Sisi & I Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Sisi & I Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 29, 2025

Film Movement released The Sissi Collection on Blu-ray several years ago, a collection which featured Sissi, Sissi - The Young Empress, and Sissi – Fateful Years of an Empress (along with the somewhat tangentially related Victoria in Dover), offering those interested a "one stop shopping" availability for one of Romy Schneider's best remembered characterizations. The orthography may be somewhat different here, and of course Schneider hasn't been with us since 1982, but for those interested in seeing what might be called "old school" vs. "new school" perspectives on fashioning stories about historical characters in films, watching the Schneider Sissi efforts and then this film might be instructive. (Those interested might want to throw Corsage into the mix for more "new school" stylings.)

I overtly mentioned in my now pretty old The Sissi Collection Blu-ray review how the Schneider Sissi outings were unabashedly glossy "Hollywood"-ized affairs, often more like fairy tales than anything approaching historical accuracy. That general approach is definitely forsaken in this modern (in more than one way) look at the relationship between Sisi (Susanne Wolff) and a Countess named Irma Irma Sztáray (Sandra Hüller). Despite her official title, Irma is in something of a predicament and is more or less forced to become a lady in waiting to Sisi. The story follows Irma's almost slavish devotion to Sisi, in a relationship that might seem a bit toxic as Irma both figuratively and literally refashions herself to make her acceptable to Sisi.

This particular look at Sisi is arguably more factual than the Schneider outings, at least up to a certain point. Would anyone watching those old, glamorous Sissi films ever think that the actual Empress Elisabeth of Austria was assassinated (with a knife, no less) by an Italian anarchist in 1898? That event is given a fictionalized spin in this account, as is Sisi's real life "escape" to Corfu, which here is tweaked somewhat to have her hiding out in a women only commune. This whole post-modernist approach is arguably more "factual" than the often kind of slightly ridiculous Schneider films, but in its own way may not be that accurate in the long run, leaving a "truth and nothing but" account of this enigmatic historical figure still to be made.

The film has a certain epic sweep (even if its chosen film format is unusual, which is covered in detail below), and it also benefits from interesting performances from Hüller and Wolff. That said, there's a certain smarminess to some of the sexual subtext (actually text in some cases), with an apparently libertine Sisi and more uptight Irma making for a kind of 19th century odd couple.

Sisi & I Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sisi & I is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Film Movement with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Rather interestingly, and I think quite uniquely, for a perceived "historical epic", especially one with such varied locations and stunning panoramas, this was shot on 16mm. The result is frankly kind of curious looking at times, since there might be an almost subliminal tendency to expect crystal clear wide framings that might be more evident in, say, 70mm or digital capture. Detail levels can still be quite impressive in close-ups in particular, and fine detail on some of the handsomely designed costumes and sets is expressive. There is a pretty wide gamut (in more ways than one) to gradings and color temperatures throughout, with a number of buttery yellow scenes (including some desert material), and other, more coolly blue, material. That can give the palette varying levels of "normalcy".

Sisi & I Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Sisi & I features Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 options. As I've mentioned in several recent reviews, our audio specs only allow for one principal language, and there are actually several at least smatterings of English and French as well here. The surround track is really quite spacious in providing good ambient environmental effects in the glut of outdoor environments (which pretty much span the globe, or at least large sections of it). I wasn't especially enamored of the film's probably intentionally anachronistic score, but it also resides quite nicely in the side and rear channels. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Sisi & I Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Another Side of Sisi (HD; 10:16) has some interesting things to say about the subtext of the film.


• Sisi & I Trailer (HD; 2:01)

As with many releases from this label, the main menu also has an About Film Movement option that brings up a text box with information.

The sleeve has an inner print. The original exclusive Vinegar Syndrome release evidently had a slipcover, but the review copy sent to me did not.

Sisi & I Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Corsage and Sisi & I are both so almost deliberately anachronistic that chiding them for historical inaccuracy may seem to miss the point, but I'd counter that argument with a simple question: what is the, well, point of the changes and/or fictionalizations offered in these relatively recent efforts? At least the old Schneider Sissi films didn't pretend to be anything other than fairy tales. This has solid if kind of odd technical merits and the short supplement is actually rather interesting, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.