Official Synopsis:
Director Brian De Palma (The Untouchables, Scarface) casts a spell of obsession, seduction and murder. Lonely actor Jake Scully housesits an upscale apartment. He enjoys its view of a sensual neighbor...until he accidentally spies her shocking death. But in a labyrinth of erotic deception, nothing is what it seems - including the identity of the femme fatale! To unlock the mystery, Jake must lure the woman who holds the key" Melanie Griffith in her Golden GlobeŽ-nominated role (1985, Best Supporting Actress) as the sexy Holly Body.
Our Take:
Brian De Palma is one of the most polarizing directors in Hollywood. A lot of people love him and a lot of people hate him, and then there are people like me. I consider myself something of a fan, but for every movie he makes that I love (The Untouchables, Mission: Impossible, Carlito's Way), he makes one that I hate (Femme Fatale, Snake Eyes, Obsession). Body Double is one of his earlier works that I had actually never seen, and it falls somewhere squarely in the middle.
It's very typical early De Palma, and it has all of the signature story elements that were typical of that time in his career: lots of sex and nudity, a lonely male protagonist who isn't entirely innocent or entirely guilty, over-the-top violence, and a twisty-turny storyline that's either confusing or brilliant, depending on how you see it. It's not a bad movie and it's not a great movie, but it is somewhat captivating as you try and decipher the film's central mysteries.
Now, for the first time, Body Double is available as a Special Edition DVD. Instead of cribbing together a bunch of snippets and promotional garbage, the disc basically features one lengthy documentary broken down into four parts. It does, however, feature new interviews with De Palma and all the main cast members, including Melanie Griffith and Gregg Henry.
* The Seduction (17 minutes) - De Palma, Melanie Griffith, and company talk about the film's origins and its story.
* The Setup (17 minutes) - A closer look at the voyeuristic sensibilities of the film.
* The Mystery (12 minutes) - Focuses on the mysterious world of adult films.
* The Controversy (5 minutes) - What would a Brian De Palma film be without controversy? This featurette looks at the controversy that surrounded this film.
Body Double is probably more interesting as a look at an early work in a controversial director's career than as a film by itself. Still, since it was never a big hit but probably a small-sized cult favorite, I'm guessing that some people will find a lot to like about this disc.
Overall Picture:
Movie: C+
DVD: B
- Mike Spring
Editor
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