Blu-ray Review: Carrie (Arrow Video)

School, the workplace, social media... the reprehensible act of bullying today has more outlets than ever before, making Brian De Palma's "Carrie" particularly relevant in
this day and age.
Meet Carrie White (Sissy Spacek): a put-upon high school girl who lives with her religious zealot mother, Margaret (Piper Laurie), and is a prime example of a troubled teen
who must deal with a motley crew of girls and guys.

The offending party is headed by Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen) and Billy Nolan (John Travolta), with PJ Soles and cohorts adding their support to a most unsavory project.
Carrie befriended by PE teacher Miss Collins (Betty Buckley), who takes this troubled girl under her wing as tampons fly during her first period amidst a throng of cat-calling
teens. It's just as well Carrie has an alternative mother figure in her life as support at home is zero, thanks to her domineering mother who prefers Carrie to be shut away from any potential friends and admirers who may introduce her to real life.

Based on Stephen King's debut novel, De Palma's film cats Sissy Spacek as probably the most naturally beautiful girl in the picture, shy and awkward but with special qualities
to entrance the right suitor.
She also possesses the power to move objects at will; something that's triggered by rage whenever the situation feels threatening to her. Tommy Ross (William Katt) slowly comes to recognise her beauty and her pesonality, when his girlfriend Sue (Amy Irving) persuades him to escort Carrie to the school prom where things go very badly wrong.
The high school shoot is a prime example of De Palma's special brand of filmmaking prowess, beautifully lit with economic use of split-screen photography and tensioncranked up to 11.
The cast - several of whom made their film debuts here - are uniformally excellent, split between the good, the inbetween and the downright ugly, who are all ultimately tarred
by the same brush.
It's certainly a rip-roaring finale, leading up to that famous 'jump' moment that helps make this film such a memorable one.

"Carrie" has certainly stood the test of time, emerging as one of the very best King adaptations and a most worthy inclusion in Horror's Hall of Fame.

Arrow Video's Blu-ray release unveils a 4k scan that really shows off the intricate lighting with strong, stable colours.
The extras begin with a commentary track from Lee Gambin and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas.
The pair deliver an informative track, taking in critical reception to the film and addressing accusations of De Palma as a misogynist.Lee talks about Piper Laurie - not first choice for the role - and Alexandra goes into the use of space in this film. King's book, the mythological feel to the prom and De Palma's lighting of his female cast members are just a few of the additional things discussed in this enlightening talk.

Next up is "Acting Carrie" (42m 42s)
This is a 2001 featurette, comprising of interviews with De Palma (who calls this film "one of the great cast experiences"), Amy Irving, art director Jack Fisk and others.
Key scenes are discussed, including the prom and shower scenes.
"More Acting Carrie" (20m 19s)
A continuation of the previous featurette, with input from Nancy Allen, Betty Buckley and William Katt who discuss the script, rehearsals and De Palma's energy.
"Visualising Carrie: From words to Images" (41m 33s)
De Palma, scriptwriter Lawrence D Cohen, editor Paul Hirsch and Jack Fisk discuss the FX shots; Pino Donnagio's wonderful score; the first draft of the screenplay and the famous 'rain of stones scene that was left out of the finished product.
"Singing Carrie:The Musical" (6m 24s)
This is another 2001 featurette, where Cohen recalls how a night at the theatre inspired thoughts of a musical, and Betty Buckley (who played a different character in the stage version) tells how one particular performance went from boos to a standing ovation at the finale.
"Writing Carrie" (29m 7s) 2016
Here, Lawrence D Cohen talks about King's novel, explaining why it was decided not to include that literally heart-stopping scene. He also explains the challenges posed on this production, and there's a great midnight screening story.
"Shooting Carrie (15m 22s) 2016
This is an interview with cinematographer Mario Tosi, who talks about his mix-up approach to lighting this film and about the tools he had back in the day, comparing them to today's ultra high tech world.
"Cutting Carrie" (25m 9s)
A 2016 interview with editor Paul Hirsch, who explains why he was less than enthusiastic about the split-screen device and waxes lyrical on the freedom De Palma gave him.
"Casting Carrie" (16m 3s)
A 2016 interview with casting director Harriet B Helberg, who reveals how Spacek got into character for her screentest; her thoughts on the film and why they were initially unsure about one of the characters.
"Bucket of Blood" (23m 53s)
A 2016 interview with composer Pino Donnagio, who talks about how "Carrie" changed his life and reflects on De Palma, Bernard Herrmann and the challenges posed by the film.
"Horror's Hallowed Grounds" (11m 25s)
A look at the film's original locations, including the pig farm and the high school playing field.
"Comparing Carrie (20m 43s)
A visual essay from Jonathan Bygraves comparing the 3 screen versions of "Carrie": the 1976 original, the 2002 TV film and the 2013 adaptation.
Margaret White's character; the use of telekinetic powers and timelines are just some of the subjects discussed.

