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Die, Mommie, Die! (2003) More at IMDbPro »

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19 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
High camp genre parody works pretty well, 21 January 2003
Author: Scoopy from Budapest

Charles Busch is a female impersonator who writes and stars in genre parodies. His last filmed effort was Psycho Beach Party. This latest effort, Die Mommie Die, is a parody of the drama queen melodramas of the 50s and 60s, in which actresses like Susan Hayward schemed and

seduced callously, and encountered crises which were not only larger than their real-life counterparts, but also arrived with far greater frequency.

The genre died out of the film world before most of you were born, but it left behind a legacy of nighttime soap operas like Dynasty, so if you can remember Joan Collins on the small screen, you'll have a good idea of the equivalent big screen target Busch is focusing on.

Busch is a talented guy, whom you may remember from his portrayal of Nat Ginsberg on Oz. I don't know if it's even correct to call him a female impersonator. He is a male who plays certain types of female roles convincingly. His characterization in this film is so convincing that you'll forget he is a male, and his writing shows a real gift for walking the line between lampoon and homage.

Busch and director Mark Rucker got the actors to deliver all their outrageous lines in a consistently theatrical and obviously insincere style to match Busch's own. I thought Jason Priestly was especially funny as a bisexual gigolo. The entire film plays out as if everyone in the cast knows he or she is in a high camp entertainment, and wants the audience to know that they know.

I laughed a lot, to tell you the truth. I suppose drag queen movies may not be what most of you are looking for. Me neither. But the fact of the matter is that Busch can probably evoke the actresses of that era better than any contemporary female I can name. Hell, When I was a kid I always wondered if Bette Davis and Joan Crawford were really middle aged men in wigs, so who better to portray them than a 48 year old man in a wig?

Busch is making fun of the melodrama queens, but he also has a gift for witty dialogue and a genuine regard for the subject matter which makes this an entertaining confection about part of filmdom's barely-remembered past.

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15 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
TOUR DE FORCE for 60's Hollywood Send Up, 12 July 2004

Author: Mitch-38 from Houston, Texas

Very humorous, always campy tale of aging star whose parade has long since skipped off down the road. (Yes, shades of SUNSET BOULEVARD, to be sure). Charles Busch brings his stage drama/comedy/what have you to the big screen, and it's a pretty enjoyable romp, at that. Throw in some great performances by Jason Priestley, in his stingy brim hat, shorts and occasional penny loafers; looking like a rich Tab Hunter, or a poor Peter Lawford, you choose, between snickers. Philip Baker Hall (a great dramatic actor, with a superb nose for comedy), is a standout. Natasha Lyonne as Edith, the daughter and Stark Sands as the sexually confused (or is HE?) son, and you've got the makings for some nostalgic, and yet irreverent fun. Frances Conroy is also a standout for her folksy, Southern, religious demeanor, as the maid, Bootsy. Without ruining it for you, essentially DIE, MOMMIE, DIE! is a tip of the hat to the late sixties movies where happy mom's were popping valium, terms like "baby" punctuated every third word in a sentence, and the thought of having a gigolo on the side didn't seem so remote. Of course, this doesn't take place in Nebraska, naturally it's Tinseltown. People there were so desperate to be hip (have times changed too much? Hmmmm.) and nobody dared to be square. You'll find others nods, winks and tips of the hat throughout, if you're a film buff, and if not, you'll still have a great time. Busch, who wrote the original stage play and this screenplay, stars in the lead, and does it with relish. This is a labor of love, and it shows. An enjoyable little indie, indeed. Recommended.

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13 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
If this is the kind of movie you like, you'll like this movie, 16 December 2003

Author: ftm68_99 from United States Minor Outlying Islands

I watched this as someone who knows and loves the styles of movie-making and acting that Busch and company are spoofing. Even so, I occasionally found the script it a little draggy, the photography a little dark and blocking a little static, but only occasionally. When it did work, which in my opinion was most of the time, it did so delightfully. Totally unpretentious, it doesn't make itself out to be anything other than it is. I give it an 8.

