Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Psycho Girls Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 29, 2023

1986’s “Psycho Girls” is a few different movies competing for screen time. Normally, this would result in an interesting film of various tones and creative paths, but co-writer/director Jerry Ciccoritti doesn’t have the seasoning to really manage whatever he ultimately wants from the feature. It begins as a detective story and ends with extended scenes of torture, with the core appeal of the picture difficult to discern while watching it. There’s some flair in visual design choices, with the production going to war against a limited budget. And performances are strong, but they’re committed to the endeavor’s sense of insanity. “Psycho Girls” isn’t really much fun, with the harshness of violence too abrasive to enjoy on a pure horror level, and editorial slackness isn’t helping the cause, with Ciccoritti more determined to reach a sellable run time than deal honestly with his prolonged showcase of campy madness.

Richard (John Haslett Cuff) is a successful novelist about to make a deal to bring one of his detective novels to the screen. Looking to celebrate his wedding anniversary with wife Diane (Rose Graham), Richard finds that his regular cook, Victoria (Agi Gallus), requires a break to take care of business, off to deal with her sister, Sarah (Darlene Mignacco), who resides inside the Lakeview Asylum, which has been closed for years. Taking control of her sibling relationship, Sarah returns to Richard’s household, preparing a special meal for the gathered guests that permits her and lackeys Kazma (Michael A. Miranda) and Waldo to bring the friends to Lakeview, offering them as sacrifices to the deadly Altar of Freud.

Richard acts as the guide for “Psycho Sisters,” with the author banging away on his typewriter, detailing the saga of Sarah and Victoria, with the siblings getting an initial hit of death when they poison their parents on their wedding anniversary. 19 years later, and it’s Richard’s big day with Diane, which inadvertently restarts the machine of death, watching Victoria break away from making steak tartare (the unofficial meal of the movie), reconnecting with her dangerous sister. Help isn’t on the way in “Psycho Sisters,” and pacing is rough, with Ciccoritti taking a few detours during the run time, including the examination of a dinner party debate on psychology, and there’s an endless moment between Kazma and Waldo, with the picture coming to a full stop as the two supporting characters trade movie quotes. Why is this important to the production? It’s tough to tell, with other superfluous scenes showcasing super-sweaty sex between Richard and Diane, and Sarah’s commitment to her cult, taking victims through “cycles” of punishment.

Psycho Girls Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as "newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm interpositive." Of special note here is the inclusion of the "Original Canadian Version" of "Psycho Girls," with the theatrical cut of the film hit hard with edits due to violent content. The grisliness is back on Blu-ray, with video inserts used to restore the horror. One can easily spot dips in resolution (mostly contained to the final act), but the viewing experience isn't threatened. HD footage looks appealing while handling some softness. Detail reaches as far as possible under these conditions, exploring textured outfits and skin surfaces, along with moist dinner meats. The central hospital location is decently dimensional as hallway tours commence. Colors are nicely revived, boosting primaries. Delineation is acceptable. Grain is capably resolved.

Psycho Girls Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is dealing with some technical challenges for "Psycho Girls," which isn't always the best at capturing sound. Dialogue exchanges are mostly intelligible, with a few dips in clarity along the way. Mild sibilance is present as well. Scoring supports adequately, with decent instrumentation. Sound effects are appreciable.

Psycho Girls Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features co-writer/director Jerry Ciccoritti and producer/cinematographer/editor Robert Bergman.

• "Filming Canadian Style" (23:25, HD) is an interview with co-writer/director Jerry Ciccoritti, who worked to develop his love of cinema into a career, partnering with friends to open an advertising company. The business went bust, but inspiration struck, with the director using whatever resources were immediately available to make "Psycho Girls." Pulling together a cast and crew of friends and acquaintances, Ciccoritti was off, using genre inspirations to fuel the endeavor, including a love for Sam Raimi. Finding a connection to distribution circles, the production managed to capture the attention of Cannon Films, who wanted one more kill in the picture, inspiring additional shooting. The interviewee recalls the premiere of "Psycho Girls," and discusses the development of his career after the movie's release, moving on to "Graveyard Shift."

• "A Career Built on 'Psycho Girls'" (21:56, HD) is an interview with art director Craig Richards, who pursued his interest in film in Ontario, eventually making a connection in college. Getting the job on "Psycho Girls," Richards set out to work, visiting dollar stores to help create the look of the movie. The interviewee highlights the original cut of the picture, which was filled with a lot more gore, eventually cut down to meet the needs of its video store distribution. A deeply technical discussion of the endeavor's visual appearance is offered, exploring color and light, with Richards trying to work with the inherent drabness of the locations to create a more exciting look. The location was actually a former mental hospital, giving the production an exact space near Toronto, with the building also used for "Police Academy." Richards credits the "12 Days of Christmas Film School" experience as critical to his career, allowing him to learn on the job and move on to additional work, building a resume.

• "Psycho Team Effort" (15:26, HD) is an interview with producer/cinematographer/editor Robert Bergman, who initially met Jerry Ciccoritti in high school, offering a technical education on movies to his friend's skill with interpretation. When a venture into advertising didn't work, Ciccoritti quickly transitioned to "Psycho Girls," bringing Bergman along for the ride, finding a dream to make artful endeavors replaced by the grind of genre entertainment. The interviewee shares technical details and recalls long hours, working like crazy to get the picture finished.

• "Psycho Girls" (15:53) is an audio essay from film historian Paul Corupe.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Psycho Girls Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's no editorial snap to "Psycho Sisters," which could lose 20 minutes and wouldn't miss a thing. Storytelling basically ends at the hour mark, with the finale devoted to lengthy torture sequences inside Lakeview, which aren't frightening or particularly well-staged. It's all just needlessly drawn-out, with Ciccoritti allowing the cast to ham it up for the cameras, trusting thespian extremity will trigger some type of fun factor. "Psycho Sisters" doesn't come alive as a trashy horror event, and it doesn't click as a dark comedy, with the sluggishness of the endeavor throttling whatever parade of mental illness and bodily harm the helmer is hoping to deliver. There's clearly a lot of effort put into the feature, with technical achievements laudable and the screenplay is working extra hard to be noticed. However, such labor is lost in an endeavor that has a tremendous problem with forward momentum.