Mommie Dearest: The Revival of Joan

Mommie Dearest: The Revival of Joan (2006)

*** (out of 4)

This 14-minute featurette features interviews with producer/screenwriter Frank Yablans as well as actresses Diana Scarwid and Rutanya Alda. This was the first of three featurettes to be included on the Special Edition of MOMMIE DEAREST and it takes a look at the pre- production. Yablans starts off talking that he had just set up a new deal at Paramount and talks about how everyone was excited about this project. He says Anne Bancroft was originally set to play the role but after she backed out Faye Dunaway got it after appearing at his house in full costume. Both Scarwid and Alda talk about how demanding their roles were and how they ended up with them. Yablans also spends a lot of time talking about all the work that went into the costumes as well as the sets, which were all built from scratch with all the details that they would have had in the 1940s. Overall this is an entertaining look at the pre-production on the film and I think fans should really enjoy it. It goes without saying but it would have been great to have Dunaway on board but she refuses to talk about the film. It would have also been nice to hear from Christina Crawford and gotten some of her thoughts going into the movie. Either way, fans of the film should enjoy the stories shared here.