Before You Stream Hulu’s New Remake, Here’s How to Watch the Shocking Original ’90s Thriller
I rarely ever rent movies. This is partly because I live in NYC, and so I’m on a budget. But mostly, it’s because I have so many streaming services that just the thought of paying an additional three to five dollars to watch something (that I’m certain was streaming just last week) is enough to make me consider canceling all of them and living off of those bulky DVD box sets you can check out at the library.
That said, there are some exceptions. And the classic 1990s thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is absolutely one of them. It just so happens to be available to rent right now via Amazon Prime and Apple TV, and trust me, when you do, you’re going to need to know all about the official release date for the imminent Hulu remake starring horror icon and Dread Central digital cover story alum, Maika Monroe (It Follows, Longlegs).
Before we dive into details of said remake, which director Michelle Garza Cervera (Huesera: The Bone Woman) promises will have plenty of “shocking moments,” let’s take a moment to catch up with the original…
In the outrageous classic, expectant mother and housewife Claire (Annabella Sciorra) reports her obstetrician to the police after he assaults her during an appointment. But, before he can be legally tried for his crime, this man takes his own life. And to make matters worse, his pregnant wife, Peyton (Rebecca De Mornay), miscarries shortly thereafter. Penniless, alone, and driven mad with grief, Peyton sneaks into Claire’s life as a nanny, willing to do anything and everything to get revenge.
Check out the trailer for the thriller right here:
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle has a certain gauzy ’90s melodrama look that makes it virtually indistinguishable from some of the cautionary Hallmark/Lifetime movies your mom probably watched whenever your dad was on a business trip.
But, still. I’d argue this overall vibe works for the movie, and somehow even makes the shocking moments that much more impactful. Think of it like the opening of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet. Here, in this perfect suburban neighborhood, these glossy little families are quietly, secretly, some of the most deranged people doing some of the most questionable things imaginable. This 100% includes the idyllic clan at the film’s center (Claire’s treatment of Solomon in the beginning is especially uncomfortable).
But what makes The Hand That Rocks the Cradle worth renting is Rebecca De Mornay. According to this Letterboxd user, De Mornay really is “that b*tch.”
And, as our own Chad Collins pointed out in his analysis of the film, De Mornay perfectly embodies the rage some women feel when they’re denied the lives they thought they were promised (marriage and motherhood specifically) and how, instead of recognizing that it’s the patriarchy’s fault, they take it visiously out on other women, contributing to a society where “men police women’s bodies and then pits them against one another.”
Get your first peek at the remake here:
Perhaps we’ll see this conversation emphasized in the remake, which is set to release on October 22. But until then, give the original a watch. And if you love The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, let me know on X and Instagram: @ashjenexi.
Categorized: News
