Product Details

• Actors: Sharon Stone, Isabelle Adjani, Chazz Palminteri, Kathy Bates, Spalding Gray
• Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Unknown)
• Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• DVD Release Date: June 1, 2004
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0790750651
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #82,158 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Diabolique" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Diabolique is Jeremiah Chechik's 1996 revamped version of the 1955 French film noir tale of two teachers at a boys school conspiring to kill the headmaster (played in the remake by Chazz Palminteri of Jade and The Usual Suspects). The three assemble an intriguing triangle of revenge and deceit as the headmaster's abused and humiliated wife and mistress team up to get even. Mia Baran is the fragile wife with a delicate heart condition, portrayed by Isabelle Adjani (Queen Margot), and Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct) is the plotting, contemptuous mistress. Together they set out to wreak an unfortunate revenge, but as the story reveals itself, miscalculations abound as hidden agendas and secret lives are unexpectedly exposed. Chechik's new look and timeless setting give film noir audiences something neoteric and seducing to play with. A welcomed change to the film's story line is the fresh addition of Kathy Bates as a daunting private detective. Fans of Stone's will not be disappointed with the latest version of her "I-could-give-a-damn smoldering broad" technique and anyone not yet familiar with Chazz Palminteri will love watching him succeed as the ultimately despicable headmaster. --Michele Goodson

Product Description

Two women one plan. We'll poison the creep who treats us like dirt they agree. We'll dump the body in a murky pool and someone will find a surprise at the bottom. There's a surprise all right. When the pool is drained and cleaned no body is found. Sharon Stone and Isabelle Adjani pour on the femme and the fatale in a diabolical grabber of a suspense thriller directed by Jeremiah Chechik (Benny and Joon) and based in part on the classic 1955 French spellbinder Les Diaboliques. Will the women get away with bloody murder? Has someone removed the body of the victim (Chazz Palminteri) and begun playing mind games with them? Add to the mix a tough cookie of a detective (Kathy Bates) and you've got theingredients for "a nail-biter from the first scene to the last" (Bob Polunsky KENS-TV/San Antonio).Running Time: 107 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 085391420422

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thumbs Up For Diabolique, February 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Diabolique [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Despite criticism that the film is monotonous and boring, I rented the video and was pleasantly surprised. Sharon Stone seems to be getting better every film she does. The chemistry between Stone and Isabelle Adjani is great. Chaz Palminteri is the perfect bad guy and Kathy Bates was a great detective. Listen close, Bates has some of the best lines. I really enjoyed my first viewing. I liked it enough to watch a second and third time!! Big thumbs up to the entire cast for a job well done. I would recommend this movie to anyone.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Original Isn't That Much Better, October 3, 2000

By 

"manicsf007" (West Coast, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Diabolique (DVD)

The only reason I originally went to see this movie was because Sharon Stone and Isabelle Adjani are two of my favorite actresses. Sharon Stone is at her best when she is playing the bad girl and in the remake of Les Diaboliques she is perfectly cast. I feel that I was somewhat fortunate to see the 1996 version of the movie before the "Don't mess with my classic" crowd poisoned my mind about the remake.

Diablique isn't perfect but the original version had its flaws too(I saw the original after I saw the 1996 remake). For instance, I felt that in both movies that the two schemers went through way too much trouble in trying to manuver poor, fragile-hearted and weak Mia to croak over on a heart attack. Didn't anyone ever hear of the word, "Boo"?

My biggest complaint about Diabolique is that Chechik didn't take more advantage of the sexual tension between Adjani and Stone, which probaly would have made the plot more believable.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This movie was awesome, awesome , awesome!, July 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Diabolique [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie totally rocked! I rented it while I was in Florida on vacation. I thought it was very well laid out and acted. I usually don't like Sharon Stone, but in this movie she was great. She and Kathy Bates had the best lines. And her wardrobe was totally to die for. Everything I read about this movie said it sucked, but I think the stupid critics who were supposed to be watching this movie were actually sleeping! I liked it so much I ordered my own copy of it. Diabolique is a definite must-rent, folks!