What is the 'psycho biddy' genre?

[@FurbyFullyLoaded]

I feel like Pamela Voorhees from Friday The 13th could in a certain light also be classified as a psycho biddy, or at the very least an homage to the trope

[@jane-mulcahy]

That's a good point actually! Maybe an unintentional homage, but definitely similar vibes

[@PoseurGoth]

I've seen some people classify it as one. I disagree a bit though, since she didn't get enough screen time (which is my main complaint about that film in general, being a teen during the Scream era when slashers were often whodunits).

[@wtfaiwpodcast]

11:50 My favorite detail of the "Punishment Poll" is that there never actually was any second ending for the movie. No matter what the audience voted for, they'd get the same ending. Castle just knew that nobody was going to vote for the villain to get away with it.

[@jane-mulcahy]

I read that while I was looking into his gimmicks! I love that he just kept saying it existed even though everyone knew it did not

[@christiansoto1367]

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? deserve a Oscar nomination for Best Picture, because it changed the horror genre and help many actresses over 50 getting opportunities a little.

[@demitwice]

i always get so happy when you post even if i don't know anything about what you're talking about (which is the case today)

[@champagnesupahnovah]

MA'AM, respectfully. As soon as you started speaking French my brain shut off. I would literally listen to you speaking French for hours. 🥰

[@jane-mulcahy]

that's on 7 years of french immersion elementary school ✨

[@happyplatypuspenguin]

I went to high school in French and my class did two shorts from Grand Guignol repertoire for our final year theatre project, during which we learned this fun fact: it was also known as 'le théâtre de la lessive' or 'theatre of the laundry' because of the sheer amount of prop blood they had to wash out every night #metal

[@tamagothchic]

A lot of people back in the day drank milk at most meals, particularly people who may not have had access to clean drinking water. If your choices were a river and a well, milk tasted better, and my grandparents are still convinced it's the healthier option. My grandpa genuinely thought every meal needed milk and white bread, even tacos or pancakes.

[@TonyMichaels166]

I’ve read that the whole “milk in horror movies” thing is some sort of subtle subversion of expectations since we generally associate milk with innocence and childhood. BS? Maybe. Idk.

[@ZeASK]

I adore psycho biddy movies, though I never knew the term for them until this video so thank you for the education! I think this genre really needs to make a comeback

[@EriksDesdemona]

I'm a huge Victor Buono fan, probably the biggest you can find, I look nearly daily for new content about him on the web and that's how I found your video. So positively surprised you are around my age and actually know who he is AND did not just simply skip over him in Baby Jane (like so many reviewers do). I watched the movie for the first time in 2017 and immediately fell in love with Victor, I think he stole the picture from under Bette's and Joan's noses. I started to research him because there's close to no info to find about him and his life off-screen. In the last years I've collected a huge archive to keep his memory alive, photos, articles, his filmography and I've talked to and interviewed so many people who knew and worked with him. That's how I became friends with his nephew, he used to live with him in the 60s, I also helped him with a book he wrote about Victor and the Buono family. Victor was an exceptional man, incredibly kind, huge heart, very erudite, sly, very accomplished Shakespearean actor and a poet, great teacher, also a very good singer and dancer. Just a very charming gentleman, people who knew keep telling me how loved he still is after all these years and what he did for them! Ryan Murphy's "Feud" did a disservice with their portrayal of him, reducing him to the fictionalized gay best friend stereotype with some fatphobia sprinkled on top... Anyway, sorry for the info dump, I'm just excited you know about him plus the Phantom shirt in the video? Makes your very likable! haha Great video and interesting channel, I think I'll stay. :)

[@jane-mulcahy]

Wow, that's so interesting! I can't believe I reached a Victor Buono stan! I really did first see him while watching Perry Mason with my parents, and yes I too was struck by how much he stole the show. I can't say I've gone on the same journey you have, but I definitely know how exciting and frustrating it is to have an obsession with something obscure/outdated/hard to find info on. Due to random personal interest I've done a lot of digging into the teenage years of Freddie Mercury when he was at boarding school in Panchgani, and sometimes even looking for stupid Lifetime movies to critically assess on KZbin feels like being an archeologist. How cool that you've been able to connect with his nephew! I'm sure other fans are grateful that there are still people keeping his memory alive. (And yes Phantom core rise up! I live in London and I'm seeing it live for the first time this Halloween!)

