Alas, I would've been too young to take in the R-rated Horror/Thriller Alice, Sweet Alice when it was originally released in the U.S. back in 1976. IMDB.com indicates that the feature enjoyed its first theatrical presentation ever when it was unveiled for patrons of the Chicago International Film Festival on November 12th only to be launched across the fifty states in theaters the following day. It's a film I've often heard about -- even read about a bit here and there in my research into Horror films of the 1970's -- but I've not had the good fortune to screen. That's a deficiency I should now be able to correct as Arrow Films has slated the picture as part of its home video catalogue and will be available for mass consumption this upcoming February 11th.
What I do know about the film is a bit slim -- it created some controversy over its depiction of Catholicism (a prominent element of the story), and I believe it may've even been banned in a foreign country or two. Having not seen the picture myself, I can't speak to even a modest level of accuracy about the whole affair, so I guess I'll best leave it at that.
Here's the film's plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Alice Spages is a withdrawn 12-year-old girl who lives with her younger sister Karen and their mother Catherine. Karen gets most of their mother's attention, and Alice is often left out. When Karen is found brutally murdered in a church before her First Holy Communion, Alice is thrust into the spotlight of suspicion, but is a 12-year-old girl really capable of such savagery? As more people die at the hands of a merciless killer, Alice's family and the police don't know what to believe."
I'm also aware that the film has a few different cuts, resulting I believe from the studio's attempts to refashion the story in modest ways in order to capitalize on growing interest in seeing it screened to the widest audience possible. Interestingly enough, Arrow Films' press release highlights that their forthcoming edition will include the three different versions of the story that have evolved as a result of these edits. That alone piques my interest, and I suspect that Horror fans might be tickled pink to get not one chiller to enjoy but three.
Have at it, folks!
What I do know about the film is a bit slim -- it created some controversy over its depiction of Catholicism (a prominent element of the story), and I believe it may've even been banned in a foreign country or two. Having not seen the picture myself, I can't speak to even a modest level of accuracy about the whole affair, so I guess I'll best leave it at that.
Here's the film's plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Alice Spages is a withdrawn 12-year-old girl who lives with her younger sister Karen and their mother Catherine. Karen gets most of their mother's attention, and Alice is often left out. When Karen is found brutally murdered in a church before her First Holy Communion, Alice is thrust into the spotlight of suspicion, but is a 12-year-old girl really capable of such savagery? As more people die at the hands of a merciless killer, Alice's family and the police don't know what to believe."
I'm also aware that the film has a few different cuts, resulting I believe from the studio's attempts to refashion the story in modest ways in order to capitalize on growing interest in seeing it screened to the widest audience possible. Interestingly enough, Arrow Films' press release highlights that their forthcoming edition will include the three different versions of the story that have evolved as a result of these edits. That alone piques my interest, and I suspect that Horror fans might be tickled pink to get not one chiller to enjoy but three.
Have at it, folks!
On February 11, Arrow Video takes you to church with the cult classic Alice Sweet, Alice, which receives its global premiere on 4K UHD. Director Alfred Sole (Pandemonium) tapped a then-unknown Brooke Shields for her film debut in this bloody tale of religion and a dysfunctional family. The Limited Edition release features a brand new 4K restoration from the original camera negative in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) and hours of special features.
The two Spages sisters are not getting along after their parents split. Karen (Brooke Shields, Pretty Baby) is the sweet younger sister who is always obedient for her recently divorced mother (Linda Miller, One Summer Love), and older sister Alice (Paula Sheppard, Liquid Sky) is not coping well in the aftermath of the divorce. She acts out by tormenting her younger sister, and scares Karen by wearing a yellow raincoat and a creepy translucent mask. The mother takes comfort in the nearby Catholic church and the guidance of Father Tom (Rudoph Willrich, 9 ½ Weeks). Right before Karen’s First Communion ceremony at the Catholic Church, something terrible happens. The suspect appears to be Alice in her raincoat and mask. Could she have done something this drastic to ruin her sister’s special day?
The special features include presentations of not one but three different versions via seamless branching: Communion (original), Alice, Sweet Alice (theatrical) and Holy Terror (re-release); along with the following extras:
- A new audio commentary with film historian Richard Harland Smith;
- A vintage audio commentary with co-writer/director Alfred Sole and editor M. Edward Salier;
- Video interviews with Alfred Sole, composer Stephen Lawrence and actor Niles McMaster;
- A tour of the locations from the movie;
- Deleted scenes;
- Image gallery;
- Reversible sleeve;
- Illustrated collector’s booklet;
- TV spot; and
- Theatrical trailer.
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