Dir: Brian DePalma
Cast: Craig Wasson, Melanie Griffith, Gregg Henry,
Deborah Shelton, Dennis Franz
Rated R, Approx: 114 minutes
Columbia Pictures/Sony DVD
Modern Master of
Suspense Invites You to
Witness
A Seduction,
A Mystery,
A Murder."
They Simply Don't Make Films Like This Anymore...
Dressed to Kill and Blow Out are all superb examples of the director's talent and ability to tap into the Hitchcock
verve while running along his own path. To brand DePalma a Hitchcock knockoff is grossly unfair. At times, his
films may recall elements of the master and that may distract some as there are moments in the above films that
do recall Rear Window, Psycho and Vertigo for starters. Even when we feel like we've seen it before, with
DePalma it's often only a setup to veer the story into a different direction, constantly keeping the viewer on their
toes. Offering up constant thrills and suspense with a brilliant style, DePalma's films are all his own.
After battling the MPAA over Dressed to Kill and the 1983 gangster film Scarface, DePalma sought to really
push the envelope with his next film, his masterpiece Body Double. Featuring some outrageous gore, ample and
exploitative nudity, Body Double may just be the only bona fide American giallo ever made. Drawing stark
divisions between critics and audiences alike upon its theatrical release, this one is nothing short of amazing.
Serving up a very clever murder mystery with several brilliantly directed and stylish moments throughout, the film
is both a superbly compelling horror film and a brutally funny middle finger to the MPAA and some of the director's
harsher critics of the past. The end result is one of the best films of the 1980s and a real personal favorite of
mine, very, very high up on the list.
audition, Scully is done a favor and set up with a house sitting gig at a very posh and luxurious home. Jake soon
discovers that using a telescope, he can see into the bedroom of neighbor Gloria Revelle (Deborah Shelton) who
happens to perform an erotic striptease every evening in front of her bedroom window. As Jake becomes more
and more enchanted with the mysterious beauty, he follows her one afternoon from a trip to a shopping mall (in
one of the film's most mesmerizing sequences) to a stroll on the beach. Once the two finally meet, things go
south. Jake witnesses Gloria's brutal murder at the hands of a hulking Indian wielding a power drill, yet the
authorities refuse to believe his outrageous story. As Jake is now the prime suspect in the murder, he sets out to
clear his name which leads him into the heart of the adult film industry where he meets an incredibly sexy porn
star, Holly Body (Melanie Griffith-who steals the film), who is the answer to solving the brutal killing.
came under criticism for casting Craig Wasson (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3) in the lead, but Wasson has
always been a fine actor and as Jake Scully, he's likable and sympathetic. Stealing the film however, is Melanie
Griffith as the ditzy porn star Holly Body. Griffith delivers the best performance of her career in this film and looks
incredibly sexy throughout (if that 80's glam look does anything for you). Originally intended for real porn star
Annette Haven (she passed because she didn't like the gory violence of the script) and offered to Jamie Lee
Curtis (she passed because she wanted to avoid typecasting coming off Trading Places where she played a
hooker), it's hard to imagine anyone other than Griffith in the role and frankly, it's an absolute blessing that the
others passed it up. She brings so much charm and charisma to the character of Holly and makes what could've
been an empty, forgettable part into exactly the opposite.
you're taken on is one that the viewer isn't likely to forget. Told with such passion, DePalma infuses so much
visual gusto into the film that it's quite breathtaking some of the time and at others, just plain heart pounding.
DePalma misdirects the audience almost as much as he does his characters keeping all of us on our toes, and
tosses in some bizarre conventions just for good measure. 80's pop group 'Frankie Goes to Hollywood turn up in
one particularly amusing scene and the end credits are a direct response to the criticisms he took for using a
body double for Angie Dickinson's nude scenes in Dressed to Kill.
does have plenty for genre fans to enjoy. I'd say that those acquainted with European cinematic conventions will
probably take the most from this one, and giallo fans should be surprised to see an American film emulate the
'formula' with such success. As it stands, I'd say it's among the best in that subgenre. Viewers simply looking for
a good, offbeat thriller should also really enjoy this as it's tough to predict (though to be fair, the movie does
stretch to some gleefully implausible heights) but easy to follow. Movies like this are almost impossible to come by
in this day and age, at times needlessly exploitative and yet packed with more artistry and ingenuity than most
Hollywood thrillers of the past twenty years, this one is well worth a movie lover's time.
film for director Ken Wiederhorn (Return of the Living Dead part II, Meatballs part II), DePalma seized the
film back after another project of his fell by the wayside. With Body Double we have the director working at the
top of his game. Easily the director's best film (no small feat) in this reviewer's eyes, you can't ask for more in an
evening's worth of entertainment. Remember, as the tagline goes, "you can't believe everything you see", but
you will love seeing it all!
* * * * * out of 5
Reviewed by Matt Serafini 02/24/02
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