Review of Die Sister, Die!

1972's "The Companion" was among several genre titles that sat on the shelf for years before being picked up for distribution by indie outfit Cinema Shares International Distribution Organization Ltd. (that's quite a mouthful!). Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater broadcast no less than nine of their films during its last days on the air- "Web of the Spider," "Track of the Moon Beast," "Godzilla on Monster Island," "Godzilla vs. Megalon," "Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster," "Creature from Black Lake," "Dynasty," and "Blue Sunshine," all still rather obscure decades later. Many believe this to have been a TV-movie, but that is not so, director Randall Hood simply had some television experience and knew what to do on an obviously low budget, gathering together a cast well known for their small screen work. Scriptwise, it's strictly routine 'skeletons in the closet' stuff, with Edith Atwater ("The Body Snatcher") in the central role of Amanda Price, like Bette Davis in both "Baby Jane" and "Sweet Charlotte" (or even Agnes Moorehead in "Dear Dead Delilah"), an unmarried spinster devoted to the memory of her dead father. Jack Ging plays brother Edward Price, who hires a discredited nurse, Esther Harper (Antoinette Bower), to look after his sister, in the hope that her suicidal tendencies will reach fruition, enabling him to take over the estate. Esther discovers her charge to be sharp as a tack, not the 'mental deficient' that Edward described, and comes to regret becoming his 'partner in crime.' The entirely predictable skeletons in this closet can be found in the basement, and are thrown away two thirds of the way in, leaving very little to follow. Veteran Kent Smith does well as the concerned Dr. Thorne, but Antoinette Bower's performance is sadly lacking, making her scenes opposite the fiery Atwater fizzle rather than sizzle, blunting the film's overall impact. Producer/director Randall Hood's early death in 1976 preceded the release of his final film, his only previous feature a 1961 children's fantasy called "The Two Little Bears." It remains his modest efforts, and a mostly game cast, that make this ideal late night viewing, not the horror film promised by the criminally misleading ads for its theatrical title "Die Sister, Die!" (which totally gives the game away). "The Companion" aired twice on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater, Apr 4 1981 and Dec 18 1982.