Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)

[Ribelin2000 23]

Anyone else think this is perfect HDTGM fodder? A Married with Children-era Christina Applegate stars in this 1991 classic, playing a character who's not nearly as dumb as Kelly Bundy yet every bit as hot. The plot: Applegate is excited about summer vacation, especially with Mom going on a trip to Australia(?). Little does she know that Mom hired a babysitter-uh-oh! At first the babysitter seems like a kind, gentle old lady, but the exact minute Mom drives off to the airport, she drops her façade and reveals herself to be the old, female Hitler, ordering the kids to do their chores and-horrors!-taking Applegate's cigarette out of her mouth and stomping it out on the ground with her cane (oh, dear, now Applegate will never be able to get cancer)! But, wouldn't you know it, after walking into the pot-smoking, metal-loving oldest son's bedroom (complete with a Slayer poster laid out on the desk and Playboy centerfolds on the wall), the mean old witch drops dead of a heart attack! Now, with no parents or guardians left in charge, Applegate and her siblings are left to fend for themselves, and Applegate is forced to get a job. Many areas to discuss here: the fact that Applegate, applying for a job as a receptionist, is hired for a high-level position on the spot, without the boss (Joanna Cassidy) even bothering to check out the references on Applegate's obviously fake resume, the gratuitous glamorization of smoking (complete with a scene that features an extreme close-up of a Marlboro being lit between Applegate's luscious lips. I mean, who wrote this, the head of Philip Morris?), the mere contrived coincidence of Applegate's love interest just so happening to be the younger brother of the receptionist who's giving Applegate a hard time at work, the extensive wardrobe collection of Applegate's mother (which somehow manages to all fit Applegate just fine), the use of the term "Metallica-breath" as an insult (used to insult a pre-"X-Files" David Duchovny, no less), and then, of course, there's Cassidy's line about cucumbers. Discuss.

[DeathToMikeyBay 130]

I think it's just too boring to do an episode on.

 

I remember they billed it as this wacky Lord of the Flies scenario of the crazy things the kids do once the babysitter is dead.

 

And it was...for maybe 2 minutes. Then Applegate gets a job and the movie becomes entirely about that. It's like they were trying to ape the movie Big where a kid is passing off as an adult to bring their fresh young perspective to a clueless stuffy company. It has ZERO of the charm of Big though.

[Bugs Meany 69]

This falls into the same category as Nothing But Trouble (but obviously not as appalling) and other drab-looking shit from the early '90s: bad, but not in the fun way. Bad in a way that wears you out. You don't want to talk about how bad it is; you just want to put it behind you.

[seanotron 2307]

This falls into the same category as Nothing But Trouble (but obviously not as appalling) and other drab-looking shit from the early '90s: bad, but not in the fun way. Bad in a way that wears you out. You don't want to talk about how bad it is; you just want to put it behind you.

 

I think it's unfair to compare *anything* to Nothing But Trouble. That 'movie' is its own category of sadistic torture.

[jarrycanada 2483]

I didn't think this was a bad movie, just starting to show it's age, like me.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

Guys lets be real, this is a fucking terrible movie. That being said I dont think its a great fit for the podcast just for the fact that alot of what makes it terrible is the era it came out of.

[Ribelin2000 23]

I don't agree with that. A lot of what makes it terrible has nothing to do with the era it came out of.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

I'd still like to know what fucking "Metallica breath" means. It's like the writer thought "What's a thing these metal slacker kids would like? BAM. Gold." NOT what the writer thought: "Does that make any sense at all?"

[Ribelin2000 23]

Bumping this up. Still want to see HDTGM cover this movie.

[AmberKeith 0]

WHY does HBO insist on playing this movie nonstop? TOTAL PIECE OF SHIT.

[WTF?MichaelDorn 12]

Oh, where to start!

 

A mom leaves her five children of varying ages (approximately: 5 -16 years old) for 3 months as she vacations in Australia!?!?!? While she's gone, she hires a lady to basically do her parenting for her, who happens to be one hundred years old and dies. You may ask yourself what's so weird about this movie? How about the fact a teenage Christina Applegate infiltrates a multinational business and becomes a high powered executive with absolutely zero business acumen or the ability to even use the copier? Or the fact that their seems to be no investigation for this dead old lady that was randomly dumped on the street?

 

This movie is the poster board for adults failing children and is hilariously bad. As a small child I watched this movie in disbelief, because yes even a 6 year old can ask himself, "how did this get made?"

 

 

[TheMattofmyGroup 3]

I don't know why I thought of this movie today, but I did and I think it should be reviewed. Curious to hear June's thoughts on the fashion show that takes place at their home at the end of the movie.

[Veronica_Sawyer 23]

I love this movie and I'm not even ashamed. I should be, but I'm not.

[IRONicmerMAN 391]

Anyone recommending this movie because they think "it's bad" is an asshole and should engage in heavy self reflection.

[CaptainAmazing 127]

The reviews said this was billed as the WTF "Weekend at Bernie's staring kids," but pretty much drops that to become nothing but teen-girl wish fulfillment for the majority of the movie. Sounds awful, but could go either way as to how well it would work for this podcast.

[Anonymous Coward 57]

I love this one, I know that a lot of people don't dig it - but it's special and silly.

[Funkdog78 16]

This movie is PERFECT for a HDTGM episode plot is whack and it was a legit summer movie at theaters. The dishes are done mannnn...lol.

[Ofcoursemyhorse 1043]

Recently watched the 1989 academy awards skits that destroyed Allan Carr's career. And was pleasantly surprised to see the older brother included in a pretty cringeworthy routine. 

 

 

[Funkdog78 16]

I’m too high to remember off the top of my head, but I don’t think this movie has been covered by the gang yet. This movie is bananas story wise it’s absolutely perfect fodder for the show Oh and don’t forget...the dishes are done maaannn...

[jimkiler 84]

great movie here and it would make a great episode.  Also there is a reboot in the works

https://collider.com/dont-tell-mom-the-babysitters-dead-remake/