Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Sister Sister Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 12, 2022

There’s probably a book to be written about the career of writer/director Bill Condon, which has enjoyed such extreme turns of fate and opportunity since he began his rise in the industry. There’s the man who helmed “Dreamgirls,” “Kinsey,” and “Gods and Monsters.” And there’s the man who made “Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh,” “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” and the live-action version of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” It’s been a wild ride for Condon, but he officially stepped behind the camera for the first time with 1987’s “Sister Sister,” in charge of creating an atmospheric southern gothic thriller focusing on violence in the bayou, adding bits of eroticism along the way. As debuts go, “Sister Sister” is a bit of a narrative mess, but Condon has surrounded himself with talented cast and crew, making him look capable as he struggles to tell a dark tale of Louisiana murder and mystery, which always looks and sounds great, but slowly loses its initial appeal.

The Willows Plantation is run by Charlotte (Judith Ivey), who cares for the property and Lucy (Jennifer Jason Leigh), her younger sister, who deals with mental health issues. Accepting boarders to stay in the bayou, Charlotte welcomes Matt (Eric Stoltz) for a visit, with the enigmatic young man immediately attracted to Lucy, trying to catch her eye while handyman Etienne (Benjamin Mouton) grows possessive of his object of desire, getting aggressive with the stranger. As the days pass, tensions rise in the house, with other guests arriving, creating distractions for Charlotte, Lucy, and Matt as an act of violence occurs, promising doom for all.

“Sister Sister” is wonderfully shot by cinematographer Stephen M. Katz, who gives Condon many moods to work with, entering the foggy realm of the bayou, which is home to dangerous creatures and, possibly, ghosts, as Lucy offers a connection to the dead, which adds to her reputation as an unhinged type requiring pills to remain even. Condon and Katz create interesting imagery for the feature, keeping the visual element of the production most potent, joined by an active score from composer Richard Einhorn, who also labors to generate a cinematic presence for the endeavor. Technical achievements help “Sister Sister” immensely, establishing a sense of unease to the story before it has a chance to explore character interactions, making for an intriguing first half as strange events and threats arrive, vaguely tied to Lucy’s shattered mind.

“Sister Sister” has filmmaking power, but storytelling doesn’t match it, finding confusion entering the movie too early, especially with Matt’s presence in the tale. He eventually fits into the puzzle Condon is creating, but it takes some time to understand this, creating bewildering actions early in the feature, including instant heat with Lucy, which greatly upsets Etienne, and nobody seems to bat an eye when Matt gets in involved in household battles despite his position as a simple tourist. The southern gothic thriller subgenre isn’t known for narrative hospital corners, favoring mood over common sense, but there are too many behavioral question marks to manage at first, creating annoying distractions during a time when the plot should be gelling.

Sister Sister Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 2K scan of the 35mm interpositive. "Sister Sister" uses a lot of smoke to conjure atmosphere, and it's impressive how well the viewing experience handles such visuals. It's a much softer look for the movie, but some detail emerges with plantation tours and interior decoration. Milder skin particulars are present. Colors retain their intended style, delivering clean greenery and primaries on clothing. Keeping up with the demands of southern gothic cinema, delineation is passable, offering a look at shadowy events and evening experiences. Grain is heavy but film-like. Source is in good condition.

Sister Sister Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers a pleasingly wide and clear listening experience, prioritizing dialogue exchanges, which retain emotionality. Scoring selections offer support with sharp instrumentation, ranging from warmer orchestral movements to some synth additions. Soundtrack selections are equally pronounced. Atmospherics are heavy, dealing with rainstorms and bayou activity.

Sister Sister Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (10 pages) includes an essay by film historian Cristina Cacioppo.

• Commentary #1 features director Bill Condon.

• Commentary #2 features film historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas.

• "Orchestrating Altered States" (24:52, HD) is an interview with composer Richard Einhorn, who explores his early career choices, eventually meeting director Bill Condon in the 1970s, befriending the filmmaker. For "Sister Sister," work stopped on the picture when it ran out of money, leaving Einhorn to wait for his chance to start creating music for the feature, only to learn he had three weeks to get the job done, taxing his creative inspiration. The score was partially recorded in Prague, which offered a cheaper orchestra to collaborate with. Themes are highlighted and technical challenges are recalled. Einhorn seems proud of the work, but admits that time in low-budget productions changed the course of his career, pushing him to make more personal music.

• "Going to War" (14:48, HD) is an interview with cinematographer Stephen Katz, who recalls his working relationship with director Bill Condon, collaborating on several projects. Shooting in Louisiana provided many challenges, including swamp life and the use of toxic smoke to give the endeavor a more mysterious look. Casting is celebrated, and Katz goes into technical challenges and achievements while dealing with film stocks and lighting. The interviewee identifies a reshot ending ordered up by the producers, and he extends his appreciation for the picture.

• "Being an Outsider" (13:50, HD) is an interview with actor Benjamin Mouton. With "Sister Sister" being his first film, Mouton was ready to commit to the project, initially hired for his accent work, inspiring him to find the character. Memories of working with director Bill Condon are shared, along with a few anecdotes about co-stars Eric Stoltz and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Mouton deviates from production tales to discuss his firsthand experiences with spooky events, and he celebrates southern gothic storytelling, suggesting "Sister Sister" is a good place to start when researching the subgenre.

• "Staying Honest" (11:46, HD) is an interview with actress Natalija Nogulich, who was hired for "Sister Sister" due to a recommendation from actress Judith Ivey, helping out a friend. Declaring a love of the south, Nogulich recalls the difficulties of the shoot, which involved oppressive humidity that often messed with hair and makeup. The interviewee examines her effort to create a fully realized character out of a smaller part, and she praises director Bill Condon, who was happy to help his cast. Co-stars are also fondly remembered.

• Deleted Scenes (3:03, SD) are offered, adding a few character beats to the picture. They can be viewed with or without commentary by director Bill Condon.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:49, HD) is included.

Sister Sister Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Sister Sister" eventually gets around to clarifying actions and history at The Willows, and the answers aren't that captivating. More engrossing are performances, which do well with accents and emphasis, finding Ivey especially strong here. And Condon manages to generate a decent sense of heat with the erotic detours of the movie, mixing some sexual adventures with darker avenues of danger. "Sister Sister" isn't consistent, but if one is capable of getting over some significant dramatic hurdles, there's a sharply constructed chiller to enjoy. Or at least look at for 90 minutes.