Disc Reviews

Sisters Blu-ray Review

22nd Apr 2014

Arrow Video’s next release of a De Palma classic comes in the form of Sisters, a 1973 film featuring Margot kidder alongside De Palma regular William Finley.

Danielle Breton (Margot Kidder) is an actress who through a turn of fate meets genial advertising salesman Philip (Lisle Wilson). They two end up on a diner date which is interrupted by Danielle’s ex-husband (William Finley). Having given him the brush off, the two lovers head back to her apartment where they spend the night together. But the next day it becomes apparent that Danielle has a visiting sister, Dominique, who is put out by her sister’s gentleman caller and he is abruptly murdered.

This though is seen by a neighbour (Veronica Salt) who also happens to be an investigative reporter. And so she takes the case to the police, and then begins her own investigation after the murder has been covered up.

This is De Palma really whetting his appetite for the likes of Dressed To kill, Blow out and Body Double. Bernard Hermann is on score duties, the allusions to Rear Window, Psycho and Vertigo are all very apparent.

The performances are for the most part toned perfectly although Salt’s reporter is dialled up a tad too high at times. De Palma may be calling to the likes of Hitchcock, but this is clearly his own style of cinema – wonderfully executed with effects, design and editing skills that stand up pretty well after 40 years.

The picture quality looks fine enough, but Blu-ray enthusiasts will have no trouble spotting the fuzzy nature of the picture quality. But as is expected – Arrow have provide some nice extras. There is a narrated essay on the film which literally spells out for the audience the film’s themes and especially the comparisons to Hitchock movies.

There is also a narrated half hour tracking of De Palma’s directorial career which mentions all of his films to date. It’s not quite the two hour retrospective we perhaps all want, but it does dance on the surface of thematics, successes and choices in the director’s career – and is a good guide for anyone new to the director’s work.