SISTERS
US, 2006, 92 minutes, Colour.
Chloe Sevigny, Stephen Rea, Lou Doillon, Dallas Roberts, JR Bourne, William B.Davis, Gabrielle Rose.
Directed by Douglas Buck.
Sisters is a remake of the 1972 thriller by Brian de Palma. Sisters is considered as something of a minor classic, along with other films by De Palma, emulating Alfred Hitchcock (Obsession, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out). Many commentators have wondered why there was any need for a remake 30+ years later.
The screenplay follows the original, though updating some of the technology used for surveillance. And, there are some variations on the action, and a contemporary variation on the ending.
The film takes place over two days, an introduction to a sinister doctor who experiments with drugs and treatment, played by Stephen Rea. Then there is his assistant, Angelique, the credit introducing Lou Doillon (Jane Birkin’s daughter) although she had appeared in many French films.
At a gathering with the children where the doctor is acting as a magician, there is an American visiting doctor who is approached by Angelique. There is also a reporter, Grace, played by Chloe Sevigny.
The reporter watches outside Angelique’s apartment all night, then goes to examine the doctor’s office across the street, witnesses the murder of the doctor who had accompanied Angelique. She contacts the police – they find no evidence of the murder, the doctor and Angelique having cleared everything (but with the body hidden behind the television set).
Grace continues her investigation, her associate is taken by the doctor, Grace herself taken and subjected to medical procedures – with a revelation about Angelique, her mother, Siamese twins, the stabbing of the doctor, Grace becoming the deceased Siamese twin, the two sisters, in girlish uniforms, walking away.
The film has its moments – but does strain plausibility.
1. The remake of Brian de Palma’s film? Update, reworking of plot, ending? Praise and critique of the adaptation?
2. The city settings, the streets, apartments, interiors? The Institute, the grounds, the countryside? The musical score?
3. The title, the background of Siamese twins, the 19th century stories, Barnum’s Circus, other twins performing, together, separated, surgery? As background to this story?
4. The introduction to the doctor, his magic tricks, his Institute, those of the Institute, deformities, illness? Angelique as his assistant? Dr Wallace and his watching? Grace and her disguise, observing? Atmosphere?
5. Angelique, presence, and look, style? With the children? Her approaching Dr Wallace? His giving her the lift? The doctor and his disapproval? Grace and her observing?
6. Dr Wallace, in the apartment, the seduction, the sexual encounter? The next morning, the episode with buying the cake, his being demanding, the two sisters? His return, the vicious attack, the murder, coming to the window, his collapse?
7. Grace, sitting in the car during the night, observing, going up to the doctor’s office, searching the documents, finding the syringes, the Tristiana name? Looking at the murder through the window? Her reaction, calling the police, waiting in the lobby, their suspicions, her story, claiming she saw it from ground level? Going up, finding the clean apartment, discussions with Angelique, her plausible story? The audience seeing the blood behind the television set and the connection removed? The melted ice cream and cake, the detective eating the cake?
8. The vicious murder, the two sisters, the arrival of the doctor, the quick cleaning of everything, concealing the body?
9. Grace and her work with Larry Franklin, sharing investigations, his breaking into the apartment, the body in the television set, the phone ringing? His being taken by the doctor?
10. Grace, being taken by the doctor, the laboratory, with Angelique?
11. The hallucinatory nature of the ending, real/unreal? The two sisters, Grace looking like Annabelle, the dark hair, the similarities? The issue of the twins and their being separated, the wounds? The attack on the doctor, killing him? The two sisters, bonding? The identical dress, walking off together, into the future?