[@EriksDesdemona]

@@jane-mulcahy Thank you for taking the time to reply! Ah, it's so nice that you also can get into these hyper-fixations and niche interests and be passionate about them too, that's the kind of people I vibe with. The euphoria when you find "treasures" is such a kick! (and omg I'm also a Queen fan) I'm from Germany, so we never had any TV reruns of shows growing up I could have known him from, he was completely unknown to me until Baby Jane, I was so positively surprised when I looked him up afterwards and it turned out he was such a popular character actor. Btw, he only got the part because of Perry Mason. Aldrich had seen Victor in this great The Untouchables episode (the first time he ever got notices in newspapers (who hailed him as the next Laird Cregar)) and really wanted to get him for the Edwin part. Like Peter Lawford (who ended up declining the role) he also had doubts that this part of a slimy, effeminate momma's boy was right for him... Only because his mentors at the San Diego Old Globe convinced him, that when he drives up to Hollywood anyway to tape The Absent Artist for Perry Mason, he should just take the chance and audition for Baby Jane too. He took their advice and the rest is history. Also in the early seventies he lived in Malibu Beach and was the neighbor of Raymond Burr. There's a wonderful photo of Victor in a baseball outfit, bearded, wearing the cap backwards, smoking a cigar, getting ready to throw a ball to his nephew, and the background you can see the beach that Burr used to paint a lot from his backyard. Also Victor's mother lived with him there and she once was scandalized when Burr appeared in his backyard naked. Anyway, I rarely ever find genuine fans of him. Maybe, sooner or later, I'll turn my research into a fan website and manage to bring more of them together like that. I'm still content so far to do my little detective work to try to find more people who can still share stories about him but he was a very private person, so it's hard. Btw, Victor's nephew, Wayne Erreca, is the only one in the Buono family, who knew Victor when he was alive, who still publicly talks about him. He can't publish his book yet because one of Victor's still living brothers doesn't approve but he turned it into a video series here on youtube, in case you ever want to look it up. It even includes the conversation/interview I had with him (he's the first person I ever contacted). Omg, you get to see Phantom on Halloween in London?! For the first time?!! That's so ideal! I'm so happy for you, I hope it will be an unforgettable night. Phantom has been my first musical love and will always have a very special place in my heart. The last time I was in London was in 2011, I had convinced my father to take me on a two day trip there because I managed to get a ticket for the 25th anniversary celebration at the Royal Albert Hall. It ended up being the Sunday that was screened around the world, I was sitting in the fourth row and I will forever cherish that memory... I hope to visit again in the next one or two years and then finally see Phantom in the theater it premiered at, like you will have soon!

[@emilyr8668]

@@EriksDesdemona Hello! I know this is an old comment, but I saw this and wanted to ask if you ever made that website on Buono? My friend showed me Baby Jane last year and we both talked so much about him. I would really love to know more :D

[@EriksDesdemona]

@@emilyr8668 I have no idea if my replies show up for you. For me they don't. 😕

[@EriksDesdemona]

@@emilyr8668 One last try: If you want to talk about him let me know how I can contact you. :)

[@insiadurrani9793]

Hi Jane, I don't know if you remember me but we used to work together at a coal mine just north of Vienna. I remember you spiralling when your husband left for the war and didn't see you again after that. Glad to see you're doing well!💕

[@jane-mulcahy]

😂😂😂 I was so lost without Wesley... glad to connect with an old friend from days of yore

[@valentinecore]

to this day i think this is one of your best videos. niche content, vintage film history, out of nowhere charming and eccentric moments that make me laugh every fucking time (the circus performer song kills me), and milk!

[@noneofyourbusiness4616]

You probably found this in your research, but Micheál MacLiammóir of "What's the Matter With Helen" and his partner Hilton Edwards were the theatrical mentors of Orson Welles. Welles was traveling Ireland as a young man, unsure of what direction he would take in life, when he walked into the theater run by MacLiammóir and Edwards, pretending to be a Broadway star on holiday despite having no such acting experience. They didn't believe him, but liked his chutzpah, and their theater is where he got his first serious public acting experience. Welles claimed to have also written theater reviews for the local newspaper under a pen name which praised his own performances. He later cast both MacLiammóir and Edwards in his film adaptation of "Othello." / Anyhoo, a lovely video as usual from genius you.