The extras are rounded off with an alternate TV opening; photo gallery; trailer; TV spots; radio spots and a "Carrie" trailer reel.
There's also a booklet (which I haven't seen), comprising of new writing on the film by Neil Mitchell, author of Devil s Advocates: Carrie, a reprint of the Final Girls 40th anniversary Carrie zine, and an archive interview with Brian De Palma.
It's so good to see a classic film receive such reverential treatment.

DVD Review: Sisters (Arrow Video)

Released in 1973, Brian De Palma's 'Sisters' remains one of his most deliciously voyeuristic outings, beginning with a nod do the title of Michael Powell's controversial film with a TV show named 'Peeping Toms'. The premise is setting up unwitting members of the public in a similar way to 'Candid Camera': in this case, the audience watch the victim watching an apparently blind woman getting undressed to see if he stays the course, or does the right thing and bales out early. Philip Woode (Lisle Wilson)shows chivalry is not entirely dead and exits stage left, going on to start a relationship with Danielle Breton (Margot Kidder); a French Canadian in New York who appears to be a sweet natured beauty with perfect sight. Danielle, however, comes with some rather sinister family baggage: ex-husband Emil (William Finley) is stalking her, and the suggested presence of her Siamese twin Dominique threatens to call time on her sisters new relationship.

'Sisters' has often been accused of being little more than a film full of Hitchcock riffs - a fate shared by other De Palma films. While it's true that 'Sisters' contains nods to 'Psycho', 'Rear Window' and 'Vertigo' amongst others, it successfully builds on visual and thematic links to emerge as a strong film in its own right. The concept of sitting in the dark watching people on a big screen is voyeuristic in itself, but here we have Grace Collier (Jennifer Salt) watching a murder victim smear a blood message on the window opposite just before he dies, and teaming up with private detective Joseph Leach (Charles Durning) when the police refuse to believe a murder took place.

An uneasy sense of being privy to murder and madness in the lives of others is heightened by De Palma's use of split screen, providing additional information to scenes we'd maybe rather not witness but are utterly compelled to watch. The idea of Siamese twins containing a fiercely dominant personality in which darkness edges out the light works wonderfully well here, due in large part to Margot Kidder who turns in some of her very best work in this film. 'Sisters' is certainly not for the faint-hearted, with its bloody murder scenes, brilliant, deeply unsettling set-pieces and rousing Bernard Herrmann score, but it's one of De Palma's finest films and will doubtless win new admirers with Arrow Video's dual-format release.

I received the DVD part of the package (due to a Royal Mail foul-up), and can report that Arrow's presentation is the best I've seen of this film to date, with robust colours,a nice level of detail and grain in the appropriate areas.
Once again, Arrow have done us proud with regard to supplementary material, beginning with 'What The Devil Hath Joined Together: A Visual Essay'. This is a 45 minute feature where Justin Humphreys traces production history, and explores the themes of 'Sisters'. As well as the Hitchcock connection, Justin also highlights the influences of other directors, and goes into the De Palma/Herrmann relationship which yields quite a surprise.

Next on the agenda are cast and crew interviews, which run for over 45 minutes. First up is Jennifer Salt who recalls the roles of Grace and the twins were Christmas presents from De Palma to Kidder and herself. Salt goes on to recall the shoot, including a frenetic last day of filming which turned out to be quite literally a 24 hour shoot.
Louisa Rose, wo co-wrote the script, is next up. Rose charts her beginnings as a writer; her approach to her craft, goes on to declare there was no inspiration drawn from Hitchcock on her part, and remarks she found it interesting to write a script featuring a different kind of killer to the norm.
Paul Hirsch served as editor on 'Sisters', and reveals his first job (De Palmas' 'Hi Mom!')was gained through nepotism. He was actually hired fairly late in the day for 'Sisters', and can lay claim to being the one who suggested his director enlist the services of Bernard Herrmann. Hirsch also explains just why voyeurism is a central part of many of the director's films.
Jeffrey Hayes was the unit manager on 'Sisters' which became his debut feature, and recalls various aspects of the shoot, together with his work on De Palma's 'Phantom Of The Paradise'. Lastly, an excerpt from an audio interview with William Finley is included here, mentioning his early days; his friendship with De Palma and his character in 'Sisters'. All the video interviews were recorded and edited by the High Rising Productions team of Calum Waddell and Naomi Holwill, and provide illuminating additions to this package.

'The Brian De Palma Digest' is a 29 minute excursion through Brian De Palma's CV, written and narrated by film critic Mike Sutton, who reveals 'Dionysus In 69' marked De Palma's first use of split-screen photography. Mike's appraisal of a fine body of work contains great insight, and is absolutely guaranteed to compel you to revisit old favourites and to seek out any titles you have yet to see. A theatrical trailer and gallery of poster designs round things off nicely. Arrow have also included a booklet containing a quartet of essays. The fist is 'The Reflecting Eye:Seeing Double in Brian De Palma's Sisters' by Kier-La Janisse. This beautifully written essay traces De Palma's film back to his earlier output and addresses its psychiatric and medical concerns, acting as a thorough overview of the key onscreen events. 'The Making Of Sisters: An Interview With Brain De Palma' is a reprint of a 1973 De Palma interview with 'Filmmaker's Newsletter', where De Palma discusses technical aspects of the production, including split-screen, his aim in making 'Sisters', the budget and other aspects of the shoot.
'Murder By Moog: Scoring The Chill' is a De Palma article that originally appeared in 'Village Voice on 11th October 1973. Here, De Palma explains how his editor jolted him by adding cues from 'Psycho' to the soundtrack and suggesting Herrmann should be approached to score the film. De Palma has some fascinating stories to impart regarding Herrmann, making this an immensely satisfying read.
'Rare Study Of Siamese Twins In Soviet' is reproduced from an article in 'Life' magazine, dated back to 1966. This tells the story of Masha and Dasha, the Siamese twins that inspired De Palma to make 'Sisters'.

