Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Lisa Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 5, 2015

1990’s “Lisa” is an attempt to build a thriller based on the desires and fears of a 14-year-old girl. It’s pulled off with a certain degree of good taste, with co-writer/director Gary Sherman (“Dead & Buried,” “Poltergeist III,” “Wanted: Dead or Alive”) genuinely interested in creating a three-dimensional character out of the titular teen, and not just another screamy, dim-bulb focal point for the slasher routine. “Lisa” isn’t a sustained ride of suspense, but the details do count, with Sherman taking time to develop complex emotions to go along with his scares. It’s an interesting movie with a creepy vibe, capturing the lure of troublemaking and the stress of broken family life.

Lisa (Staci Keanan) is a precocious 14-year-old kid anxiously awaiting advancement into adulthood, watching best friend Wendy (Tanya Fenmore) attract attention from male classmates while she’s unable to date until she’s 16. The rule causes tremendous stress between Lisa and her mother, Katharine (Cheryl Ladd), and while they’re forced to rely on each other without a male figure in the house, the teen’s patience is wearing thin, acting out in increasingly hostile ways. Getting her kicks with phone-based manipulations, Lisa finds a target in Richard (D.W. Moffett), a handsome stranger she cold calls, pretending to be an experienced seductress out to entice a new lover. Reveling in the excitement of the conversations and her research on the mystery man, Lisa misses one important detail about Richard: he’s a murderer. Dubbed the “Candlelight Killer” by the press, Richard has a nasty habit of slaughtering single women, soon planning to off Lisa as his next victim.

“Lisa” ultimately aims to scare its audience, but the endeavor doesn’t begin that way. Sherman is actually more invested in the dynamic between Lisa and Katharine, with the overworked florist mother desperately trying to throttle her child’s interest in sudden maturity. A teen mom herself, Katharine wants to keep Lisa an average kid with a healthy sense of wonder for as long as possible, keeping her away from the dating scene at a time when she’s blossoming into a young woman. There’s dramatic texture here that’s uncommon, with more attention put on Katharine’s frustrations and Lisa’s confusion that most like-minded productions would allow, summoning an authentic air of domestic discomfort that lubricates the rest of the feature, watching as Lisa begins to resist her parent’s control, at first through phone games and eventually through curiosity.

Sherman teases an After School Special-style tone with “Lisa,” but the effort never stiffens in the same manner. Emotions are genuine, but also poured into a brew containing exploitative elements, observing Richard carry out a few kills, using answering machine messages to disarm his prey before violence begins. The feature has a few moments of suspense that work, including Lisa’s attempt to follow Richard during his daily errands, hoping to achieve a better understanding of the man she’s seducing on the phone. Accidents occur, putting Lisa in harm’s way, but she doesn’t stop her mission, eventually pulling Katharine into the scheme without her mother’s knowledge, escalating the terror as childish mischief transforms into genuine threat. To keep tension going, Sherman includes a few scenes of Richard in menacing mode, walking around the neighborhood in suits, picking off a few women along the way. The monster is also highly amused by Lisa’s calls, trying to turn the temptation tables to learn more about the forward stranger.

“Lisa” isn’t barnstorming entertainment, but Sherman manages to pull a terrific performance out of Ladd, who communicates real powerlessness as Katharine is forced to assert her parental position, triggering Lisa’s wrath and newfound interest in deception. Moffett does what he can with the villain role, working to make Richard less of a monster and more of a Patrick Bateman-style creep. Overall, it’s Keanan who delivers the sharpest work in the picture, projecting a juvenile glow that’s dimming due to maturity, evolving from a happy kid who loves a good prank (and apparently Tom Petty) and time with her friends to a boundary-testing girl who doesn’t realize how much she’s hurting her loved ones. Keanan is authentic while still maintaining dramatic poise, giving “Lisa” a welcome push of adolescent moxie and panic.

Lisa Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Lisa" largely retains the picture's late-'80s design, emerging with a filmic appearance the preserves style. Colors look quite healthy, with nice bursts of blazing neon and costuming helping with emphasis, while primaries are intact. Skintones are organic. Detail is generally agreeable with this type of softly shot feature, supplying textured close-ups and location particulars, while more genre-style sequences seize the grim happenings with clarity. Delineation is acceptable, handling distances and density. Source is in fine shape, only encountering some mild speckling and scratches.

Lisa Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix carries the mood of "Lisa" well, meeting expectations for a period-specific track that favors scoring selections, with music sound purposeful and supportive. Dialogue exchanges are secure, only hitting a few crispy highs with emphasis, with most dramatics holding position without concern. Atmospherics bring out a sense of urban life and crowd activity, while sound effects are deep and true, bringing weight to the listening experience.

Lisa Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Gary Sherman.

• Interview (18:13, HD) with D.W. Moffett is an animated conversation with the actor, who shares his feelings about taking on the villain role in "Lisa." Moffett offers some interesting anecdotes about his time on set, sharing praise for Sherman and his co-stars, and telling tales about legendary producer Frank Yablans. It's a lively chat, also covering his technique, professional expectations, and work on other features such as "An Early Frost" and "The Misfit Brigade."

• Interview (33:30 HD) with Sherman and editor Ross Albert also carries enthusiasm for "Lisa" and the wilds of the film industry. Although Sherman is still visibly stung by the picture's abortive release, he retains pride in the final product, also exploring how the production came to be after his nightmarish time on the profoundly troubled "Poltergeist III." The pair shares stories about creative mishaps and victories, but the conversation gets even more interesting when Sherman walks through career achievements, discussing "Wanted: Dead or Alive," "Vice Squad," and the television series "Sable."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:33, SD) is included.

Lisa Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sherman doesn't always have the best ideas for "Lisa," including a score by Joe Renzetti that favors cheap synth and shooting solo guitar wails, cheapening tension with obvious manipulation. The helmer also tries to beef up the run time with a 4-minute-long main title sequence that tests patience before the film has even begun. Eventually, the feature gives in to thriller conventions to secure an ending. It's expected, but disappointing, as Sherman is capable of finding unease in the simple design of a teenager in over her head during a time of isolation and independence. Perhaps the only way to end "Lisa" is bring out knives, near-misses, and chases, but there's something else going on in this unusual effort that keeps it engrossing, treating relationships with gravity and the characters with care.