What Really Happened to Baby Jane?

Director - Ray Harrison (All About Alice, Always on Sunday)

Starring - Freida and Roz Berri

Release Date - 1963

Genre - Drama

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

     As 2021 was coming to an end I decided to try to watch as many of the films in the new AGFA and Something Weird blu release of What Really Happened to Baby Jane? and the films of the Gay Girls Riding Club.  The film film to play was the short Always on Sunday.  It was a little underwhelming but I did appreciate what they were doing especially when you consider it was a short made by the gay community in the early 60s when something like that was considered taboo.  The second film in the set is where this release gets it's name from.  What Really Happened to Baby Jane? is a 1963 "parody" of the 1962 horror-thriller What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?  I had seen the film it was mocking and couldn't wait to check it out.

     The film follows Baby Jane who suffers an accident after receiving an award for her performance.  However, her jealous sister is tasked with taking care of her.  Her sister was once a child star but was never able to transition to adult stardom like her sister.  

      What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is somewhat of a historic piece of horror genre which inspired several elderly centered horror titles in it's wake.  It's a fun film for what it is but it's not one I would say that I love or would add it to any list.  However, I think I was more excited to see a drag parody of the film than I ever was with the original.  This thirty minute parody is more of a queer homage to an eccentric horror thriller that was popular at the time.  I enjoyed it but, much like the film that inspired it, I don't see myself revisiting it anytime soon.  The acting in this one is fun.  The cast is very eccentric and the characters match the film it's parodying while keeping with the silent motif that can also be seen in Always on Sunday.  They do a lot, especially with the story, without saying a single word.  The story for this one is a fast tracked parody of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? which I had mentioned several times now, but it's done in the GGRC style.  It's a silent tribute with some bold characters and some funny moments.  I actually found it funny and really enjoyed it for what it was.  Finally, don't expect blood or gore in this one.  It's centered around the characters and their place in the parody of WEHtBJ.  It has a little bit of a horror tone but it's not really a bloody horror flick that most of us expect out of the genre.  Overall, What Really Happened to Baby Jane? was a fun rip at the classic with a drag touch.  I think it's an important film in regards to cinema and a solid watch but it doesn't have much of a replay value.