Dunaway in Mommie Dearest VS Lange in Feud

Although I like what Lange has done so far, its Dunaway. The film is laughable at times, the rage scenes do her no favors, but for the most part, it is an extremely nuanced performance, that has many more layers than the rest of the film.

Lange gives a more sensitive and nuanced performance, but she's missing the bite and edginess of Crawford (SO FAR). I understand the idea is to show her vulnerability and a more sensitive side, but Joan Crawford wasn't some doe-eyed, naive, fragile old lady who is such a victim of her era in Hollywood... we are only two episodes in though, and that's in part because the writing is making her overly sympathetic. I am hoping that will change as the show goes on... we already like Joan, she doesn't need to be neutered to make a point about how agist and sexist the times were.

In capturing the woman herself, Lange could just as well be playing any nameless actress. I'm a fan, but she has zero of Crawford's look, voice, mannerisms, or speech patterns nailed down. Dunaway was forced and over the top, but you actually did believe she was committed to playing Joan Crawford. The voice and walk is basically identical in 'Mommie Dearest', she really does disappear into Joan in some scenes. It's odd that Lange hasn't tried to emulate her more (because she obviously can do a bit of transforming... ie Grey Gardens). I wonder if it was at the behest of Ryan Murphy. Hmm.