[@RatRatRat]

not sure if its the glass of wine I'm drinking but "uhhh milk moment ☝😀" made me lose my shit lmaooo

[@callum6123]

I subscribed as soon as you said “She put her whole Tulussy into it” Tallulah would have loved that

[@georgier9151]

Die! Die! Sweet Vivian is a great title, no improvements required - loved this! Have seen bits and pieces about the genre (essentially just BKR's vid on Bette + Joan, which was recced for a rewatch next to this vid), but it was fascinating, and fun, to see a full debrief on the wider trends. Would love to see more like this in the future!

[@noahstein4772]

Waking up and seeing a post from you, my dad has been slewn

[@valenfr01]

i was literally thinking 'i feel like watching a jane mulcahy video' today... ma'am do you read minds perhaps?

[@valenfr01]

also i read the title as psycho baddie

[@jane-mulcahy]

arguably every psycho biddy is also a psycho baddie

[@lpchambers3681]

How frightful about Annabelle! I love it!! Great video as always…💜

[@bluebuffy9751]

idk why but the limp skeleton on the bed made me think of the voodoo baby doll from your last video

[@jane-mulcahy]

he's with us in spirit (literally bc he's a dead skeleton now)

[@gluttonousmaximus9048]

"Dead Ringer" is more melancholy and personal suspense than straight-up "psycho-biddy", and it has that noir feel likely because it's an adaptation of Rian James' story first filmed in 1945 as "La Otra", by Mexican studio Mercurio.

[@ness3614]

Lifetime original movies would be an amazing place to bring back audiences deciding whether or not the protagonist dies, ending decided by Twitter poll needs to be a genre, it needs to be a moment.

[@ness3614]

Great video also btw! I would be so hype for a RL Stine retrospective, The Haunting Hour is unironically one of my favorite TV shows it's the perfect mix silliness and earnestly spooky horror concepts

[@sonnyjoonwuzhere]

if you ever get around to it, the fear street trilogy is some of my favorite lesbian horror to ever exist. highly reccomend ❤

[@erikdaniels0n]

I just watched the Fear Street trilogy for the first time with my best friend, and I was blown away by how much I absolutely loved it. I’d LOVE to hear Julia to cover them

[@ICP96]

I know this is a bit late, but I just want to say you are my kind of Content creator. Not enough people talk about obscure, absurd, stuff like this on KZbin the way you do. And for that, I really respect you. Also my title ended up being "Shh... Here Comes Wilhelmina". Which I find amusingly perfect because because for the longest time I had a crush on a Wilhelmina. Weird coincidence in a fun way.

[@nandosere7357]

That chart at the end is so funny and creative! I litteraly was debating watching baby jane and had two videos on it in my recommended. Anyways, mine is "dont go in the basement, you'll find Constance" lol

[@DayByeDayChristineOKArtist]

I love old movies especially the psycho-biddy genre. Thank you for taking the time to show how great some of these movies are. Just subscribed!! 💗

[@user-oh3wn4jg5x]

genuinely don’t understand why you don’t have more views

[@yonkers_millyrock]

i'm "What A Shame, That Poor Abigail"! also the hamilton starr bit made me laugh out loud. proud of you for getting the halloween video out in time!

[@maxr7616]

i can’t believe i’ve seen all the movies in the description except one!!! allan, you’re next!!!

[@jane-mulcahy]

wow I am genuinely impressed, you must be a really biddy head

[@willow8363]

i've had this video in my watch later for awhile and i'm so happy to have finally gotten around to it!! i have only seen whatever happened to baby jane and whoever slew auntie roo but i loved this a lot thank you

[@Blair666witch]

I hope you do an abridged version of the RL Stine video!!! Also the whiskey and milk thing. It’s a THING. If you ever open the ‘big book’ of Alcoholics Anonymous there’s a personal story from the 30’s about drinking….a glass of milk with whiskey in it. The early-mid 20th century was ….interesting??

