It has been shown as a telefilm, as a mini-series, and even (overseas) in theaters. No matter what kind of feature you call it,
Sybil is one of the best made-for-TV features you'll ever find. Like
The Day After, 1976's
Sybil is a piece of television history. It was nominated for 6 Emmy Awards, and won 4 of them, including Outstanding Special, Outstanding Writing in a Special Program, and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama or Comedy Special. Sally Field, who was at the time trying to shed her typecast image from shows like
Gidget and
The Flying Nun, turned in a stunning performance as the title character which won her the Outstanding Actress Emmy, beating out co-star Joanne Woodward (who years earlier had played the title role in
The Three Faces of Eve). Woodward played Sybil's therapist, Dr. Cornelia Wilbur.
Sybil is adapted from a book by Flora Rheta Schreiber, based on the true story of a woman whose abused childhood has shattered her personality into 16 different people, all trapped inside of her. Sybil suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder, switching from one personality to another without warning and always blacking out in the meantime. Over the years, many people have challenged the authenticity of the actual person's history, claiming that this is not actually a true story, or that she didn't actually have MPD. Regardless of whether or not you believe this to be fiction or non-fiction, there is no denying that the story this feature tells is very dramatic and very well acted, and works on many emotional levels. And we know that many of you are waiting for this to come to DVD. And that you want it in the original uncut version.
With
a remake in the offing (Tammy Blanchard of
Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows and well-known actress Jessica Lange are slated to star), Warner Home Video is taking advantage of the renewed mass market awareness of the original, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the feature's first broadcast, to come out with a spectacular 2-DVD set with the first-ever home video release of the original 3-hour broadcast version of
Sybil!!
Mark
May 23rd on your calendars to get the
Sybil - 30th Anniversary Special Edition 2-DVD set. Selling for $24.98 SRP, the first disc will contain the main feature, and the second disc is dedicated to some amazing extras:
- Never-Before-Seen Footage
- "The Paintings of Sybil": an audio video gallery of the real Sybil's dramatic and revealing paintings
- An actual therapy session conducted between the real Sybil and her therapist
- "Examining Sybil": a new featurette including interviews with the actors (Sally Field, Joanne Woodward), the screenwriter and the executive producer
Warner Home Video will formally announce this title soon (possibly even later today), but we have their official description of the release for you as well:
Based on a true story, this extraordinary film broadcasted in 1976 to remarkable response. Academy Award winner Sally Field - in a career-turning performance - portrays Sybil, a woman suffering from multiple personality disorder who develops over 16 distinct personalities in order to cope with and escape haunting memories of her harrowing childhood. Academy Award winner Joanne Woodward plays the compassionate psychiatrist who helps Sybil confront her painful and bizarre childhood and eliminate her demons. Sybil has remained a well-recognized and distinguishable favorite, reminiscent of other ground-breaking psychological dramas like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or horrific thrillers like Silence of the Lambs. Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of its original debut, Warner Home Video presents the previously unavailable full 3-hour broadcast version, along with over an hour of new, exclusive special features in this special edition, 2-disc set.
We'll have the full-size box art, plus any other details we can dig up, when the studio brings out their press release. Stay tuned!
