Sisters (1973)

The Staten Island apartment of lovely model Danielle becomes the scene of a grisly murder that is witnessed by her neighbor, Grace, a reporter. But the police don't believe her story, so ... See full summary »

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writers:

Brian De Palma (screenplay), Louisa Rose (screenplay),

Stars:

Margot Kidder, Jennifer Salt, Charles Durning

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Margot Kidder	...	Danielle Breton / Dominique Blanchion
Jennifer Salt	...	Grace Collier
Charles Durning	...	Joseph Larch
William Finley	...	Emil Breton (as Bill Finley)
Lisle Wilson	...	Phillip Woode
Barnard Hughes	...	Arthur McLennen
Mary Davenport	...	Mrs. Collier
Dolph Sweet	...	Detective Kelly

Storyline

The Staten Island apartment of lovely model Danielle becomes the scene of a grisly murder that is witnessed by her neighbor, Grace, a reporter. But the police don't believe her story, so it's up to Grace to solve the murder mystery on her own.

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Plot Keywords:

neighbor | reporter | murder | model | police | 

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Taglines:

Siamese twins at birth

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

27 March 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blood Sisters

Filming Locations:

Alexander Hamilton Apartment Building - 36 Hamilton, Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American International Pictures (AIP), Pressman-Williams

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (flashback sequence) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While the majority of the film was shot on 35mm film, the dream sequence was shot on 16mm film to give it a more gritty atmospheric appearance.

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Goofs

Danielle and Phillip have their date after their TV appearance in Manhattan. Phillip tells her he will get his car. After their date they are seen taking the Staten Island Ferry yet he drives her to her apartment building in his car. While no longer the case, before the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 vehicles were allowed on the ferries.

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Quotes

Grace Collier: I saw a murder, and I'm going to prove it!

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Connections

References What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

User Reviews

Vintage DePalma

Brian DePalma made his feature length horror debut with "Sisters" – a delightfully sinister film in the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock. Unfortunately, DePalma has endured an unfair amount of backlash over the years from both critics and moviegoers a like who feel his work too closely resembles that of Hitchcock. One major difference between the two is where Hitchcock played on the imagination of the audience as a tool to generate shock and horror, DePalma gleefully pushes the envelope a step further in staging stylized yet graphically brutal murders that the camera does not shy from. There are two such sequences in "Sisters" and they both still stand today, some thirty-two years later, as extremely unsettling and highly effective scenes (the visibly fake blood notwithstanding). And while one cannot deny that the majority of DePalama's repertoire borrows liberally from Hitchcock, DePalma is still a master of the macabre in his own right (after all, imitation has been called the highest form of flattery). And despite what the critics say, DePalma IS credible in the eyes of his loyal legion of fans – based on his strong skill of affectionately paying homage, while at the same time invigorating the material with his own flair of unique visual imagery. And in this manner, "Sisters" does not disappoint. By combining his then experimental split screen technique with a brilliantly unsettling score by composer icon Bernard Herrmann, a "Rear Window" esquire story, and an eerie crackerjack sort of ending – DePalma successfully creates a truly thrilling viewing experience. The film also succeeds in not taking itself too seriously and is further buoyed by definitively camp performances from lead actresses Margot Kidder and Jennifer Salt. The brief yet brutal violence and far-fetched plot may put off some viewers, however the film is highly recommended to genre enthusiasts and a must see for Brian DePalma die hards, an 8/10.