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13 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
An instant camp classic, 16 November 2003

Author: Wayne Malin (wwaayynnee51@hotmail.com) from United States

Beautiful, glamorous, fading singer Angela Arden (Charles Busch) is miserable. Her horrible husband is making life hell; her daughter Edith (Natasha Lyonne) loves daddy--too much; her son Lance (Stark Sands) is gay and into drugs; her lover Tony Parker (Jason Priestley) is sleeping with her and Edith and Lance....Angela suffers exquisitely.

A parody and a loving remake of the womens pictures made from the 40s up to the 60s. Busch (a man in drag) looks perfect and suffers constantly; the settings are beautiful; the dialogue high camp; everybody and everything looks picture pretty...even the flashes of (male) nudity and sleazier aspects are handled in a very "pretty" fashion. Also it includes some hilariously obvious back screening. This works beautifully because the whole cast plays it straight--there's no winking at the camera or overacting. Busch is just great in his role--he evokes Susan Hayward and Joan Crawford at their best. Lyonne and Sands are having a fun time as her seriously disturbed children--especially Sands. And who ever though Priestley could be such a great actor. He plays everything straight-faced beautifully. Also there are a TON of film references for film buffs.

My only complaint--and this is minor--is the color isn't as bright and strong as it should be. It seems kind of washed out.

That aside this is really a great film. A must for gay men and film buffs.

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
The funniest and most entertaining movie I've seen this year!, 22 October 2003

Author: bellecitypics

I can't say enough wonderful things about DIE MOMMIE DIE. It's the funniest and most entertaining movie I've seen this year. Charles Busch is hysterically funny. And he's a wise and generous actor who lets the rest of the cast shine along with him. Everyone else -- particularly Natasha Lyonne, Jason Priestly, and Frances Conroy -- is great -- and obviously having a lot of fun with the story's loopy, inspired twists and turns. Director Mark Rucker has done a fantastic job with this material; it's a very impressive and knowing debut. And, of course, the production design and costumes are outstanding!

While this is a giddy, spot-on parody of the melodramas we all know and love, you don't have to know all the references to enjoy this movie. It's strong enough to stand on its own. I saw it at a recent film festival -- and it put me in the BEST mood. I can't wait to see it again -- and bring my friends.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Intentionally campy, but not requiring any weird taste in movies!, 3 July 2004

Author: pachl from Illinois

Why am I taking the time to review this movie? Because I loved it, practically every minute of it. Even now, I'm thinking about renting it again because this is the type of movie that you don't easily forget.

The plot of Die, Mommie, Die is straightforward: a washed-up singer is trapped in a bad marriage to a movie mogul who really doesn't love her. She decides to kill him so she can have a life and a real lover. That pretty much sums up the general plot.

The only criticism I have of this movie is that it should have tried to incorporate more songs, such as was done in the great Julie Andrews hit, "Victor Victoria". The one song in Die, Mommie, Die, "Why Not Me?" is repeated in several flashbacks. I don't know if the song is original, but it was perfect for this movie, and I wished there were more songs like this because it would have been a great soundtrack to buy.

This not a movie that would appeal only appeal to a small part of the movie-going public, but rather a great, campy movie that is full of fun. Perhaps the best compliment I can give this movie is that I wish I had seen it on the big screen. It would be well worth the $9.

Addendum: Almost four years have gone by since I reviewed this movie, but I have no indication if anyone has ever read this. So, if you stopped by, please leave your thumbs up or thumbs down.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
the new movie "queen", 30 October 2003

Author: jimorris from Arlington, VA

"Die, Mommie, Die" is a campy parody of the "woman's picture". Mostly a sendup of Joan Crawford but includes things from other movie queens by the new movie "queen". If you have not seen many of these films, you won't get a lot of the humor, including the over-complicated plot, special lighting, clothes, facial expressions, poses, names, etc. There is nudity, sexual material, vulgar language, etc. It is a hoot for adult audiences.