This informative booklet ends with a few words about the transfer. Read the whole thing after you have viewed the film, and then watch the film again with increased understanding and appreciation.

'Sisters' is available to buy now, and is highly recommended as a solid purchase of a film that continues to haunt the mind some four decades on.

Blu-Ray Review: Dressed To Kill

Set in New York, Brian De Palma's psycho sexual thriller opens with a day in the life and death of frustrated housewife Kate Miller (Angie Dickison). Bored with the lack of bedroom excitement in her marriage, Miller visits a museum where a tense game of cat and mouse begins with a fellow visitor.
This beautifully shot 8 minute scene (shot without dialogue) culminates in a rather eventful taxi ride to an apartment where Kate gets the expert attention she craves, courtesy of her one afternoon stand.After leaving her sleeping partner, Miller checks out for the final time when a blonde knife wielding psychopath launches a bloody attack in a lift, with

classy hooker Liz Blake (Nancy Allen)
a prime witness to the carnage. Blake is subsequently accused of the murder by a police detective (Hill St Blues' Dennis Franz) and joins forces with Miller's son (Keith Gordon) in an attempt to unmask the killer, while suave shrink Dr Elliott (Michael Caine) refuses to divulge the true identity of a possible suspect.

It's a stylish, beautifully crafted ride and far more of a homage to the Italian Giallo thrillers of Dario Argento and Mario Bava than a flat-out Hitchcock imitation as has often been opined.
Witness the gory elevator murder which is beautifully shot, and has to be one of the finest sequences in De Palma's career. Here we have a razor slashing black gloved killer reminiscent of the aforementioned Italian thriller, though we'd better say that Dressed To Kill anticipated Argento's Tenebrae by two years.

I was lucky enough to catch Dressed To Kill during its opening week at UK cinemas in 1980 and, in my opinion, the film hasn't dated. It's well nigh impossible to pick out a single performance that didn't deliver straight down the line, and the film's tone and scenes of violence which really did push the envelope back then, are just as hard hitting today.
Add to this a haunting score from Pino Donaggio that is memorable in the extreme, and you have a film that easily repays multiple viewings.

Arrow Video's Blu-Ray presentation seems faithful to the original source material. Colours are often muted and some scenes are a little on the soft side, but the image is generally sharp, exhibiting good detail.
On the bonus material front, Dressed To Kill is blessed with the participation of all the main players with the regrettable absence of Michael Caine.

Symphony Of Fear.

This featurette sees producer George Litto discussing problems that beset the film, from finance to its controversial subject matter and the difficulties experienced in finding shooting locations.
It's a fascinating piece which also covers the involvement of Samuel Z. Arkoff.

Dressed In White

Here, Angie Dickinson talks about her favourite role and performance, recalling her experiences with the actors and with De Palma as comes over as genuinely proud of her involvement and accomplishment.
There are a few chuckles along the way (listen out and look out for her museum 'To-Do' list, which includes 'Pick up turkey') and overall, it's a delight to sit through. And yes, she still has the gloves!

Dressed In Purple

This is a wonderful interview with Nancy Allen who lovingly discusses the role De Palma (then her husband) wrote for her, and provides some great memories and smart ideas about her director's influences, with the name of Dario Argento cropping up.

Lessons In Filmmaking

An interview with Keith Gordon - now an accomplished director - who recalls Michael Caine's generosity and regrets they only shared one scene together. Gordon also mentions Dario Argento, along with the late Mario Bava and Roman Polanski as influences on Dressed To Kill.

The Making Of A Thriller.

A 45 minute documentary featuring observations and anecdotes from the aforementioned artists plus De Palma and Dennis Franz. Although some of their memories have been repeated from other sections of the extras, it's still essential viewing.

Unrated, R-Rated And TV Rated

This is a comparison of different takes of the more controversial scenes in this film. It's worth noting that Arrow's Blu-ray is the first time the uncut version has been made available for home viewing in the UK.

Slashing Dressed To Kill

De Palma and Gordon hold forth on the changes made to avoid the dreaded Adult Rating.

As usual, Arrow have generously included a collectors booklet which features work from Maitland McDonagh and an interview with poster designer Stephen Sayadim by Daniel Bird.
Arrow's Blu-ray is locked to Region B, and will prove a rewarding purchase for fans of this film.