When I was getting back into horror films, I remember looking for movies that I’d either missed or had been released during my break and I would frequently pick up films that I could find cheaply while doing minimal research. One of those films was American Mary which I found on Blu-ray for relatively cheap and, when I decided to watch it, knew little about. I was truly stunned by how much I adored the film and I immediately began looking into who was behind the movie. Given that, I thought it would be interesting to share my newfound love for the films of the Soska Sisters, who they are, which ones I’ve seen and haven’t seen and why you should check out their filmography.
The Soska Sisters consist of Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska, identical twins who were born in North Vancouver on the 29th of April, 1983. After initially attempting acting and being dissatisfied, the Soska Sisters ended up directing, writing, acting and producing their own film called “Dead Hooker in a Trunk”. Made for a paltry sum of $2500, Dead Hooker in a Trunk ended up catching the attention of Eli Roth, director of films such as Hostel and Cabin Fever, who advocated for them, gave them encouragement and advice during the production of American Mary (interestingly, he got the film dedicated to him in the credits). Since then, they’ve continued to write and direct films while also working on comics and as hosts for a horror game show called “Hellavator” and running their own shop on Etsy.
With regards to the films that they’ve directed, I’ve managed thus far to see three out of seven. Starting with the films I’ve yet to see, I have tragically not been able to see Dead Hooker in a Trunk due to it being prohibitively expensive to import from the US and not, as far as I’m aware, being available on any Irish streaming services. They directed a segment for The ABCs of Death 2 but, while it did receive a DVD/Blu-ray release here, it’s out of print. Vendetta is, I confess, the film that I’m least interested in seeing from their filmography but I do still plan to see it someday. Finally, their most recent film On the Edge has yet to see a release over here but the premise definitely has me curious.
As I said before, American Mary was the first film from the Soska Sisters that I saw and it left a strong impact on me. Mary Mason is a fantastic protagonist and is played superbly by Katharine Isabelle who oozes charm and expertly handles Mary’s transformation throughout the movie. American Mary is also expertly crafted with a stunning soundtrack that enhances the film, incredible use of prosthetic effects and excellent pacing. If I had to pick a flaw in the film, it’s that the ending comes off as a little rushed during which some characters act a bit out of character but that doesn’t take away the fact that it’s one of the best films that I’ve seen in recent years.
After that, my second Soska Sisters film was Rabid, a remake of the 1977 David Cronenberg movie of the same name. I’ve yet to see the original so I can’t comment on any similarities or differences between the two versions but, taking the film on its own, I was highly impressed with the story which saw Rose, a woman who’s lacking confidence in herself, seriously disfigured in an accident which results in her undergoing an experimental treatment that ultimately goes wrong. I thought the relationship between Rose and Chelsea, her friend whose parent’s fostered Rose, was incredibly written while the pacing juggled Rose’s troubles and the problems her treatment was causing to society with great finesse. There were a couple of special effects that I thought weren’t the best and there’s a couple of characters that could’ve been excised but Rabid remains a very impressive showing.
Then we get to See No Evil 2. I’d heard nothing but negative things about the first film and had avoided it for many years. However, I decided that if I was going to watch See No Evil 2 that I should see the first one. The original See No Evil proved to be a painful experience that exuded a cheap feel, had a bunch of pointless subplots and highly uninteresting characters. Imagine my surprise then when I enjoyed See No Evil 2! Don’t get me wrong, it’s definitely the weakest of the three Soska Sisters films that I’ve seen thus far but the sheer difference in quality between See No Evil and See No Evil 2 astounded me. The characters are actually very likable with Katharine Isabelle who is utterly delightful as Tamara, the quirky friend of the protagonist, the kills are inventive and the pacing is actually tense! The conclusion to the film felt inconclusive, maybe WWE Studios was planning more sequels, and aspects of the film that attempted to tie in with See No Evil felt awkward but I have to say that the Soska Sisters did an outstanding job of making a sequel that’s leagues better than the original.
It’s clear to me that the Soska Sisters have immense talent and I can only hope that I’ll get to watch all of their films someday. In the meantime, I’d strongly encourage you to check out their movies and give them your support. Let me know your thoughts on my love for the films of the Soska Sisters, which ones you’ve seen and whether you also love their films, which have been your favourites and least favourites, whether you’re excited for their new film On the Edge, if you’ve experienced any other work by the Soska Sisters and any additional information you might have on the topic.
Hopefully you have found this article interesting and informative and, if you wish to seek any of the works I mentioned, don’t hesitate to use amazon.co.uk or amazon.com for all of your needs!