Ìý Bill Condon finally scored a critical, financial, and Oscar success with "Gods and Monsters", but getting there was a hard slog and involved making "Sister Sister" along the way. He examines this flawed film with refreshing frankness on a superb Region 1 DVD release.
Shot in the steaming bayous of Louisiana, this is a really tough film to transfer to DVD. While many of the shots are eerie and atmospheric they do at times look slightly murky on the disc. Daytime shots are fine though, and it's worth bearing in mind that this is the first time ever this film has been available in widescreen on a home format.
A brand new 5.1 mix has been bestowed upon the film and it's a cracker too. Lots of thunder, lashing rain, and creepy effects add a whole new layer of intrigue to this thriller.
But while there are some effective moments in the movie, it was a disaster at test screenings as Bill Condon recalls in a fine commentary on the DVD. Major changes had to be made to the film. When complete, New World Pictures was badly hit by the 1987 stock market crash, which led to poor distribution. Worse still, the film was critically vilified. That chain of events took Condon years to recover from professionally and his experiences make for fascinating listening.
Chapters: 26
Region: 1
Ratio: 2.35:1 (Anarmorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Extra Features: Scene selection, audio commentary with director Bill Condon, deleted scenes, Bill Condon biography and filmography, trailer, animated menus, English for the hearing impaired.