[@jane-mulcahy]

Just drink Bailey's at that point why are we making our own cursed dairy whiskey product

[@Phia5538s]

Funny, I was just rewatching the killer under the bed video yesterday and thinking about how excited I am for the Halloween video. Also my Psycho Biddy Title is How Frightful About Constance... it's perfect

[@DiabloSandwich59]

A Part 2 might be in order because I noticed a few big missing titles: Killing of Sister George, Night Walker and Devil's Own

[@jane-mulcahy]

Yeah I'd also like to watch The Nanny with Bette Davis

[@DiabloSandwich59]

@@jane-mulcahy OMG, how could I forget The Nanny? That's my favorite!

[@olhpicabral]

Plus (depending on how you define the genre) Lady in a Cage, Hollywood Horror House (a.k.a. Savage Intruder), Killer Bees, Scream Pretty Peggy, I Saw What You Did, and Rosemary's Baby (Ruth Gordon, a deleted Joan Crawford cameo).

[@Boggythefroggy]

I don’t know if you bring it up later but I just realized X in the last couple years is definitely a psycho biddy movie in genre. Also Pearl is like seeing the origins of one, shot a lot like Baby Jane and other older movies.

[@aurenofark]

i could truly watch you talk about anything, and now i need to watch what ever happened to baby jane. my psycho biddy title is who ever killed my henrietta!

[@TopaZium333]

Absolutely obsessed with your channel and have to say this vid especially deserves more views! Also, definitely going to start incorporating slew into my daily vocab it’s incredible

[@massconvulsions]

Whatever Happened to Little Beatrice (Happy early Halloween!! Loved the video!!)

[@blue-xt3wi]

dude i was literally waiting for your halloween video! so so excited for this :D

[@myhamismad]

I have a tumblr where I photograph milk I've ordered in bars, so the milk scenes particularly resonated with me

[@allisonbayley3224]

I have an old cocktail book from the 40s, and you wouldn't believe how many cocktails call for milk. Nothing like a delicious curdled treat.

[@jane-mulcahy]

🤢🤢🤢

[@pandas4evr123197]

Your videos are always so amazing, especially because you can make me care about movies that I never even knew about before you mentioned them lol

[@Bishopfish]

Omg thank you for the little aside about Victor Buono!! He’s awesome, highly recommend his performance in Batman 66! He also starred in an (admittedly mid) slasher movie called The Strangler that’s definitely out there for free.

[@TheQuietRiotProductions]

I love this. I recommend the film Pretty Poison starring Anthony Perkins and Tuesday Weld. It’s not a psycho bitty film but I think you’d like it.

[@Ambertrine]

I got: My God! They Slewn Annabelle! I always love your videos! They are always so fun and dascinating.

[@LostCommenter7]

I loved this video! I loved that you added context to these movies, gonna check more of them out.

[@s_h_o_o_b_y]

i know it’s late so maybe for next year? but i thought a cool idea would be reviewing old classic original horror movies that have been remade within the last 20-30 years. i watched the og house of wax and thirteen ghosts and loved them. just an idea 🌹🧡☠️🖤 love all your content!

[@jane-mulcahy]

That is an interesting idea! Especially since I feel like the remakes often have a reputation for being really bad (with the occasional exception like the new suspiria and stuff) yeah I remember they also remade House on Haunted Hill in the 90s and it was supposed to be awful

[@ajcrawford114]

@@jane-mulcahy the Gus van sant psycho would be an interesting example of that trend

[@gothboithick]

i don’t even like horror movies, or even just spooky ones, but this was so interesting

[@whoknows4175]

does sunset boulevard count as a psycho biddy movie? it's much earlier than any of these but hits similar beats

[@jane-mulcahy]

I think it was definitely a big influence on them!

[@hakkesho12]

22:41 I’mma tell my kids this was The Greatest Showman 💀

[@konway17]

Havent even seen the video yet but I just wanted to say I loveeee your videos and im already so excited to watch this! (Commenting this solely to boost your algorithm cause you deserve it)

[@bookshelfhoney]

My mom went to see whatever happened to baby Jane at the movie theater when she was a little girl and it scared her so bad!

