Runaway Sisters Review

Distributor: Vinegar Syndrome Edition Details: Standard Streaming Movie Specs: Genres: Golden Age Classic, Feature Film, Foreign, Roughie Run Time: 64 minutes Rated: X Release Year: 1973 Director: Samuel Lee Written by: Mary-Anne Shelly Cast: Janet Sifton, Cheryl Blanche, Ray Phillips, Vera Grey, Luke Skinner, Jerry Gladwin, Harry Lomax Release Specs: Audio: English Mono Subtitles: none Video: Full Frame, 1.33:1 Video Format: NTSC Format: Streaming Regional Code (for DVD/Blu-ray): N/A Number of discs: N/A

The Runaway Sisters is a hardcore roughie by apparently one-and-done director Samuel Lee that appears to have been shot in Denmark. The Runaway Sisters is a take-off, of sorts, of Voltaire's 1759 work Candide, ou l'Optimisme or could be seen as a take-off, of types, of Terry Southern's 1958 novel Candy.

The plot for The Runaway Sisters is that sisters Wendy (Janet Sifton) and Suzy (Cheryl Blanche) are sent to stay with their uncle Max, who hasn't been the same since aunt Martha died, while their mother is in the hospital. While Suzy is out one night, Max rapes Wendy. After Suzy's return, the sisters run away from Max ending up in a series of disasters that quickly grow worse and worse.

The connection between The Runaway Sisters and Candide, ou l'Optimisme is the continued innocence of the two sisters as they end up in a series of horrific events and their optimism while going forward despite what has happened in the past. Don't go into this incorrectly though, The Runaway Sisters is an unsettling film, but it is a well-done film.

The story for the film is well done. All of the sex scenes are either rape scenes or incest scenes (or both in one case), so the film isn't overly erotic. However, the film uses the adult medium to tell an interesting story for viewers who are interested in more than just sex scenes.

The Runaway Sisters is rough around the edges. Being rough around the edges isn't to say that the film isn't well made and that work didn't go into the movie since neither of these statements is correct; it is to point out that The Runaway Sisters could have used a little polishing.

The Runaway Sisters may not be very erotic; however, it offers the viewer a well-done story that is interesting and will hold the viewer's interest. The Runway Sisters is a rough and brutal film, and viewers should take that into mind before viewing the film; however, The Runaway Sisters is recommended for fans of the genre.

The edition of The Runaway Sisters screened is the streaming-only edition available on Exploitation.TV. Vinegar Syndrome has done a good job with their streaming-only version of The Runaway Sisters. The Runaway Sisters was shot on film, and it looks like Vinegar Syndrome has used a film print for this release. The Runaway Sisters is presented in the Academy aspect ratio of 1.33:1 pillarboxed to the anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The image quality for The Runaway Sisters is uneven. The print used was heavily beat at the beginning and the roughly 45-minute mark. The print contains artifacts, print damage, and jumps. The colors in the film are good albeit slightly on the red side of the spectrum.

There is an English monaural audio track for The Runaway Sisters. The audio presentation is okay with crackles, pops, hiss, and distortion. The dialog in the film is clear and easy to understand at all times.

Vinegar Syndrome hasn't included any extras for their streaming-only edition of The Runaway Sisters.

The Runaway Sisters is a feature roughie adult film that isn't overly erotic; however, the film is enjoyable to watch as an actual film. The story for The Runaway Sisters is well-done, and the cast does a great job with their roles. Anyone looking for just carnal pleasure will be profoundly disappointed with The Runaway Sisters; however, anyone who likes adult films as adult films will find The Runaway Sisters to be a good film to watch. Vinegar Syndrome has done a good job with their streaming-only edition of The Runaway Sisters on Exploitation.TV with decent audio and video quality.

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