Diabolisch (1996)

Diabolisch: Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. With Sharon Stone, Isabelle Adjani, Chazz Palminteri, Kathy Bates. The wife and mistress of the sadistic dean of an exclusive prep school conspire to murder him.

“Diabolique (1996) Sharon Stone, Isabelle Adjani, Chazz Palminteri, Kathy Bates, Spalding Gray, Shirley Knight, D: Jeremiah S. Chechik. Revamped version of the 1955 French thriller, with Palimenteri as a tyrannical boys-school headmaster done in by the joined forces of his mousy wife (Adjani) and icy blonde mistress (Stone) in a murder plot they wrongfully assume is foolproof. First-rate performers canu0026#39;t serve justice to this diabolical debacle, which doesnu0026#39;t start off too bad, then goes astray. This unspeakably bad rip-off trashes the classic original with too many `oh, come onu0026#39; moments, ridiculous red herrings and twists of its own, and a finale right out of a slasher flick. Bates is even gone to waste as a retired detective whou0026#39;s investigating the case `for something to dou0026#39;. Running Time: 107 minutes and rated R for nudity and sexual content, violence, and some language. * ½”