[@heathercalun4919]

Rhea Seehorn is still way too young to play the psycho-biddy. I'd like to see her in more straightforward action hero roles first, maybe find a way to shoehorn her into the MCU... but in another 20 years she'd be great. Although this is definitely just more of me wanting to imagine a darkest timeline for Kim, where she lived a full life as a criminal mastermind, but she is now widowed, estranged from her children, and has already outed herself as a recluse and a pariah, and is finally resorting to more gruesome acts to protect her dwindling wealth and sense of moral superiority.

[@nightskylar3634]

I got "go to hell, Annabelle" which has such a nice ring but does sound like an entry in the conjuring cinematic universe

[@katherinelambert4662]

My title is “You mustn’t bother with Inez”

[@EraTree]

"You Mustn't Bother With Babette" is a damn good title.

[@iamthatis396]

I got “I Must Warn You About Rosalind” Also I love old horror/thrillers so this video is right in my niche! Also love your life time series

[@nothing-2-live-4]

great video. comment for the algorithm and whatnot. this video should have more views it reminds me of a classic Cinemassacre-type video circa 2012. loved the run down of william castle and hammer. plus a little known donald sutherland role.

[@psychoPilgrim36]

I JUST looked into this genre like a month ago its crazy to see a video about it out of nowhere

[@hibodhi]

That Evil Old Ethel Nice! Great video, you don't see a lot of people talking about this sub genre,

[@WendlaBergmann]

Loved this video! I started watching the Bette vs. Joan Feud series the week before you dropped this too. Loved this exploration. My movie is: Go to Hell, Evelyn 😆😆

[@benji_kay]

i really have to thank you for your great audio quality.

[@jane-mulcahy]

😭 I really just use a tiny Blue snowflake mic that I think I bought for about $40-$60 a few years ago

[@ERYN__]

I propose that not Hammer Horror but close should be called Mallet Horror because it's not a Hammer, but it's close enough for many purposes.

[@kaitlin9288]

The title I got was "You Mustn't Bother With Constance" and I think that's a great title for a film

[@Sacos]

Very fun video. Don't know if you've seen it but there was an early 90s remake of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? starring Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave.

[@jane-mulcahy]

I know of it but haven't watched it! I figured it's probably just a worse version of the original, but I don't really know

[@samsamwich]

BABE WAKE UP JANE MULCAHY POSTED

[@Peach__soju__]

Your passion for film is my favorite thing about your videos ❤

[@PhoenyxV]

Don't Go In The Basement, You'll Find Imogen! I got to watch this from a cabin in the woods, which feels like a very psycho biddy setting.

[@baby.yogurt]

you have the same birthday as my boyfriend! wishing you a happy early "my god! they've slewn gwendolyn"

[@orangeblorange]

As a British person I can confirm we eat huge blocks of cheese.

[@eldritchhag]

Your videos are great, thank you for slewing.

[@minigcczi8770]

So happy when u post 🥰🥰

[@very_nervous133]

“Go to hell, Evelyn!” This is my psycho biddy title! Thank you for this video essay!

[@JohnInTheShelter]

After several viewings I consider this video your masterpiece, your Whatever Happened to Baby Kane.

[@thedeepfriar745]

I wonder if you could consider Friday the 13th part 1 as a blend of the slasher and Psycho-biddy genres.

[@VeryGerryNYC]

THANK YOU!!! Hagsplotation is the very bane of my existence 🤘🏼

[@marthamilky]

shoutout to the price tag on the bottom of the goblet

[@rosieevans8960]

I will say I know British people do love just eating sections of cheese in response to just about any situation so a middle aged man stressfully ploughing through a block of cheddar feels right to me

[@mothiestman4995]

Does Arsenic And Old Lace count? I know it's a comedy, but it's about serial killer aunts.

[@VicenteTorresAliasVits]

Great video! Just one thing, though. You added a spoiler warning and a time stamp for "Strait-Jacket" and I think you should've also done it for the other movies. You mentioned that movie with Anthony Perkins probably counts as a part of the genre. What about the "Psycho" sequels? Anthony Perkins was in his 50s and, even though he didn't agree to work on them purely for the paycheck (he was clearly passionate about them), he also didn't have that many job opportunities at the time.

