Die Sister, Die!

This is one of those where everyone, including the victim, knows, from the get go, aomeone's gonna die, just a matter of when, and, apart from some pithy pronouncements on the Futility of Life, expertly delivered by Edith Atwater as sister Amanda, those lines far above the pedestrian plodding of the rest of the script, I got impatient for her to croak, a'ready!

A registered nurse named Esther (Antoinette Bower) is summoned to an eerie Gothic mansion and feels a lurking menace in the place, as if it bears a terrible secret. When she meets Edward (Jack Ging), he tells her that he wants to hire her to care for his difficult, ailing sister Amanda (Edith Atwater). She does not realize his true intent.

Produced and directed by Randall Hood, who has done little else in his career. Jack Ging gets top billing in this film, with his name prominently on the cover of the DVD. Who is Jack Ging? A television actor, who also appeared in a couple early 1970s Clint Eastwood films.

The Treasure Box Collection features the film in full frame with decent video quality for the time period. No extra measure was given to spruce up the picture, and there are no features at all (not even subtitles), but for watching the film it works fine. (The film is also only 84 minutes, not the 88 that the box says.) As far as horror films go, this one is pretty light. More like a slightly tense thriller, as there is not much blood and an extremely low body count. Horror films can be successful on atmosphere rather than gore, certainly, but this one relies very heavily on an atmosphere I do not know if it can deliver.

If you look at the poster currently shown on IMDb for this film, you'd think the film is about zombies and nubile creatures running about in various states of undress. Well, if that's what you're looking for, then "Die Sister, Die!" is not the film for you. Despite the poster, the film is a murder mystery--and the solution to the mystery isn't all that difficult to deduce. But, it does set a nice, spooky mood--so it is worth a look.

The film begins with a crazy old lady trying to kill herself. She is saved but the doctor (Kent Smith) talks to her brother about either committing her or getting someone to look after her and make sure this doesn't happen again. The loving brother isn't so loving and finds someone--someone he assumes will do nothing to stop the sister from killing herself next time. Then, it seems, he'll inherit the family fortune. Why he hates her and why she hates herself is something you'll soon learn in this spooky but not especially deep film. It really sets a nice mood but that is all. A bit obvious but enjoyable nonetheless.

It is amazing that the people behind this film haven't gone on to make many more films, they did well.

It has a good story, interesting characters, and they did a pretty convincing job of pulling it off.

It is refreshing to see characters in a film who are intelligent enough to figure out what is going on as it happens, and confronting each other with their knowledge. It seems they all have their secrets but not for long... and yet there are still some surprises at the end. I'm not talking the obvious.

Wonderfully gothic with good performances. Maybe todays horror films could learn some small lessons from this. Horror films can still work without a sexy young cast of TV stars.

I don't care that this movie is listed as a horror on IMDb or that the video cover art features hands coming from a wall to grab a woman or that the film is included on just about every budget horror set, Die Sister, Die! has little in the way of horror to offer. There are moments of horror to be sure, but it's really more of a drama/mystery. If you're a fan of Columbo/70s style mysteries, this movie might appeal to you.

My problems with the movie have nothing to do with the way it has been incorrectly categorized over the years. Instead, I see weaknesses in the script and acting. Too much of the movie is just plain dull. Die Sister, Die! might have been much more enjoyable with a tighter script and a shorter run time. There's just too much in the way of padding for my taste. As for the acting, Antoinette Bower is dreadful in the pivotal role of the nurse. She plays the role as a woman who appears on the verge of going comatose at any minute.

The plot is standard 70s made-for-TV stuff. An older woman wants to commit suicide because of some unknown guilt. Her brother, seeking to inherit the family's fortune, would like to see her succeed. He hires a nurse to look after his sister and to make sure the next suicide attempt is the last one. The family doctor plays detective and puts the pieces together. There are some fairly entertaining twists and turns along the way, all leading to a satisfactory, if not predictable, conclusion.

Fans of 70s Movie of the Week fare should definitely check this one out.