The Stepford Wives

Is there something in the water? What exactly is going on in Stepford?

The Stepford Wives (1975) is a chilling movie based on the book (1972) by Ira Levin (who also wrote the novel Rosemary's Baby). The film stars Katherine Ross, whose character moves to a "perfect" town in the suburbs. However, strange things are happening in Stepford. The men of the town go to mysterious meetings, while the women dutifully stay home and do chores. The wives of Stepford not only keep a clean house but their lawns are well groomed, they wear frilly outfits, they don't raise their voices and most importantly they are happily at their husband's beck and call. Aren't they aware of the female revolution?

The film examines the changing role of women in the 70's, through the use of a fictional utopia/distopia setting. It brings into focus mens' unease with women's liberation. Times were changing for women; they were moving their attention away from the home and concentrating on their own needs and desires. This film demonstrates the paranoia that society was going through during the 70's women's movement. 

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Lady In A Cage

An overbearing, invalid mother gets trapped in her home and tormented by hooligans.

Lady In A Cage (1964) stars Olivia de Havilland as the smothering, controlling mother who is recuperating from a hip operation. She is quite wealthy and has had an elevator installed in her home, which she uses to travel from one floor to another. During one fateful trip, the power goes out and she is stuck in her elevator which resembles a cage. Various degenerates come upon the scene (including one played by James Caan), tormenting the trapped woman, violating her home and stealing her possessions.

Olivia de Havilland's melodramatic acting, frantic voice-overs and contorted facial expressions notably add to the campy quality of the film. Also, there is an implied sub-plot that her son is gay and would rather kill himself then live another day with his dominant mother.

Lady In A Cage has a wonderful title sequence, interesting cinematography, suspense, violence, drugs/alcohol, juvenile delinquents, prostitutes, and pawn shops all centered around one hot afternoon.

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Suburbia

Punk rock + the burbs = hell for all. 

Suburbia is about a group of disconnected youth who call themselves T.R. (The Rejected). The young characters are a mix of teens who have been abused, ignored or mistreated by their parents and have found salvation in punk.  Their lives at home were so terrible that they'd rather live together as squatters in a roach infested, condemned house on the edge of the suburban jungle. It is here, at the T.R. house, through the unconventional family they've created where they finally have a sense of security and love. 

The T.R. kids are punk, in the true sense of the word. They are revolting against all convention; because the "normal" world has rejected them for too long. Why should they want to be part of something that didn't want them in the first place? With every great punk story, you must have great punk music. Suburbia has live performances by T.S.O.L, DI and The Vandals. 

The film was written and directed by Penelope Spheeris who before had documented the punk scene in the film The Decline of the Western Civilization. Later she went on to direct another movie centered around rock, Wayne's World. 

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Motel Hell

Motel Hell centers around one of my favorite cult movie topics; cannibalism. A strange set of siblings run a roadside motel (Motel Hello - the "O" on the neon sign is on the fritz) and a smoked meat business. Their "secret recipe" jerky is world famous and people come from miles around to get the stuff. But, what exactly makes their meat so special? If you haven't already guessed, some motel patrons check-in but they don't check-out.

The movie has a nice balance of comedy and horror along with a twisted romance. Like Psycho, House of 1000 Corpses and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, after viewing this film you'll most likely think twice about entering a roadside business in the middle of nowhere, because they're probably owned by sociopathic entrepreneurs. 

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Mommie Dearest

No more wire hangers, EVER!!! 

Mommie Dearest is based on the book of the same name, written by Joan Crawford's adopted daughter Christina. According to the book, Joan Crawford terrorized her two adopted children through horrific verbal, mental and physical abuse. The whole premise of a famous Hollywood legend, behaving in such a way, already laid the ground work for a larger than life story. Then to top it off, Crawford was a neat freak who wanted to control the world around her; which lead her to command all night cleaning and gardening sessions. The transformation of the written story to the big screen had the addition of heavy lipstick, big hair and sparkling evening gowns; therefore the camp meter was bound to go up. 

Faye Dunaway portrays Joan Crawford in an amazing, over-the-top performance that is pure camp. Her melodramatic performance is extremely rememberable, quite terrifying and down right hilarious. Dunaway just assume forget about this role, but the fans love her performance. 

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