[@polinagonch]

an excellent video about a genre I've never heard of! My title is: You Mustn't Bother With Babette. delightful

[@Chris13387]

“You mustn’t bother with Inez”☺️

[@braydn7822]

movies I highly recommend in the hagsploitation/psycho biddy/grande dame guignol genre: - what ever happened to baby jane? - hush, hush, sweet charlotte - die die my darling - lady in a cage - what's the matter with Helen? - what ever happened to aunt alice? - who slew auntie roo? - night watch - straight jacket

[@tinymxnticore]

Shh…Here Comes Beatrice Wait did I just find my femme name??

[@jane-mulcahy]

yes I'm afraid that's the law

[@phoswright7453]

I ADORE Tony Perkins and honestly How Awful About Allan (and a lot of his goofy horror movies) are just purely enjoyable nonsense and that's so iconic of him honestly (Also Dilf Tony just hits different in the Psycho sequels and later movies)

[@tiffany1705]

Is the milk thing just the US sneaking in early advertising in the cheaper film genres to keep the dairy industry going?

[@taunaw2310]

Not gonna lie, I'd definitely watch my movie "Go to Hell, Abigail!"

[@armwrestles6935]

desperately needed a vid from u thank u for ur labor 🙏

[@Ellieescent]

I feel like Milk Punch was really popular in the 1960s. It doesn't explain the milk thing, but there is precedent of mixing milk and whiskey, I guess?

[@jane-mulcahy]

Milk punch 😭 I admit I had to look it up

[@yoongiyuu3086]

9:03 wait,, i was the 2011 cw series Ringer based on this?😭

[@elizabethpemberton8445]

Oh, yeah, Dennis Weaver (McCloud.) I was a kid in the 70’s. He was a star, and stars were in a weird place in the 70’s - variety shows, Circus of the Stars, movies of the week, kind of a last gasp of the studio system of personalities.

[@tuinhoofd1923]

Would sunset Blvd count as pyscho biddy adjacent?

[@valeriarossini543]

the thing about Berserk is that I wouldn't classify it as hagsplotation but rather as circus horror - in the same vein of Freaks, Circus of Horrors, Circus of Fear. That might explain why it's so boring and why they spend so much time on the acts themselves

[@nsb144]

My god! They've slewn Martha! this is high art, put this shit on my headstone

[@tallulahm6451]

I really appreciate the tallussy jape if only bc this is the only time in video essay form that i've heard my name said out loud ty xx

[@tallulahm6451]

also not to mention, i saw this essay when it came out ages ago and i want to say you're one of the best film analysts on yt rn please don't stop making content

[@jas000n]

Idk why KZbin hasnt shown me ur uploads! I even hit that bell icon 🤬

[@allexand1]

Good grief. Just how many of those “wrong” movies has vivica fox starred in?

[@girliboi]

just speculating, but i'm thinking 'auntie roo' might (MIGHT) have unintentionally been a portrait of ageism/sexism in its time.. keeping in mind this was made 50yrs ago, i'm thinking she may have had good reason to believe an aging single widow who'd already had one child die/disappear in her care would not have been considered a prime candidate for the permanent placement of a 6yo who wasn't a blood relation.. not sure about back then, but there's also the possibility that an orphanage might also prefer to keep sibling pairs together whenever possible (i know it definitely is now), while she really just wanted the girl.. with that many strikes against her.. . well.. . she might have known she didn't have much chance of adopting through legit channels, regardless of how much money she had. obviously none of this is spelled out in the film itself, but it could have been one of those things that didn't need to be, as an audience of that time might have just been expected to understand. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@83croissant]

Bad news that’s actually good news: the black cats getting tortured more around Halloween is an unfounded myth. People love cats!

[@jane-mulcahy]

That is a relief to hear!

[@rivenroyce9923]

If you still want those movies from the beginning I have some. Lmk where to send them.

[@ragdollrose2687]

My tittle would be "Die!Die! Sweet Hildegarde" and I am completely satisfied with it.

[@the_god_abandinus]

My movie is "Die! Die! Sweet Martha," and I can't say I'm mad about it.