actually been searching for this one. Where is it available?

[Rzzzz]

Originally Posted by OneWayFilms

I have actually been searching for this one. Where is it available?

Here

I have this film and I like it...



But man, it would have been so much better if they all went on a murder spree....

[SeanJoyce]

Does Mommie Dearest count?

[bluskies]

*SPOILER ALERT* re: Friday the 13th (don't read if you don't want the ending revealed.)






Betsy Palmer.

[SeanJoyce]

^Considered that one, as well as

[Show spoiler]Alice, Sweet Alice

[thecooldud]

Hammer's The Nanny, with Bette Davis.

[AllAboutMatt]

Amazing idea for a thread! I love this genre, mainly because I absolutely adore the actresses who appear in them. You could possibly consider adding The Night Walker, starring one of my faves Barbara Stanwyck!

[dkelly26666]

I remember going to see "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" and "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" in first run in theaters with my mother. She took me to so many films, back then.

Many of my faves in this genre have already been covered here, as well. I would absolutely count the two previous mentioned ones above, by SeanJoyce and blueskies.

I would also add a couple of later films, like "Flowers in the Attic" and "Deadly Blessing".

Frankly, you can add the recent, "Let Him Go" to the list, as well.

[Jobla]

Some films might be spoiled just by being listed here.

For example, I'm thinking of a western that fits this category. However, I'm loathe to list it by title, since that might give away the ending. I'll just say that it was released on Blu-ray by Code Red.

[OneWayFilms]

Originally Posted by SeanJoyce

Does Mommie Dearest count?

It's so hard to say. I never really read or found any official requirements of what passes as a Psycho-Biddy classic. I mean, Fay Dunaway playing Joan Crawford is INDEED a psycho-biddy.....but I don't see it as a Hagsploitation type film, nor was it a low-budget thriller, but instead a HIGH-BUDGET Hollywood drama that accidentally became camp classic.