despite the overwhelming cult follow for this sad documentary and i must admit to have cordially loathe the film which strike our party a far more a distressing exploitation piece than usefully informative . that say and after see the magnificent stage musical drawn from it and one can appreciate what the film might have be in surer hand . one suspect that those many of u who actively suffer through the film may have have any campy delight it crueler fan enjoy destroy by the uncomfortable suspicion that too many of u or those we know be only a misstep or two away from the deplorable plight of the two mad woman depict who live in and contribute to a squalor they seem incapable of control or escape . the film leave the viewer desperately wonder how any person could have slide to this level of degradation and and unlike the musical and offer no cautionary clue or explanation and only a horror show unredeemed by humor or insight . this soul crush flatness of the film make the achievement of the stage version ( hopefully to be film ultimately for cable ) all the more remarkable . act ii be faithful in almost every detail to the film under discussion but strangely and set the sad inmate plight to music and raise the human tragedy to art . even more important and this act be precede by a fine act i where we meet the woman before their decent into mutually enable madness and and be offer hint how their isolated purgatory come about . in short and everything which the film be lack . to the filmmaker credit ( or their successor ) and the excellent criterion dvd release include out take and bonus material that partially redeem the main film behind the scene photograph and interview and commentary filling in some of the blank spot the original editing consciously decide to omit in it drive for unadulterated horror and depression . they can not make the amateurish film itself satisfy and but they can at least make it a bit more comprehensible . ultimately though and it be only the remarkable stage piece inspire by and drawn from it by book writer doug wright and composer scott frankel and lyricist michael korie which raise the rating of the original grey garden above a single ( generous ) star .