This movie is one of many reasons why I love the '80s. Even though this movie is pure trash, it's still one of the greatest trash movies ever made. It gives you a great sense of how the '80s were really like. Man, I can watch this movie a thousand times and every time I wanna go back in time and make sweet love to Deborah Shelton or Melanie Griffith.
shareI recommend you watch 'Dressed to kill' as well. It has the same theme and De Palma also directed it. But I wouldn't go far as claiming 'Body double' as trash. This was more of a homage to Hitchcock's movies, without giving acknowledgement of course.
shareWhat kind of "acknowledgement" are we talking about here? Should there have been a disclaimer or something, announcing that a few Hitchcock´s concepts or set-ups are being revisited? I mean, these certain similarities are blatantly obvious to anyone who has seen Rear Window & Vertigo.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
No. It was trash.
shareBD is cannon material for any film school. It's the epitome of film.
"You couldn't be much further from the truth" - several
I loved Dressed To Kill. As a film DTK was much better than BD, but BD just captures the '80s much better. Even though it's filled with flaws and sloppy acting, I still love it.
shareNo, not as a film. I certainly don't agree.
"You couldn't be much further from the truth" - several
What flaws are we talking about here? If anything, DTK feels somewhat more structurally disjointed than BD.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
Well, let's just break it down. We are obviously experiencing these two films very differently. I felt DTK was much more effective as a thriller and I credit that to a better story and better film making. Yes, there were flaws. There were flaws in both films and especially in Body Double. Body Double's biggest flaw was the material they were working with. The plot was so incredibly silly you couldn't help but cringe at times. Then of course the acting was rather sloppy and the lead character's counter intuitive behavior was so ridiculous you couldn't help but cringe a little more. That being said, I still feel this movie is very watchable and mainly because how well it represents the eighties. There are a lot of good areal shots in this movie and for those who love the city of Los Angeles will undoubtedly enjoy themselves.
share"The plot was so incredibly silly".
It´s a cheesy, lush and overripe film, but it´s also so for a reason, it being ´about´ the artifice of cinema, about "watching", and "acting", essentially one-upping both Rear Window and Vertigo. And I find the blatant disregard for any real world "logic", as it were, liberating - it´s cool to see things happen in films that couldn´t happen in real life. That´s what cinema is for... among other things. Besides, neither of the two aforementioned Hitchcock movies that DePalma´s riffing on, makes much of a sense in logical terms, either.
"The acting is rather sloppy".
Of course it is - after all, the very limited Craig Wasson is playing a character, an actor, that couldn´t act at all. Don´t really know what you mean by "counter intuitive behaviour" though.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
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I love this movie :)
I am extremely flattered.
Debbie
I was 18 when this came out and my girlfriend and I went to see it. I loved it. It's in time become one of my favorite movies as well on many levels. I like to think movies like this prompted my moving to SoCal during the 90's... Something about movies like this set in L.A. Looking back now it depicts the 80's well and is still fun to watch. If in fact you are the Debbie from the film of course you were a large part of the attraction. Physically, definitely but that roll moved the movie along and you carried the mystery of the part beautifully. Do women really throw their panties away on their way to nefarious meetings? How flattering for a man and unique part of the movie.. I'm sure used to further the killer and protagonist but still excellently done.... :) BTW you should have hit the killer with your phone..... Just a thought...
Don't count on hell ever running out of room
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I remember seeing this when it came out in the theaters back in '84. I love 80's flicks as well as suspense thrillers. A well-crafted, yet quirky De Palma movie with the right amount of sleaze. Craig Wasson was a good choice by De Palma, as the average man caught in unusual circumstances (a tip of the hat to Hitchcock) and the gorgeous Deborah Shelton was a familiar face on "Dallas" and other TV shows at the time. The idea for the killer's weapon had to have been influenced by another 80's movie "Slumber Party Massacre".
With the hairs styles, Members Only jackets, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood music, I'm instantly transported back in time when watching this movie.
Yep, and de Palma doesn't skimp on the skin scenes.
shareLove everything about this film.. I didn't give a crap what the critics wrote., I saw it opening weekend too! Moved to LA and worked in Beverly Hills two years later.. Saw it I conservative Oklahoma and remember older people ( of course I was 24 at the time) walking out and when Frsnkie Goes to Hollywood scene appeared even more people walked out.. Lol That song / video encapsulated the 80's and MTV., it was magic and still to this day when I hear that song .. It brings me back to this film, the idea and what the 80's music scene and LA was during this time. And Deborah Shelton was absolutely gorgeous in person and Melanie was her sexy cute self!!
I wouldn't call it trash. It's more or less a "thriller" with lots of X-rated homages in it. It's probably based on a criminal case somewhere down in the LA area.
share