SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

jrsousa I was trying hard to remember about when I used to watch this movie with my siblings, but couldn't tell if this movie is the same miniseries that I watched in Brazil in the 80s, it probably is, because there is no other. I had the impression the miniseries was longer than 2 episodes, maybe they aired shorter episodes to fit into a week of show. It's an amazing movie, and even though as a kid I couldn't follow or understand much of the movie, some scenes got deeply marked in my memories, such as the image of Sybil showing her fists. Having come across a few podcasts among my mp3 of voices of Sybil, it reminded me of the movie and I decided to see it again.

Ilovehandbagsandshoes This review assumes you have read other reviews...Whether or not Multiple Personality Disorder exists, the fact is that this film is about the emergence of the real deal: the truth about the lives of a very disturbed mother who subjected a small child to agonising abuse. The fact that this woman had such devastating 'functional' mental illness is the most horrible fact. Behind closed doors, well within the confines of 'domestic life', this film kicks the living daylights out of the idea of 'home sweet home'.Perhaps the various personalities were not as distinct as the film depicts, but all the same, assuming the voice of a younger self, to enable you to admit to facts, is a very obvious way of dealing with things like this.I don't care if the publisher made them 'invent multiple personalities', I don't care that it was a trend in 1970s therapy, I don't even care that the shrink and the patient became lifelong friends, or if money or fame make people tell the truth - as long as the truth comes out!Personally I'm sick of the view that 'mothers are perfect' that is handed down to us by all of history and culture. Guess what people: mothers can actually be bad, really bad! So I'm just glad some films stick their neck out and tell it like it is.

nbwritersinbox Looking for light entertainment? If you are, Sybil won't be for you...However, a remarkable combination of factors make this TV Drama one of the best ever made. Why it was never adapted as a feature film, I will never know. (Possibly, Hollywood Studios balked at the controversial subject matter the drama explores?) I refuse to believe a talented director couldn't produce an Oscar-winning production. It would sweep the board! Sally Field's central performance is astonishing, compelling and deeply moving throughout 198 gripping minutes. This, plus sensitive direction and a powerful storyline, tragically based on a real victim's remarkable recovery, propels Sybil into the top echelon of any film released in America. All credit must be extended to the company who bothered to re-release Sybil on DVD. This reviewer here, I can assure you, will be seeking a copy for his permanent collection.What makes Sybil important, is a thorough examination of why complex mental health issues arise, and the value of psychotherapy itself. Neither of these issues are easy to approach, or understand by film-makers, and indeed, audiences. But Sybil does not patronize, it examines, reflects and informs. Multiple Personality Disorder, as it was then called, is now known to be a form of dissociation. The sufferer takes refuge behind a number of different "characters", since without them, reality's unbearable. The sufferer's personality is literally "shattered" due to severe trauma, usually experienced in childhood.That (the real) Sybil was able to make a full recovery is a remarkable feat. There's a great deal to be learned about psychological therapy from watching this DVD. And, hope for all who's emotional health has been damaged in the past.

sybilsfriend The 30th anniversary DVD edition of Sybil was released in July. As Shirley Mason's (aka Sybil)long time friend, I was included in the documentary about the making of the movie. The documentary is a fascinating recap of how the movie was cast and how it came to be. However, I was disappointed that Shirley Mason is not mentioned anywhere in the documentary, and her name is not even shown on her paintings in the gallery. Shirley was a person to me, not a fictional character. I was told that her name couldn't be mentioned because of contractual agreements with the author of the book. Shirley Mason WAS Sybil and her life as an artist in Kentucky should not be minimized. Since Sybil is a story of abuse, but also one of recovery, I feel my friend was denied the recognition she deserves as a survivor of abuse, as a wonderful artist, as a warm, kind lady who lived a quiet life of dignity in Lexington. If and when my book, Life After Sybil... From the Words of Shirley Mason, gets published, I intend to correct that omission. Regards, Sybil's Friend ... Nancy Preston