Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

The Sister of Ursula Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 27, 2022

Sex and death come to resort life in 1978’s “The Sister of Ursula,” which functions as a murder mystery, but also shows potential as possible training tool for psychotherapists. Giallo touches are present in the endeavor, with a killer favoring black gloves on the loose, but writer/director Enzo Milioni doesn’t seem particularly taken with the whole whodunit atmosphere, gradually turning “The Sister of Ursula” into a softcore offering periodically interrupted by frantic displays of mental illness.

It's a getaway for two sisters, Dagmar (Stefania D’Amario) and Ursula (Barbara Magnolfi), who are dealing with the death of their father and the whereabouts of their mother. They’ve come to a resort to deal with their issues, encountering others who seek to befriend and seduce them. The picture primarily focuses on Ursula’s screaming mind, dealing poorly with her surroundings and Dagmar, but there’s a killer on the loose, and one who specializes in voyeurism and genital mutilation. “The Sister of Ursula” isn’t particularly grotesque, as Milioni is more concerned about titillation, staging numerous scenes of sexual activity, trying to heat up a tale of profound psychological fracture.

The Sister of Ursula Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative. Detail is quite vivid throughout the viewing experience, with close-ups especially textured, capturing fine hairs and signs of age. Resort tours are dimensional, offering a clear look at exterior expanse. Interiors retain decoration, and costuming remains fibrous. Colors are inviting, offering brighter primaries for costuming. Greenery is distinct. Ample skintones are natural. Delineation is precise. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition, with some occasional debris and mild scratches.

The Sister of Ursula Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers satisfactory dialogue exchanges, managing dubbed performances and their often hysterical extremes. Music remains a bit fuzzy with highs, also dealing with some sibilance issues. Sound effects are blunt but appreciable.

The Sister of Ursula Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas.

• "Father of Ursula" (30:43, SD) is an older interview with "The Sister of Ursula" writer/director, Enzo Milioni.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:44, SD) is included.

The Sister of Ursula Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Sister of Ursula" is a suspense film that's not interested in creating suspense. Despite pronounced ugliness, the picture does manage to provide some entertainment value, especially when focusing on Milioni's sexploitation mission, where he stops the feature, making time to watch characters disrobe and deal delicately with the demands of softcore positions, keeping the movie away from X-rated events. There's also trouble from fractured human beings, drug addicts, jilted husbands, a lounge singer, and homeless teens. That's an ample collection of potential hellraising, but Milioni keeps "The Sister of Ursula" relatively calm, enjoying resort sights and the power of nudity instead.