Crazy Ladies: The Best Psycho Biddie Movies Of All Time
Which of these insane killer old ladies are your favorites?
'Ma'
Who doesn't love an older woman scorned and out for revenge or something even worse? That's what the Psycho Biddie genre brings to life, and it's become one of my favorites in the horror canon.
Today, I want to look at the best versions of this kind of movie and talk about what makes them special.
Let's dive in.
1. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
The quintessential psycho-biddy film, this masterpiece casts two real-life Hollywood rivals, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, as the Hudson sisters. Davis is the former child star "Baby Jane" Hudson, who torments her wheelchair-bound sister Blanche (Crawford). This movie is the gold standard for the genre.
2. Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Another Robert Aldrich classic, this film was initially intended to reunite Davis and Crawford, but Olivia de Havilland ultimately stepped into the role opposite Davis. It has all the tropes, with a decaying starlet and a decrepit Louisiana mansion that's falling apart at is center.
3. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
This movie came out well before all the others, and sort of laid the groundwork for the genre. You can look back and see where it began with Gloria Swanson's iconic portrayal of forgotten silent film star Norma Desmond. Her desperate longing for a comeback, juxtaposed against a writer falling out of favor in the biz, is central to one of the greatest movies of all time.
4. Strait-Jacket (1964)
Penned by the same writer as Psycho, this film stars Joan Crawford as a woman released from an asylum after two decades for the axe-murder of her husband and his lover. Her attempts to reconnect with her estranged daughter are fraught with tension and the ever-present threat of her violent past.
5. Lady in a Cage (1964)
Olivia de Havilland is so scary in this thriller about a wealthy widow who is trapped in her home elevator during a power outage. In a fun twist, a group of sadistic burglars invades her home, torments her with letters from her son, and brings up her past, breaking this lady down as they steal from her.
6. Misery (1990)
Kathy Bates won an Oscar for her unforgettable role as Annie Wilkes, the "number one fan" of a romance novelist with whom she has a grudge about his previous book. When she rescues him from a car crash, her cheerful hospitality changes a violent, obsessive nightmare. James Cann is great as the author, and you can't forget the hobbling scene.
7. Ma (2019)
Octavia Spencer delivers a fantastic modern twist on the archetype as a lonely veterinary aide who offers local teens a place to party in her basement. It becomes such a funny thriller as you can see her getting obsessed with the kids.
8. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)
A movie that gave modern parents nightmares, Rebecca De Mornay is chilling as Peyton Flanders, a woman who poses as the perfect nanny to get revenge on a family. Her psychological warfare makes her a great villain in this genre.
9. Hereditary (2018)
Toni Collette gives a monumental performance as a grieving mother whose sanity frays after a tragedy. I love seeing her descend into madness and try to still hold her family together even when there are supernatural forces at work.
10. Berserk! (1967)
This movie is crazy, and I think more people should see it. Joan Crawford stars as the owner and ringmaster of a traveling circus plagued by a series of gruesome murders. It's sort of an Agatha Christie murder as the lead suspect becomes Crawford herself.
Summing It All Up
This is one of those horror genres that stays fun and exciting no matter how you spin it. The fresh look at the tropes and the ways these women have changed over the years shows you the staying power of the psycho biddie and why they're still popular today.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
