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(aka "Twinsanity" )
directed by Alan Gibson
UK 1970
Unnaturally close twins Jacki (Judy Geeson, TO SIR WITH LOVE, INSEMINOID) and Julian (Martin Potter, FELLINI SATYRICON, SATAN'S SLAVE) arrive in London to stay in the townhouse of their wealthy father who is staying abroad. When the housekeeper sets out to reign in their childish behavior, Jacki and Julian (with the help of their oracle teddy bear Agamemnon) promptly arrange for the old woman to take a fatal trip down the stairs. The bond between the twins is shaken when small-time criminal Clive (Alexis Kanner) comes into their lives; charming Jacki and alienating Julian (he brings Julian to a motel room to "party" with some transvestites and takes photos for blackmail). When Clive is threatened by a bookie for a 400 quid gambling debt, he shows his true colors but is his brutality any match for the twins' childish (and deadly) games? Based on the novel "Ask Agamemnon" by Jenni Hall, GOODBYE GEMINI (which had its US video release under the title TWINSANITY) is a classy slow-burn treatment of the horror sub-genre about the deadly aspects of the twin bond that thankfully does not degenerate into a PSYCHO-clone (despite the comparisons drawn by the commentators with the Hithcock film as well as WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?). Although Potter has the showier role as the more unstable of the twins, Geeson (a British horror favorite) conveys the underlying menace of her character more subtly (including the funny reply "Don't mind me" when Mike Pratt's bookie apologizes for having to rough up Clive in front of her). Kanner is excellent as the charming Clive who almost seems like the perfect addition to the pair (or trio if you count Agamemnon) until he underestimates them (though a few wiser others have previously remarked that the twins look like they can take care of themselves). Michael Redgrave has a supporting role as a progressive politician who slums in the same circles as Clive and the twins (as well as a snarky artist played by Freddie Jones). Daphne Heard (TO THE MANOR BORN) makes a quick exit as the twins' ill-fated housekeeper. Terry Scully gets some memorable lines as the queeny host of a houseboat party and Peter Jeffrey as a police inspector steals his only scene from Redgrave. Geoffrey Unsworth's cinematography is consistently interesting with layered compositions and wide angle distortions and Christopher Gunning (in his first scoring assignment) provides a fine score. The pop title theme "Tell the World We're Not In" by the Peddlers may seem brash and inappropriate but is thematically relevant given the world the twins have built out together and their attempts to shut others out of it. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: August 6th, 1970
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DVD Review: Scorpion Releasing - Region 0 - NTSC
Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!
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Distribution |
Scorpion Releasing Region 0 - NTSC |
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Runtime | 1:29:15 | |
Video |
1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 mono) | |
Subtitles | none | |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Scorpion Releasing Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 12 |
Comments |
After the softish, scratchy credits (derived from a print of the U.S. Cinerama Releasing version), the HD-mastered single-layered, progressive anamorphic image improves but this is not one of Cinerama's better-kept film elements. It was taken directly from the camera negative. There is some speckling and scattered instances of damage and one scene that seems like it was inserted from a coarser source but it still nicely represents Geoffrey Unsworth's (Kubrick's 2001) inventive cinematography to good effect (the softness of the image in some scenes is intentional with an over-application of star filters). Mono audio is strong throughout starting with a vivid rendition of the funky title theme.
Producer Peter Snell and actress Judy Geeson provide an audio commentary moderated by Nathaniel Thompson. Besides the commentary and American trailer, the disc's extras are rounded out by trailers for four other Cinerama Releasing titles forthcoming from Scorpion (including the somewhat thematically related MUMSY, NANNY, SONNY & GIRLY under its U.S. title GIRLY). The DVD is a great presentation of a forgotten film and a quality third release from Scorpion Releasing (following last year's SILENT SCREAM and CHEERLEADER'S WILD WEEKEND ). |
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