GRADE = "B"

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4 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Stark Sands is amazing and so is this film, 7 September 2004

Author: Jim from Coarsegold, California

I remember seeing, Stark Sands, on HBO's "Six feet under." I thought he was very attractive. Now that I saw, "Die mommie, die," I think Stark Sands is not only attractive, but an enormous talent! Co-starring with jason Priestly, Natosha Lyonne, and the entire superb cast, Stark Sands has a feirceness in his pretty green eyes that brought his character to life in an astonishing roar. I have rented this great send-up of classic movies at least 4 times. And now I am going to purchase it. This is one of the finest "indie" films I have seen since, "Sordid lives." And it also has made me a huge, Stark Sands fan. I look forward to seeing more of his acting in the future.

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4 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Better than Psycho Beach Party, 20 January 2003

Author: Scott (sefoust) from Salt Lake City, UT

Just saw the opening night at the Sundance Film Festival. Those who have seen Charles Busch's previous adaptation of his own play Psycho Beach Party will find themselves in familiar territory, but Die Mommie Die benefits from Busch's larger and more central role that better showcases his talents. The supporting cast is also great, and it's smaller size allows each character to be more sharply drawn. If you were even a little distracted and amused by Psycho Beach Party while channel surfing late at night you will REALLY enjoy Die Mommie Die, a real work of filmmaking rather than feeling like filmed theater.

As far as the premiere, the audience loved it. Unfortunately Charles Busch wasn't there, but it was great to see Jason Priestly, Natasha Lyonne, Frances Conroy, and Stark Sands come up for the Q & A afterwards. Frances Conroy is SO nice and even let me take my picture with her (big Six Feet Under fan) while Jason Priestly looked great and completely recovered from his accident. Natasha and Stark seemed to have become friends in real life when I saw them in the parking lot afterwards. Sundance is great that way, everyone's so laid back and informal at the small screenings.

See this movie if you get the chance!

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Destined to Become a Camp Classic!!!, 17 May 2007

Author: RaiderJack from San Francisco CA USA

Die Mommie Die! is fabulously executed and wonderfully realized by a cast that appears to be having the time of their lives. The cast is remarkably top-notch in a project that pays homage to the camp classic actresses of the 50s like Bette Davis, Lana Turner, Joan Crawford, etc. As a matter of fact, Charles Busch, the actor portraying Angela, named Bette & Joan as inspirations for his characterization of Angela Arden. Moreover, the storyline behind the Arden sisters is remarkably close to that of "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" The cast boasts such stalwart members as Phillip Baker Hall, Francis Conroy and the positively irresistible Jason Priestley. They even managed to incorporate rumors that abound re Priestley's sexual prowess into the storyline which makes it all the more delicious! The movie is set in the late 60s. Angela, formerly a popular singing star in the 50s, is trying to make a comeback. Unfortunately, her voice is no longer as strong as it used to be; furthermore, musical tastes, have changed. Alas, Angela seems oblivious to these developments and remains convinced that she is more than ready to return to her rightful place as an entertainment legend. NOT! To make matters worse, her husband treats her like dirt, her stepdaughter cannot bear her, and her boy toy, Jason Priestley, is working the whole family.

Angela Arden is a wonderful character and Charles and company pull this off with aplomb!!! Interestingly enough, advance publicity on the film would lead one to believe it is this big camp comedy classic. Even though laughs abound throughout the film, it was difficult to decide if this were a comedy, dramedy, camp classic, or what. After completely abandoning useless categories, I simply just enjoyed the film and found that it can and will be to you what you want it to be.

It is NOT a crowning achievement. It is NOT vying for writing accolades.

What it IS is thoroughly entertaining and a film you will return to time and time again simply because it is fun.

Wooooooooooooooonderful addition to any film library!!!!

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