Cry Baby Lane is a made for TV movie which premiered on Nickelodeon on the night of October 28, 2000. Nickelodeon received complaints from parents who found it to be too disturbing, and it was never re-aired or released on video. Fortunately, in August 2011 someone on Reddit recovered a VHS copy recorded from the film's original broadcast and made it available online. Director Peter Lauer was interviewed soon after and said that he was surprised and flattered by the attention his film had gotten 11 years after its release
The film was originally envisioned as a $10 million dollar theatrical release for Nickelodeon, but it was instead ordered to be a made-for-television movie with a budget of $800,000. The film was shot in a condemned neighborhood in New Jersey in a little over twenty days with an extra day of shooting in Ohio for shots of the town. The director originally wanted Tom Waits for the role of the caretaker, but Nickelodeon insisted on Frank Langella in hopes that it would garner extra publicity
I've already seen this taken off one account thanks to Viacom, so watch it while you can. It's even got Melissa Joan Hart introducing it.
|