Grande Dame/Guignol Cinema: Robert Aldrich’s Hag Cinema Part VI conclusion: Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte 1964 “Ruined finery…that’s all I have left”

THE VISUAL NARRATIVE “Ruined Finery”

WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME INSIDE?

MIRIAM MEETS HARRY WILLS

PAPA USED TO LOVE TO THROW PARTIES HERE

PUT THAT DOWN!!!!!

CHARLOTTE’S FACE HAS NO IDENTITY, REMOVED BY SHADOW:SHE IS FACELESS

THIS IS WHERE I KEEP JOHN’S HAND

DID YOU PUT THE MUSIC BOX IN THERE VELMA?

ARE HOW ABOUT MY SLASHED DRESSED AND ALL THE OTHER ODD THINGS AROUND HERE?

THE STORM STARTS TO RAGE

JOHN IS THAT YOU PLAYING THE HARPSICHORD?

THE SHADOW DISSECTS CHARLOTTE YET AGAIN.

I CUT MY HANDS, I’M BLEEDING.

THIS WILL QUIET YOUR NERVES CHARLOTTE

YOU NEED A LONG REST SOMEPLACE QUIET AND WHERE THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF YOU

VELMA CONFRONTS MIRIAM

SOMETHING FUNNY IS GOING ON UP THERE!

CALLING MR. WILLS TO HELP CHARLOTTE.

MIRIAM FIRES VELMA

BUT THIS IS CHARLOTTE’S HOME, WHERE IS SHE GOING TO GO?

SHE LIKES YOU MR. WILLS, I COULD TELL RIGHT AWAY.

YES, SOMETHING DOESN’T SEEM QUITE RIGHT.

I’LL LOOK INTO IT VELMA

DADDY I’M GONNA HAVE TO LEAVE THIS HOUSE

JUST GIVE US A QUICK SMILE FOR THE CAMERA DOLL

HEARING MUSIC AGAIN?

THE GHOST BALL BEGINS

FACELESS DANCERS AT THE BALL

JOHN SEES BIG SAM

NO PAPA, I DON’T WANT TO

JOHN PLEASE DON’T LEAVE

TOWARD THE EDGE OF NO RETURN

I HOPE THAT YOU’VE ENJOYED ALL 6 PARTS OF MY SERIES ON ROBERT ALDRICH’S 2 INCREDIBLE WORKS WITH BETTE DAVIS, JOAN CRAWFORD, AND OLIVIA de HAVILLAND.

THEY WILL FOREVER BE FIXED IN MY MIND AS GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GRAND GUIGNOL STYLE OF FILM MAKING AND AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED DAVIS SHOULD HAVE WON AN ACADEMY AWARD FOR CHARLOTTE, BUT MOOREHEAD DESERVED THE BEST SUPPORTING ROLE AND DEVOL’S MUSIC WON FOR BEST SUBSTANTIAL SCORE, WHICH IT SHOULD HAVE!

ALTHOUGH BOTH WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? AND HUSH HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE ARE COMPANION PIECES, I THINK THAT THEY BOTH WORK SEPARATELY AS UNIQUE CONVERGING STORIES ABOUT MADNESS, ISOLATION, REGRESSION, AND TORMENT. PLEASE REVISIT EITHER OF THESE WHENEVER YOU HAVE SOME TIME. YOU WON’T BE DISAPPOINTED EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT AS OBSESSIVE ABOUT THE ART FORM AS I AM.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY THE LAST DRIVE IN, AND PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR MORE FEATURES THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN MY WOMEN IN PERIL SERIES.

MONSTER GIRL!