The film remains a well-known staple of cult cinema and Faye Dunaway’s dedicated performance still remains a taboo topic for the actress. Celebrating its fortieth anniversary, ‘Mommie Dearest’ is one of those curious cult classics that is played out with the seeming intention of being dramatic, yet so much of the over the top acting and (likely unintentional) hilarious one liners tend to only make that less of a reality, not to mention plenty of moments that frequently steer it into the realm of goofy and ridiculous.
‘Mommie Dearest’ makes for another welcome entry in the lineup and arrives on Blu-ray with a gorgeous new high definition video presentation remastered from a 4K film transfer and paired with a nice DTS-HD MA multichannel soundtrack plus a solid collection of bonus material featuring some brand new extras new to this release. The 1981 cult classic ‘Mommie Dearest’ debuts on Blu-ray freshly remastered as the seventeenth entry in Paramount Home Entertainment’s ongoing lineup of Limited Edition ‘Paramount Presents’ Blu-ray releases which showcase various film favorites from the studio’s expansive decades-spanning library, each sporting newly remastered high definition video presentations along with collectible artwork and some extras both new and old. Still fighting to reignite her career while every intended step forward seems to result in a step backwards, the film follows her troubled progression and shows the drastically different sides of her beloved public personae and the more bitter and angry reality of her world at home, largely seen through the eyes of her daughter whose own life becomes problematic as she grows up and struggles to find herself and escape the shadow of her overbearing mother. Unable to have children of her own, Joan enlists the help of a friend to use his influence in order to help her adopt.
The fan favorite cult classic ‘Mommie Dearest’ follows the personal and professional life of film star Joan Crawford as her career begins to struggle and she decides the one thing missing in her life is children. Paramount Presents #16: The Greatest Show On Earth (1952) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #15: Love Story (1970) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #14: Elizabethtown (2005) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #13: The Court Jester (1956) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #12: Trading Places (1983) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #11: The Golden Child (1986) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #10: The Haunting (1999) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #9: Roman Holiday (1953) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #8: Ghost (1990) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #7: Airplane! (1980) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #6: Pretty In Pink (1986) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #5: Days Of Thunder (1990) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #4: Flashdance (1983) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #3: To Catch A Thief (1955) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #2: King Creole (1958) (Blu-ray Review) Paramount Presents #1: Fatal Attraction (1987) (Blu-ray Review) – You can also check out our reviews for the other releases in the ‘Paramount Presents’ Blu-ray line by clicking on each title below!
Please Note: Paramount Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. While the public Crawford was a strong-willed, glamorous object of admiration, behind-the-scenes is a private Crawford-the woman desperate to be a single-mother and trying to survive in a devastating industry that swallows careers thoughtlessly. Based on Christina Crawford’s controversial best-selling tell-all novel, MOMMMIE DEAREST features a powerhouse performance by Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford, struggling for her career while battling the inner demons of her private life. The endlessly quotable cult-classic celebrates 40 years with this debut on Blu-ray, restored from a new 4K film transfer and packed with all-new special features. Mommie Dearest (1981) (Paramount Presents) Ĭast: Faye Dunaway, Steve Forrest, Diana Scarwid