Mommie Dearest: Hollywood Royalty Edition

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There's something unnerving about the cult infamy of Mommie Dearest, a harrowing fact-based account of horrific child abuse that has developed a reputation as a camp giggle-fest of the "so-bad-it's-good" variety. Paramount's deeply schizophrenic new "Hollywood Royalty Edition" of the Joan Crawford biopic tries to have it both ways, as a serious drama and as a zany kitsch extravaganza. This contradictory take on the film is epitomized by John Waters' audio commentary: Waters was undoubtedly tapped for the gig due to his standing as the high priest of camp, but he uses the opportunity to semi-successfully defend both the film and Faye Dunaway's spookily committed performance.