Single White Female

“The perfect roommate … or a perfect nightmare? An innocent want ad – “SWF seeks female to share apt in West 70s; Non-smkr, professional preferred” – opens the door to murderous, psychotic terror in this pulse-pounding shocker starring Bridget Fonda (Jackie Brown) and Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight). After an unfaithful fiancé leaves her suddenly single, Allison Jones (Fonda) advertises for a roommate to share her spacious apartment. But when the introverted Hedra (Leigh) moves in, she doesn’t just take over Allie’s spare bedroom. She takes over her clothes, her boyfriend … and her identity. An unrelenting thriller from director Barbet Schroeder (Barfly, Reversal Of Fortune), Single White Female boasts terrific performances and stylish suspense to die for. Bring this Blu-ray into your home today (at your own risk).”

The film opens after Allison Jones discovers her fiancé Sam (Steven Weber) has been unfaithful to her with his ex-wife. Trying to move on with her life and help her pay for her New York apartment, she lists an ad for a roommate. With numerous potential applicants, most of them not at all what she’s looking for, she finally meets Hedra, who stumbles into her apartment to console her in a time of need, which leads Allison to immediately offer her the room. Hedra quickly inserts herself into Allison’s life, trying to sink her claws permanently by getting a dog for them to share. Her style begins to emulate Allison’s, borrowing her clothes, starting to dress like her, and eventually getting the same haircut and color as her, in every way her twin. It becomes more clear that things aren’t what they seem when Allison patches things up with Sam and Hedra’s clinginess increases exponentially, with Allison discovering several letters she intercepted from Sam and never showed her. Her fears are confirmed when Hedra hatches an elaborate plan affecting the lives of everyone Allison knows, with her own future at stake.

Single White Female found the certain niche that was so popular in the 90’s with its subtle horror genre. Very similar in tone to films such as The Hand the Rocks the Cradle, these types of films targeted women as their primary audience in conveying a story that preys on the fears of many, suggesting this is something that absolutely could happen to single, career-driven women that don’t have a man to protect them. Although I don’t believe this was quite the message that came across, one can’t help but see the differences in female leads two decades ago and now, as the female character continues to get stronger and stronger on screen. Still, despite the helplessness of the character in the beginning, the story provides a very thrilling conclusion of these two female leads, which is one of the things that makes this film so interesting. The empowerment that Allison goes through over the course of the film seems as though it would inspire anyone with that type of fear, living in a big city and accepting strangers into your home. Allison’s journey takes a plunge at certain points, but it’s a journey that is highly entertaining and one that drives the film.

Both Bridget Fonda and Jennifer Jason Leigh gives amazing perfomances, especially the latter. Finding the nuances of a psychologically distressed person can’t be easy, and she does it with such skill it’s breathtaking to watch unfold as she starts out so normal but takes some dark turns as her character becomes more unhinged as the story progresses. The conflict between the two is non-stop, with many cringe-worth moments as well as surprises that make the film just as entertaining today as it was 26 years ago. Bridget Fonda has a lot of talent and it’s a shame she isn’t acting anymore, but as long as her films get released in new formats, her performances will always find new audiences.

Video

Single White Female is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.85:1. No new interpositive scan on this transfer that Scream Factory does for their more lucrative titles, but this still looks rather impressive given the age. No major defects noticed in the source print, with grain kept at a manageable level throughout. Color balance is well maintained, and although this won’t look as sharp as it could, I was overall pleased with the presentation.

Audio

The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo. This track isn’t going to blow anyone away, but for what it is, it does the job just fine. With the majority of the sound coming in the form of dialogue, it’s always clear and concise, making way for a few atmospheric effects you may hear. The Howard Shore score accompanies the film quite well, providing some tense moments on screen.

Special Features

Impressive as always, Scream Factory manages to get several new features added to the extras on this disc. Worth taking a look at, here’s what you’re going to see:

• NEWAudio Commentary With Director Barbet Schroeder, Editor Lee Percy, And Associate Producer Susan Hoffman
• NEWInterview With Director Barbet Schroeder
• NEWInterview With Actor Steven Weber
• NEWInterview With Actor Peter Friedman
• NEWInterview With Screenwriter Don Roos
• Theatrical Trailer

Single White Female may not be the caliber of horror that Scream Factory fans are used to, but it has its own place in the genre and one that can be quite effective. It’s been given a great treatment by Scream Factory, and any fan of the film or the genre should check it out.