Sisters (DVD)

Sisters is pretty close to being director Brian De Palma's signature film — at the very least, it was the first, best-known horror film of his to showcase his love of Hitchcock, and themes of duality and obsession. Sisters is his 14th film, but in many ways it feels like the auteur is just discovering himself and having a ball with shifting POVs, split screens, and dream sequences.

The story follows Dominique and Danielle (Margot Kidder), previously conjoined twins who've been torn asunder — the mind follows body as one of them commits murder. The crime is witnessed by a reporter, Grace Collier (Jennifer Salt), whom no one will believe… except, perhaps, the private detective (Charles Durning) who's aiding her in trying to find a resolution to a crime that doesn't seem to have been committed.

And speaking of committed… Grace finds herself locked away in an insane asylum in her pursuit of the dangerous truth. The movie, while slow to start, is a labyrinth of twists and turns that always seem to lead back to the twins' own troubled past.

As far as violence goes, Sisters is bloody and brutal but there is much more implied than is actually seen (and when we do see gore, it's in a heightened, unrealistic bright red hue). It's more about the fragile, broken psyche of irreparably damaged twins, well-played by a then-coltish Kidder, complete with a French-Canadian accent.

Perhaps the most stunning thing about Sisters is the musical score: It's done with slasher style by Bernard Herrmann (who worked extensively with Hitchcock), and it helps add suspense where it might not otherwise exist (as I mentioned, the movie takes it's sweet time getting to the first murder).

The story is ultimately predictable, but it's interpreted with such style and panache, that it's fun to watch and see what crazy thing will happen next.

The DVD includes several goodies (but no featurettes). Among Criterion's special additional material  is a 1973 text interview with Brian De Palma, and a text article called Rare Study of Siamese Twins in Soviet (from Life magazine). There are some excerpts from the film's original press book and an extensive stills gallery which provides the viewer with promotional posters, behind the scenes, and much more.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson