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| 501 S Hudson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020, USA (Los Angeles, California)
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The Hudson House
This private residence in Los Angeles, California was the setting of a television-movie remake of one of the more classic horror films of the 1960s - What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. Like its predecessor in the original film, the home is located in close proximity to the famous Wilshire Country Club in the affluent Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Its reputation as one of the more affluent neighborhoods in the entire country made it an ideal setting for the story of two former Hollywood starlets forced to live out their lives in relative obscurity, faced with growing madness and murder.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1991)
Given the relative cult-status of the original 1962 horror classic that starred Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, a remake was an attractive concept to fill an ABC Sunday Night Movie slot. The story follows two sisters with past careers in films and the entertainment industry. "Baby Jane" Hudson was a popular vaudeville attraction that basked in the spotlight, while her sister Blanche waddled in obscurity and resentment over her younger sister's fame. However, after the two grew older, it was Blanche that became a big star on the silver screen, while Baby Jane's career derailed. Following a car accident that paralyzes Blanche and brings a halt to her fame, the two withdraw into their home with Baby Jane (now harboring a deep resentment over her sister's fame and having to care for her) quickly becoming unhinged.
For the made-for-TV remake of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, the producers decided to cast the real-life sisters of Vanessa and Lynn Redgrave to play the roles of the sisters. Lynn filled the role of Baby Jane, who still dresses as she did in her childhood and attempts a comeback performing many of her childhood numbers, while Vanessa took on the role of Blanche. They also made a number of relatively small changes, such as changing the infamous servings of parakeet and rat into a dead dog and worm sandwich. The remake is reportedly more faithful to Henry Farrell's novel than the first film, while still incorporating many of the same elements as the original film.
As for the home where the primary action of the story takes place, the producers decided to "re-cast" the role of the house, though the house that appeared in the original What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is only a few blocks away from this one (see WEHTBJ? (1962): The Hudson House). The reason behind this is unknown, though it should be noted that this particular house has more of an appearance of isolation. Aside from the large iron gates that line the sidewalk, the house is farther back from the road and is slightly obscured by trees. These general aesthetics may have played a major role in its use to highlight the relative isolation (and later captivity) of the character of Blanche. Though the house has a similarly long driveway with a gate at the street that played a major role in the accident scene that paralyzed Blanche, the scene is oddly not included in the remake.
The Reception
The remake debuted as the ABC Sunday Night Movie on February 17, 1991. Not surprisingly, it was closely scrutinized in comparison with the original 1962 classic and reactions were mixed. Most critics of the TV-movie cite that the casting of real-life sisters inevitably could not match up with the very real bitter rivalry of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford that shown through in the first adaptation. On the other hand, those that praise the film suggest that the use of actual sisters added a very different subtext that made for an interesting take on the original novel. Either way, the debut of the 1991 version of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? was considered a flop by most, putting ABC in third place in the ratings for the evening. The remake also did not spawn a similar revival of the Grand Guignol horror films that the first film was credited with sparking.
The House Today
The house that served as the home of the Hudson sisters in the 1991 remake of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is ironically located at 501 South Hudson. It remains a private residence to this date and it is safe to assume that residents do not wished to be disturbed. Please respect their privacy. |
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| WEHTBJ? (1962): The Hudson House |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? |
The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations (NEW updated edition) |
Hollywood Death and Scandal Sites: Sixteen Driving Tours with Directions and the Full Story, from Tallulah Bankhead to River Phoenix |
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? |
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