TROG (1970)

 I caught this one years ago in a theatrical showing, where much laughter ensued, and then revisited it more recently on glorious VHS. This might be my personal favorite Joan Crawford film. Obviously that BABY JANE film is the superior film but how many laughs are you gonna get from that epic? The story here involves a caveman, who lived in dinosaur times but somehow survived for millions of years, that is found in an underground cavern. Then he's tamed(sorta) by Ms. Crawford until he is riled up and goes on a killing spree about town which includes hanging a guy on a meathook just like in THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE.
 The sight of this screen legend shooting a man in an obvious rubber caveman mask with a tranquilizer gun might be one of the all-time cinematic joys there is. Sadly ol' Joan felt this was the most embarrassing thing she'd ever been in and it was the last theatrical film she would appear in. If only she knew of the enjoyment it would bring to future generations.
 ENCINO MAN is the movie that I always think of as the 90's equivalent of this except that was meant to be a comedy and it was crapped out in the 90's so I've avoided it like the plague.

I SAW WHAT YOU DID (1965)

 The great William Castle directs this cautionary tale about the perils of crank-calling. It mixes together, a very sit-com-like story of a couple of teenage girls having a sleep-over and a homicidal, kill-crazy fellow who just can't stop stabbing the ladies in his life. Joan Crawford does a pretty amazing job as the nagging older neighbor-lady in our perpetually annoyed murderer's(John Ireland) life.  The tone of this thing is a bit jarring with someone being killed one second and then some jaunty BEACH PARTY-style tune starts playing but it still somehow manages to work as an effective thriller and as a bonus I learned what the word "uxoricide" means thanks to some of the posters.
 There was a made-for-TV remake of this in the 80s but I've only read bad things about it.



                                      On a double-bill with a Vincent Price Poe flick!:

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962)

"A bold essay in the art of the macabre"  Quite the disturbing Hollywood classic. Stars old-timey legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford in two pretty unflattering roles. Davis' Baby Jane bringing to mind The Joker and a female Leatherface in its ugly insanity. I can't imagine too many current big name stars making themselves so unappealing for a role. Hell, even Charlize Theron in MONSTER wasn't as hideous as this. Victor Buono is great as a money hungry musician. He would go on to be King Tut in the Batman show. Director Robert Aldrich would go on to make THE DIRTY DOZEN and that womens wrestling movie. Joan Crawford went on to be known as MOMMIE DEAREST in real life. All in all an interesting off-kilter look at celebrity sibling rivalry/insanity.

                                         Such an upbeat tune!: