"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" released 1962

The birth of the "hagsploitation" or "psycho-biddy" genre happened when Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? was released October 31, 1962.  Starring two aging actresses who's stars were fading,  Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, the movie portrayed two aging actress who's stars were fading. 

It is well-known now that Crawford and Davis had a long-running feud but managed to hold it together to complete the movie.  Then they went back to fighting.  Crawford campaigned against Davis for her Oscar nomination for Best Actress.  The film was a financial success and garnered 5 Oscar nominations.  It won the Oscar for Best Costume Design, Black and White.

Davis and Crawford started to film Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte but Joan Crawford was fired before completing it and her scenes were re-shot with Olivia DeHavilland. 

Other films that followed this new genre included Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?, What's the Matter With Helen? Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?

My favorite movies - 1962

The latest Facebook challenge is to lists your favorite film from each year that you have been alive.  I started in 1962 (duh!) and the plan was to list several years at a time so I'm not posting these for the next year, but when I looked at the films from 1962, I couldn't narrow them down to just one.  So I listed five (not in any particular order)

The Manchurian Candidate (favorite thriller) starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey and Angela Lansbury.




The Music Man (favorite musical) starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones.




Hatari! (favorite action movie) starring John Wayne and Red Buttons



Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (favorite psychological thriller) starring Joan Crawford and Bette Davis




The Brain That Wouldn't Die (favorite sci-fi, guilty pleasure) starring Jason Evans and Virginia Leith.